Sun Microsystems will open the source code of its Star Office
software
Wednesday under a generally accepted licensing method, but a major new
version of the product
has been delayed.
The office application suite--which includes a word processor, spreadsheet
and other programs--competes with Microsoft Office. But Sun has more of its
attention focused on a
future version that will run on central servers, with users tapping in over
the
Internet using PCs, handheld gadgets or other types of clients.
This Web-enabled version, called Star Portal, was expected this spring but
now won't arrive until fall, spokesman Russ Castronovo said. The new
version currently is in beta testing, he said.
Sun will release the desktop version under the GnuGeneral Public License and
its
relative, the Library
General
Public License, a source familiar with the plan said. The two licenses,
created by Richard Stallman and the Free Software Foundation, are the
bedrock
of many open-source projects, including Linux.
The release is timed to occur at the same time as
the O'Reilly Open Source Convention in Monterey,
Calif.
The desktop version of Star Office, popular among Linux users and available
as
a free download,
is the result of Sun's 1999 acquisition of Star Division. The $73.5 million acquisition gave Sun
a
way to undermine the connection between Microsoft's Windows operating system
and Office suite, the so-called applications barrier to entry that is part
of
the monopoly suit against
Microsoft.
Sun has run into trouble before when trying to benefit from the enthusiasm
of
the open-source world. While much of the software world has settled on the
GPL,
the open-source license that governs use of Linux, Sun has created a variety of licenses that resemble
it
but aren't quite the real thing.
In particular, Sun ran into criticism of its Community
Source
License, under which Sun's Java and Jini software is released. That
license
allows people to scrutinize and modify source code, but Sun keeps firm
control
of the software overall.
Star Office doesn't just compete with Microsoft Office. Applix is in the
process of spinning off a
new company, VistaSource, that sells an office suite that also works on
Linux,
Windows and several other platforms.
VistaSource, like Sun and Microsoft, is readying a Web-enabled version of
its
software.
Another competitor is Corel, which has an office suite for Linux but is
struggling financially.
Google creates an animated doodle that features a boy, a girl, Google's search engine, and a jump rope. But might there be darker, more analytical, more troubling interpretations to this tale?
The Silicon Valley online payments startup grew by 1,000 percent last year and is hopeful it can repeat that level of growth this year. To do that, it's had to move away from its early friends-and-family roots and embrace small businesses.
Chamtech's spray-on antenna uses a nano material to provide a low-power boost to antenna range. The wireless-in-a-can product may some day bring an end to unsightly cell towers.
EnerG2 opens a plant to make an engineered carbon that will improve performance of energy storage devices and make storage for start-stop hybrid cars less expensive.
In particular, Sun ran into criticism of its Community
Source
License, under which Sun's Java and Jini software is released. That
license
allows people to scrutinize and modify source code, but Sun keeps firm
control
of the software overall.
Join the conversation