Sun--5 days late with its own news
What is up at Sun?!
The company distributed a news release on Wednesday afternoon trumpeting the fact that Google is distributing a free version of Sun's StarOffice software suite in Google Pack.
Well, Google has been doing that since Friday--five days ago! Word has been spreading around via blogs for at least four days.
(Credit:
Sun Microsystems)
(Credit:
Google)
When contacted by ZDNet's Mary Jo Foley on Tuesday, a Sun representative told her that there would be "an important announcement" related to StarOffice on Wednesday. That prompted speculation that Sun and Google may actually be whipping up some significant challenge to Microsoft, hype that has been at least two years in coming.
I contacted Sun on Tuesday to ask about the announcement and was told there would not be a news release, just an opportunity to speak to someone on the phone. So I agreed to talk to them early on Wednesday. A Google spokeswoman said she knew nothing about the Sun announcement.
On Thursday morning, the Sun spokesman canceled the briefing right before it was scheduled to happen and then didn't return calls or e-mails until after the news release was out.
I know Sun could use some buzz and any news associated with Google is a winner nowadays, but this PR move just has me baffled. Any thoughts?
Elinor Mills covers Internet security and privacy. She joined CNET News in 2005 after working as a foreign correspondent for Reuters in Portugal and writing for The Industry Standard, the IDG News Service, and the Associated Press. E-mail Elinor. 
- Sun PR marches to it's own drum
- by Virtual obServer August 15, 2007 4:55 PM PDT
- They were also a week late in announcing their latest high end Hitachi storage ST 9990V (HDS USPV and HP XP 24000) back in May.
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