While Sun Microsystems Inc has its trained its Solaris guns firmly on Windows NT with its new intranet server bundle (CI 3,204), we’re left with the feeling that its SunSoft operation still has a bunch of holes it must plug. For starters it lacks a clearly-defined set of products to support end-to-end Java environments and network computers. Although Sun’s JavaSoft unit has identified a number of technologies for creating, deploying and administering Java applications and system software, including Java WebServer, Servelet and Jeeves, there’s still no end-to-end product architecture such as Oracle Corp subsidiary Network Computer Inc’s NC Server and Desktop and back-end database package for NCs unveiled in New York a few weeks back. There’s further confusion over the status of the JavaOS operating system it’s inheriting from JavaSoft and the relationship between Solaris and JavaOS going forward. SunSoft told us it expects to incorporate all of the server-side technologies needed to support Java and other thin client and browser-based architectures – plus WebNFS technologies – into a new release of Solaris Server for Intranets by the end of the year. SunSoft says it’s taken over responsibility for the JavaOS client operating system from JavaSoft, giving it to VP developer products Larry Weber, who’s responsible for all Java products within SunSoft, but is still transitioning the Java licence agreements across to SunSoft. It expects to be out the other end of the tunnel by September. There’s a new cut of JavaOS due next quarter. No Solaris won’t become JavaOS, or vice versa, the company claims, in answer to various reports. SunSoft says the NCI thin client technologies are fully supported on Solaris and that in the next few weeks it will be greatly expanding its product offerings to support Network Computer Reference Profile devices.
