[rescue] Sun memo regarding Java

[Jonathan C. Patschke]

On Mon, 10 Feb 2003, Sheldon T. Hall wrote:

> Why Sun would build an _installer_ around that FPOS I cannot imagine.

And why every unbundled app wants to use it is another crime against the
computing gods.  It's an -installer- for a Sun product!  Hello!  It
-only- runs on Solaris!  Where's the win in using Java?  So far, it only
succeeds in making a 30 minute installation take -10 hours- [0].

Ditto for the local administration tools that are being largely
supplanted by the behemoth of bytecode that is the Sun Management
Console and Integrated Client Stress Simulator.  I just -thought- they
were sluggish before they were rolled into that massive trainwreck.
BTW, is the audio control applet still written in Java?  That's a
-really- effective use of a cross-platform technology, or something.

> Installation is your new customer's first chance to see what you're doing,
> and you only have one chance to make a first impression ... running the "web
> Installer" built around HotJava could give one the impression that Sun has a
> problem with using technology appropriate to its application.

#include <web-app.rant>

So, to install this OS, I first have to load up X and then a web
browser[1]?  What is this, Microsoft Solaris?  "Web Management"?  How
about good ol' SNMP thankyouverymuch?  Oh, that's right, because Solaris
Manglement Console doesn't support anything other than Sun WMI.  Great.
Oh, and please add insult to injury by taking five minutes to tell me
how much disc I have available, please.

Yeah, Sun's "Making the net work" alright.  Damned switch just about melts
when you try to run SMC over a forwarded X connection.


[0] Forte 6.1 on an Ultra 1e @ 170MHz with 192MB memory.  30 minutes to
    do "yes | pkgadd -d . all" versus 10 HOURS to do the Java installer
    thing.
[1] Yes, I know you can boot off "Solaris Software 1 of 2" and use the
    installation CD as a coaster, but the majority of people installing
    Solaris 8 or later for the first time don't know that)
-- 
Jonathan Patschke  *)  "It's not about who's right and who's wrong...
Thorndale, TX      (*   it's about who works for the government and who
                   *)   doesn't."                        --Dave McGuire