<p>RE: RB</p> <p>does this replace terminal services: yes. As said: the technology requires a client agent (java code) and server software.</p> <p>MS suing: why would they. Nothing changes in terms of the software licence for the application that is send of to the remote client: you still need to pay for every copy of software that you use.</p> <p>Different from Citrix and other solutions: it's said to be easier to set up and manage. As for the licence for he technology itself... that's up to Sun.</p> <p>What hardware will it run on? Any hardware that can handle Java code. As the posting states: the demo showed it running on OS X. They also had Linux and Windows Systems running the technology. The Sunray runs Linux too if I'm correct btw.</p> <p>Pricing and availability: for now this is a research project within Sun Research.</p> <p>Re most other questions: This allows for a hybrid ASP-local software model. The beauty of this technology seems to be that it will run in conjunction with your existing OS, allowing users to access both local applications and remote ASP-like services through Chameleon.</p>

Posted by: SV Sleuth 09 May 2005

<p>Not nearly enough detail to be useful to me; for example, does this replace terminal services for Windows applications, or does it rely on them? If it replaces them, does this mean Sun will defend me if Microsoft sues me? How is this different/better from a Tarantella or Citrix? Does it only work with SunRay's? How then will the home user use it if they're using a (gasp) PC or Mac? (last I looked, the Sunray hasn't really penetrated the home market much - must be the Sun server that it's anchored to.) What's the price? Annual fee or one-time license? What facilities are there for supporting the ASP market, as the author suggests this is good for? Billing utilities? License management? Printing support? How about access to the users' disk drives, so they can save the work? What security features are there to protect the user? The server? What kind of bandwidth does this require? Dial-up? DSL? Is this firewall-friendly, or do I have to open up ports? </p> <p>Not knocking the technology, there's just not enough information for me to tell whether this is some ground-breaking new technology or whether this is just a "me-too" ...</p>

Posted by: RB 09 May 2005

<p>This kind of sounds like a Citrix/VMWare hybrid. Citrix delivers individual apps or a desktop and VMWare can run an entire OS locally. The big question for me is cost. Citrix and VM are great except for the cost involved with clients and server software. That is not even including the hardware to run it.</p>

Posted by: Jon 06 May 2005

<p>what is XWindows?</p>

Posted by: hannah 05 May 2005

<p>Have you ever heard about XWindow?<br /> What is your background on IT?</p> <p>Shame on you</p>

Posted by: Eulogio de Matamá 05 May 2005

<p>> it's not clear to me though whether you have to have OS X to <br /> > display these windows, or it's generic.</p> <p>...java.</p>

Posted by: pwl 04 May 2005

<p>Everybody seems to assume this is an "either/or" siuation - nothing about this stops you using the current computing model of running your applications locally. It just allows you to use remote applications as well, which can't be bad. It's not clear to me though whether you have to have OS X to display these windows, or it's generic.</p> <p>--<br /> SV Sleuth:<br /> The client requires some Java code. But the java code will run on OS X, Linux, Windows, pretty much anything with a Java Virtual Machine.</p>

Posted by: Jack 04 May 2005

<p>As an enterprise admin this is a good thing. We currently use Citrix to make PC apps available to Macs, but that's suckin' expensive! If This Sun solution can get around all the licensing garbage that comes with Citrix then I'm all for it!</p>

Posted by: Anonymous 03 May 2005

<p>[QUOTE=Scott]<br /> So,...</p> <p>What if you're on dial-up? Your cable modem goes down? Your DSL line goes down for "maintenance"? You're using a laptop on the road?</p> <p>Guess you just don't use your computer at all.<br /> [/QUOTE]</p> <p>I'd hope this is for extra computational power when you need it. Like if you want to use 30 Photoshop filters on your 6 year old iMac, or you are rendering a scene for a company like Pixar. I hope this isn't a thin-client thing, or your fears might be real.</p>

Posted by: Anonymous 03 May 2005

<p>Mac apps don't have in-window menubars. How does "Chameleon" handle that, if at all?</p>

Posted by: Spiff 03 May 2005

<p>So,...</p> <p>What if you're on dial-up? Your cable modem goes down? Your DSL line goes down for "maintenance"? You're using a laptop on the road?</p> <p>Guess you just don't use your computer at all.</p>

Posted by: Scott 03 May 2005

<p>Not a good development at all. It will cede control of your computer to centralized companies, servers, who will charge for everything and know all that you do. </p> <p>Microsoft eat your heart out. Here comes Big Brother!</p> <p>Loved the crack about "Sun Microsoft".</p>

Posted by: Anonymous 03 May 2005

<p>Big deal, I've got them all running on my laptop. </p> <p>OS X running native<br /> Windows 2000 running on virtual PC<br /> Compiled and ran an open source calculator running in X11.</p>

Posted by: Dan P 03 May 2005

<p>Interesting. That must be a new company, Sun Microsoft.</p> <p>I'm sure you meant Sun Microsystems.</p> <p><br /> ---<br /> SV Sleuth:<br /> ouch. yes, Microsystems of course. Noted and corrected. could this have been prophetic ;-) ?</p>

Posted by: Chris 03 May 2005

<p>"... the first time that applications are delivered to a remote desktop in their own windows" ... HILARIOUS!!! Ever heard of X Windows? It's about 20 years old, maybe before your time.</p>

Posted by: Anonymous 03 May 2005