INTERVIEW LWM: It sounds like those two things, <strong>Linux</strong> providing the ability to deploy on any hardware you want, and Java and J2EE providing the ability to develop enterprise applications on <strong>Linux</strong>, mean that you can build anything and run it anywhere, I guess. Is that right? Fowler: That’s right. I mean part <strong>of</strong> it is being able to run it anywhere, and another interesting trend that’s happening with <strong>Linux</strong> and Java is that there’s a great growth in the number <strong>of</strong> developers who actually use <strong>Linux</strong> desktops as their development environment. Evans [Evans Data Corporation – ed.] did a survey recently where they showed the percentage <strong>of</strong> developer desktops, and there’s a clear erosion <strong>of</strong> the number <strong>of</strong> desktops running Windows versus the number <strong>of</strong> desktops running <strong>Linux</strong> for people doing development in Java. So the inter- esting thing is that for the developers, with <strong>Linux</strong> they get the power and the stability and the security <strong>of</strong> Unix, and they get the flexibility <strong>of</strong> lots <strong>of</strong> different tools <strong>of</strong> an open environment, and they get it at a very low cost, and so developers more and more are choosing <strong>Linux</strong> as a development environment, not just as a deployment environment. We expect that trend to continue and Sun is trying to accelerate that trend as much as possible with community programs; with our tools availability on <strong>Linux</strong>, which has always been available on <strong>Linux</strong> from the beginning; and with other activities to really encourage the developer on <strong>Linux</strong>. LWM: I’d like to give you an opportunity to talk a little bit about Sun’s contributions to the open source community. I know that there are so many companies that are now using <strong>Linux</strong>, but I get the feeling that a lot <strong>of</strong> them are really taking from the community without contributing back. What has Sun’s role been from that perspective? Fowler: Well it’s good to start with a little history. You reminded me <strong>of</strong> the workstation days, and in the early days <strong>of</strong> the workstation we actually obtained tapes from Berkeley and we modified the Berkeley systems distribution and contributed those changes back to Berkeley. So from the very beginning <strong>of</strong> the inception <strong>of</strong> the company we were founded on open source. With respect to <strong>Linux</strong>, it’s important to remember that there are a number <strong>of</strong> different “There’s a clear erosion <strong>of</strong> the number <strong>of</strong> desktops running Windows versus the number <strong>of</strong> desktops running <strong>Linux</strong> for people doing development in Java” components to a specific <strong>Linux</strong> distribution – there is the kernel plus all the activities that are around it. We are, <strong>of</strong> course, the major contributors <strong>of</strong> OpenOffice, and we contribute very significantly to Mozilla and GNOME. We’re part <strong>of</strong> the inception <strong>of</strong> those programs, and we have programs around grid, SNMP, and JXTA and Jini – those are all open source programs that are largely motivated by Sun. Other open source programs that we contribute heavily to include Apache.org, where we contribute Tomcat work. So we’re active in communities that we begin, we’re active in terms <strong>of</strong> the technology we incorporate into our own products, and we’re active with communities that we contribute to. So we’re very much both give and take as far as our open source activities. LWM: That’s great. A couple <strong>of</strong> last questions: What do you see as the possibility that someday Java itself may become open source? Fowler: Well, right now we’re really focused on standards with Java so I think when you look at open source, open source is a development methodology by which you make your source available. You have to look at your licensing model, your ability to create standard and compliant applications, and then how you actually develop that s<strong>of</strong>tware. Today Java’s about an open standard for how we develop it; it’s about compliance to binary compatibility so that we can run applications everywhere. That’s how we’re currently pursuing the evolution <strong>of</strong> Java. LWM: Are there any plans for a Sun distribution <strong>of</strong> <strong>Linux</strong>? Fowler: Today we’re going to be talking about Mad Hatter, which is our <strong>Linux</strong> desktop effort, and Mad Hatter includes a substantial amount <strong>of</strong> technology developed by Sun together with partners to go in the desktop arena. So today we’re really focused on the distribution area, on the desktop. In the server space we have joint development distribution agreements with both SuSE and Red Hat. These are not straight OEM agreements, which other manufacturers have done; these are joint development agreements by which we’re actually enhancing Java and other applications and systems so that when you get <strong>Linux</strong> and you get it from Sun, you know that you are getting the best possible development and runtime environment and the best support. LWM: We really appreciate Sun’s commitment to do that. Is there anything else you’d like to talk about? Fowler: I think it’s really important for everyone to get out and work on enhancing the open source tools and using them, OpenOffice and GNOME, and the <strong>Linux</strong> distributions…I think it’s a participatory economy and I want to really encourage everyone to go and participate. LINUXWORLD MAGAZINE WWW.LINUXWORLD.COM NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2003 86 www.<strong>Linux</strong>World.com
www.<strong>Linux</strong>World.com 87 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2003
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