Sun’s Robert Brewin and Craig McClanahan elaborate on the technologies behind Sun Java[tm] Studio Creator, Sun’s next-generation tool for developing Java[tm] applications.

Check it out: http://developers.sun.com/prodtech/javatools/jscreator/reference/techart/primer.html

The author explores how application programs can find the amount of free physical memory that is available, with recommendations on how to take advantage of this information.

http://developers.sun.com/solaris/articles/free_phys_ram.html

Recent Sun and Microsoft Announcements Benefit Customers: Hear Sun’s Executives position how customers can benefit from the Sun-Microsoft announcements and see real demos that will illustrate how this can work for you.

Find it here:

http://wcdata.sun.com/webcast/archives/GSN-1596/

This paper offers many helpful development and design guidelines for your applications with respect to Sun Java System Directory Server, all recommended by the Directory Server Adoption Team at Sun.

Click here:

http://developers.sun.com/prodtech/dirserver/reference/techart/bestpractices.html

Mozilla 1.7 RC1 (Release Candidate 1) for Solaris/SPARC is out.

Grab your copies here:
GTK1 Build and README
GTK2 build for Sun’s GNOME Desktop and README.

The builds include support for Calendar, Complex Text Support, SVG, and Xprint.

Please report any bugs you find with these builds.

This tutorial is designed to help system administrators set up and configure their own DNS servers. The article focuses on the specifics of installing ISC BIND 9.x.

http://www.sun.com/bigadmin/features/articles/intro_dns.html

Sun’s Java Desktop System is now available preloaded on Microtel computer systems purchased through WalMart.com. Prices range from $298 for a 1.6Ghz AMD Duron-based system to $698 for a 3Ghz Pentium 4 system with CD burner.

In a landmark settlement, Sun and Microsoft have forged a broad agreement that fundamentally redefines the enterprise computing landscape. It signals a new relationship between Sun and Microsoft that promises greater product interoperability, technology innovation, and ultimately greater choice and flexibility for Sun’s customers.

Learn what this means for you:

* View the McNealy-Ballmer news conference:
http://sun.feedroom.com/x/tiles_ns.jsp?fr_story=FEEDROOM67769

* Software CTO John Fowler sizes up implications for software:
http://www.sun.com/aboutsun/media/features/fowler_qa.html

* See Java guru Jim Gosling’s take on the agreement:
http://today.java.net/jag/

This News.Com article briefs the departure of Sun software executive Wolfgang Gentzsch, and joining a non-profit grid organization.

This internetnews.com article contains a brief Q&A with Sun Services CTO, Hal Stern.

Chris Rijk has an in-depth article about Sun’s “Niagra” chip efforts up at Ace’s Hardware.

Sun today announced a new promotion for the Solaris Operating System (OS) on x86 systems, providing annual volume subscription packages in quantities of 100, 500 and 2000, including services and support. This aggressive promotion for high volume server deployments prices the Solaris OS at up to 80 percent off the cost of Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition, and up to 70 percent off the cost of Red Hat Enterprise Linux. The promotion price also enables customers to simply pay one price for the use of the Solaris OS on any mix of 1-4 way x86 systems.

This News.Com article gives plenty of details on Sun’s executives shake-up: Neil Knox, Mark Tolliver and perhaps Clark Masters will leave the company. In addition, Sun highlights the up-coming processors and the company roadmaps with analysts. Furthermore, The Register reports that failed efforts to revive the x86 servers line might contributed to the executives leaving. However, Sun is still focused on providing x86 servers with Intel and AMD processors.

Sun has completed its acquisition of Kealia, Inc.

Kealia was co-founded and led by Andy Bechtolsheim, 48. Bechtolsheim was a co-founder of Sun Microsystems and vice president of technology from 1982 to 1995, where he held a range of roles including chief architect of Sun’s workstation product line. He invented the “Stanford University Network workstation” that eventually became the Sun-1 Workstation and was instrumental in launching other successful Sun products, including the SparcStation® 1. Bechtolsheim returns to Sun as senior vice president and chief architect in Sun’s Network Systems organization, and is also a member of Sun’s executive management team. He has been reassigned his “number one” employee badge.

As part of the acquisition, Sun plans to formally drop the “Kealia” name. No one could pronounce it anyway.

Sun issued an aggregate of approximately 20,000,000 shares of common stock (including assumed options) in exchange for all outstanding stock and options of Kealia.

Sun reported results today for its fiscal 2004 third quarter, which ended March 28, 2004.

Revenues for the third quarter of fiscal 2004 were $2.651 billion, a sequential decrease of 8.2 percent and a year-over-year decline of 5.0 percent as compared with $2.790 billion for the third quarter of fiscal 2003. Total gross margin for the quarter as a percent of revenues was 40.3 percent, a decrease of 1.5 percentage points sequentially and a decrease of 4.3 percentage points as compared with the third quarter of fiscal 2003.

Net loss for the quarter was $760 million or $0.23 per share as compared with net income of $4 million or $0.00 per share for the third quarter of fiscal 2003. This loss includes a non-cash charge of $300 million for an increase in the valuation allowance for deferred tax assets, a charge of $203 million for workforce and real estate restructuring, and a gain of $3 million on equity investments.

Excluding these amounts, net loss for the quarter on a non-GAAP basis would have been $260 million or a net loss per share of $0.08.