The innovations previewed at LinuxWorld are focused on three key areas:

1) Next-generation desktop technologies including the next version of the Sun Java Desktop System, future management features for the Java Desktop System that allow full control over the desktop experience, Linux on ultra-thin Sun Ray client systems and a radical new 3-D, Java technology-based PC interface (code named "Project Looking Glass").

2) Enterprise Software and Hardware: Sun will demonstrate the Sun Java Enterprise System at its LinuxWorld booth, January 21-23. The Java Enterprise System began shipping in December 2003 and will be available supporting the Linux OS later this year on Intel Xeon systems and AMD Opteron processor-based x86 servers as part of the Sun and AMD alliance announced in November 2003.

. 3) Linux development tools: Sun will preview a future developer desktop solution that combines Sun's new Java Studio Creator (code-named "Project Rave"), a revolutionarily easy-to-use drag-and-drop Java Application Builder, with the Java Desktop System and NetBeans, Sun's open source Java IDE. In addition, Sun will outline plans to support its complete line of development tools on Linux by the end of 2004.

"Sun continues to drive leadership in the Linux community with the world's most popular desktop offering, the Java Desktop System," said Jonathan Schwartz, executive vice president of software, Sun Microsystems. "While the competition continues to hire evangelists and call that a Linux strategy, we're demonstrating commitment by building and shipping indemnified products, safe for corporate deployment, that save millions of dollars each and every day."

In 2004, Sun will release advanced Java Desktop System features such as central management of user settings for Gnome desktops, StarOffice software, a Mozilla browser, Evolution and others as part of the Java Desktop System Configuration Manager, as well as completion of the 3-D Looking Glass project, which uses Java programming and OpenGL to deliver a fluid desktop experience in which users can arrange application windows in 3-D space. Sun is also providing Linux on its Sun Ray desktop appliances, combining the usability of the open source platform with centralized management and smart card authentication for a cost-effective and highly secure alternative enterprise client computing environment.

Unlike competing products, Sun's Java Enterprise System includes all infrastructure components pre-integrated and pre-tested as a single system (including email, calendar, portal, directory, identity, application and Web services) released on a regular schedule. Sun expects to be the first to provide a fully-integrated infrastructure software system on the Linux OS.

Sun plans to provide the new developer desktop as well as the migration of all server-side application development tools to Linux this year. Sun's Java Studio tools are based on the NetBeans open source IDE, which has become a preferred development platform for many Linux developers. The current version of Sun Java Studio Standard is shipping today with Linux support. In addition, Sun Java Studio Enterprise and the upcoming Sun Java Studio Creator are expected to ship in mid-2004 (an early access version of Java Studio Creator is available today). Other tools products from Sun, including NetBeans 3.6, NetBeans 4.0, Java Studio Mobility, and Sun Studio (C/C++ tools) are also expected to support Linux by the end of this year.

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