I'm working on getting an ISO of the DEMO CD. If I'm able to get it, it will be based on Morphix (Debian). We would be able to modify it in a community fashion. We can even include the new installer and create our own ISO Morphix style.

It would only be available at LQ. Any interest in a Debian based version of JDS R2?

So....your making a free version of JDS? not sure what your saying.

Sun will have a Free downloadable version of JDS similar to SuSE's personal version. That's highly likely. It will be available from their web site. That's a totally different issue than the one I'm discussing below.

They also have a DEMO - which is a LiveCD based on Morphix/Knoppix. I'm attempting to acquire the ISO for download.

If we get that, we can use the latest Morphix installer, which would allow us to install the LiveCD onto the hard drive.

At that point, we would be free to do community development on the JDS desktop on top of Debian.

It would be free. And it would be approved for development.

But, keep in mind this depends on how things get structured.

I'm just asking, if everything falls into place, is anyone interested?

a free JDS in the sense of the JDS desktop is what he's saying... as in the modified gnome and everything of the SUN JDS... similar to the JDS overlay for Solaris 9... I think that would be a cool idea... I would check it out...

Again... you should talk to whomever it may concern at Sun about selling retail JDS at big box stores (Best Buy, CompUSA, even Wal-Mart and TARGET maybe, it would definitely increase marketability)

I have discussed it. It won't happen until they finish their 50% discount promotion.

Typically, the discount in retail is pretty high. So, with their existing 50% off and then the discount to the retail chains, it becomes a losing item.

Once the discount period ends and the product goes up in price, it will appear in retail stores. Maybe as early as Christmas selling season.

Sun has not been a consumer product company before. So, it will take a while.

Just to be pedantic, the Solaris 9 x86 version is downloadable (but still costs $50), the Linux version currently isn't... but ok, I know you folks here only care about the Linux version

awesome... works for me! thanks!

FYI:

Sun is offering a 50% discount on StarOffice 7.

http://wwws.sun.com/software/star/st.../download.html

Could you clarify community development? I'm curious what new distros mean when noting this; because I assume actual 'development' in the sense of programming will be done by the distro, so what kind of development could be done by the community besides the typical bug reports and beta-testing?

Thanks!

Cool

Hi
In Australia we have linux monthyl Publications from the UK. Both of theese usualy have a distro on the cover dvd. I have Mandrake 9&10&Move, Suse 9.1, Slackware 10, Gentoo 2004, Lycoris LX, Xandros 2 & , Fedora Core2, 8 Mini Disros, . Most of theese come with free upgrade via download but no support I also got Sun Live evaluation on a cover disc which i tried but i was not impressd but in all fairness i think it was early days.
Perhaps you have the same in your country. Iam currently trying Lycoris LX .
Regards & Good Luck
Sharkee

Congratulations on the new Forum here @ LQ. I just found out about Sun via my LQ Newslwtter.

As I've just gone through this post it seems things are pretty fluid on the consumer side. I'm going to buy the new SuSE 9.2 Pro when it hits the shelves here, but would like to see what SUN has to offer. Star Office is an attractive component.

How soon do you think that they'll be a Demo or Live version out there?

The distribution is not just for $50 US. It is actually $50 US / Year. So, you would have to fork out 50 bucks every year. Of course you will get support and maintainence for those years.

I dont mind paying for software. I think it is great to support the developers, but I do not agree with the yearly charge. Even microsoft has not sunk that low. Updates for windows are free, and very frequent (people break something new everyday).
In the long run you will end up paying more, and for what? a good desktop environment and some GUI tools to make everyday use a little easier? I still do not understand why anyone would want to do this...if you need the technical support, just come to linuxquestions.org and search.

I got SuSE 9.1 also. First my MS XP went out, then my audio went out, on the last SuSE update #xxx.111 (?) my mouse went out. Now I've got an expensive dead HP AMD XP system until I can figure out what to do ? I would really like to see a "good" unbiased comparative review of this new OS (apparently done from linux) and see how stable it is.
Maybe someone knows of a review of Sun's JDS and can point us that way ?? Would also be nice to read documentation on the system.

I also agree on that point. I did purchase Red Hat Professional Workstation, which really is just RHEL WS 3 without all the advanced tech support.. but still.. updates run out after 1 year. I wish they provided free bug fixes/updates but you have to pay for the tech support, because that I don't need.

Even if they offered something like a $10/year for updates ONLY or something like that... wouldn't bother me... But why do I want to spend $100/year for red hat to keep my OS up to date.. if M$ did that.. there would be riots across the globe...

:::not a flame to red hat or any other distro that charges for updates, just my opnion:::