delite:
i guess sun is going to announce its partnership with ptsc next week!! ha! ha! Anyone have any guesses?
Sun promises big things for Java, channel
By Deborah Gage
January 13, 1998 3:08 PM PST
Sm@rt Reseller
Sun Microsystems Inc. next week will make the biggest Java partner announcement in the history of
the company, CEO Scott McNealy said Tuesday.
McNealy, speaking at the launch of the company's Darwin Ultra workstations, steadfastly refused
to name the partner. Instead, he used the podium to tout forthcoming, more-affordable Solaris
applications and new modes of delivery for the Ultra 5 and Ultra 10 machines.
McNealy downplayed questions about the whereabouts of Sun's long-awaited JavaStations. Sun
(SUN) officials committed to a "first half" volume shipment date for the machines. Previously, Sun
had talked about a first-quarter delivery date.
Sun also announced Tuesday that it will sell its Ultra 5 and Ultra 10 workstations over the Web
through SunExpress, the company's direct marketing arm that is now part of Sun Microsystems
Computer Corp. (SMCC).
The workstations will be available at a discount to customers and resellers who buy direct from Sun
through volume end-user contracts. Others will pay list price. For the Ultra 5, list price starts at
$2,995.
"This is no different from our existing coverage models," said SMCC president Ed Zander. "Over
time, we will add demand creation services and generate leads for our partners."
As part of its Darwin push, Sun said software developers writing Solaris technical applications will
cut prices to match those of comparable offerings on Microsoft Corp.'s NT.
McNealy folded SunExpress into SMCC after resellers complained that the direct-business unit
was undercutting them by selling third-party products. Last summer, Sun proposed selling its
Enterprise 450 servers through SunExpress, but the idea was shot down by Sun's Reseller Council.
Sun has integrated off-the-shelf PC components into the Ultra 5s and 10s, which also both feature a
PCI bus. The machines will be at least partly assembled by an unnamed partner. Sun expects to cut
lead times on the workstations down to five to 10 days, from a previous level of 15 to 30 days,
according to product manager Craig Miller. |
