IBM to buy Sun? What could that mean to us programmer types?

[btiffin]

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/03/technology/business-computing/03blue.html?_r=1&ref=technology&pagewanted=print

Cheers

[rdrake]

I wonder what would happen to various SUN technologies...

Seems like IBM has an answer to all of them.

[DemonWasp]

What it means is the following, in my opinion:

1. Good times for Java. IBM has been heavily involved in Java for years, leveraging it as their primary weapon against Microsoft and their .NET platform. Eclipse improves, as does the JVM.

2. Bad times for anyone working on Solaris or AIX. Admittedly there haven't been OS updates for SUN-Solaris in years, but this will be worse. I predict a twisted hybrid of the two, probably under a name like "Solarix", which will resemble nothing so much as conjoined Solaris/AIX twins. Many of the failings of both platforms will be combined into a list of epic failures on both platforms, though for some reason you'll still need to support the lousy things because the banks really like buying both these machines and your software.

3. Good times for Linux and BSD (and possibly OSX, though that's more doubtful), as IBM will probably release or license SUN's ZFS to the free software world, again to strike against Microsoft.

4. Possibly rough times for MySQL. Though IBM has DB2 as a database product, that seems to fill a different niche than the free MySQL, so they may retain both. There may be some concept cross-over if possible between the two.

[Zeroth]

Don't forget about OpenSolaris. OpenSolaris is open sourced, and IBM makes money off of FOSS. Huge benefit to IBM to support another platform for their software. Makes it seem less like total vertical control that IBM was infamous for 10-15 years ago.

[md]

MySQL is actually a pretty horrid DB. Were it not for the fact that I currently need to run it I'd be using PostgreSQL. Incidentally MySQL has fragmented so much in recent months that it's not really possible to call it a single project any more.

I think IBM would fold most of Solaris into AIX and linux - certainly ZFS would be GPL'd. Like Zeroth says, IBM has basically dedicated itself to OpenSource, so I think it would be a win in the end.

[Zeroth]

md @ Fri Apr 03, 2009 3:48 pm wrote:

MySQL is actually a pretty horrid DB. Were it not for the fact that I currently need to run it I'd be using PostgreSQL. Incidentally MySQL has fragmented so much in recent months that it's not really possible to call it a single project any more.

I think IBM would fold most of Solaris into AIX and linux - certainly ZFS would be GPL'd. Like Zeroth says, IBM has basically dedicated itself to OpenSource, so I think it would be a win in the end.

Oh god, I have to agree with you there. MySQL is horrendous. Every time our DB teacher tried to show us a feature about atomicity, constraints, efficient searches, MySQL would go and do the absolute wrong thing every single time. It amazes me that places like Google and that use a (heavily modified) MySQL installation.

[btiffin]

Sounds like Sun balked, IBM walked.

http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/?p=15779

Cheers

[md]

Sounds like someone needs to launch a minority shareholder suit against Sun's board of directors. An offer that's 200% of your share price isn't usually something you turn down. Espoecially after months of negotiations.

[btiffin]

Oracle bought Sun. Hmm, I'll ask for opinions again. What could that mean to us programmer types?

Personally, I think Java and MySQL might lose out to .NET and PostgreSQL unless Oracle is very careful how it treats developers and our need for hobbyist accessible tools. And who wants to get trapped in a .NET?

Cheers

[md]

Java is pretty much done for, except for database work. Oracle has no good business reason for supporting it (fortunately).

MySQL will probably do ok, as it fills a different niche. I hope PostgreSQL does take over though, it's oh so much nicer. I'm also hoping for dtrace being GPL'd so someone can port it to linux. 'Tis such an awesome tool.

[wtd]

md @ Tue Apr 21, 2009 9:05 am wrote:

Java is pretty much done for, except for database work.

Heh. This is a bit like saying, "cars are dead, except when it comes to moving people from one place to another."

CRUD apps are the very boring bread and butter of the development world.

[DemonWasp]

I'm really hoping Java doesn't disappear, particularly not to be replaced by .NET. I, for one, have no intention of ever working in C# to be deployed to Windows servers.

Hmmm...is it possible that Oracle just has plans to sell what was originally SUN to IBM, at a markup? As I recall, the reason SUN walked was because they were balking at some requirements IBM had; if Oracle is a threat to Java, IBM may well be willing to pay a markup to keep the Java weapon in their arsenal against Microsoft. Then again, I'm not a business student.

[wtd]

IBM has enough Java tools and talent that I'm sure Sun disappearing would simply mean less competition.

[md]

dunno... I can see Java going away as a compeitor to flash... and that's a good thing?

[Dan]

md @ 21st April 2009, 6:20 am wrote:

dunno... I can see Java going away as a compeitor to flash... and that's a good thing?

I don't think less competition is ever a good thing for developers in the long run. Also i don't see flash and java as covering the same areas even in terms of applets. There are somethings flash simply can't do that a java applet can.