Sun JDS Linux Desktop Download Available

Recently, Sun Microsystems has made JDS Release 2 available for free download and a 90 evaluation period. You can also Upgrade to the current release from the same web page.

You can find the download available at http://www.sun.com/software/javadesktopsystem/get/index.html .You see a heading "FREE EVALUATION SOFTWARE - Solaris x86 for Sun Java Workstations or Linux" --be sure and select Linux. While you may find Solaris interesting - be aware that it lacks drivers for many x86 components, takes a long time to install and doesn't dual boot. It also doesn't have virtual consoles. So while you might have an interest in Solaris, the Linux version supports more commodity based Intel/AMD hardware and provides a better user experience for the Open Source community. If you have a Sun Workstation, that's a different story.

In the past, JDS was not available for download -- you had to buy it. Today, you can download the full version and continue to run it after the ninety day period. But, you won't have access to the up-to-date service after the ninety day trial unless you subscribe.

The subscription price is 50% off - or $50 per user for individuals and $25 per user for commercial licenses.

In a recenthttp://lxer.com/module/newswire/view/26363"> article, I reviewed the Novell Linux Desktop, which also has a 90 day trial period. While I have not written a formal review of JDS, the new release will be available in the first quarter of 2005. I'll provide a detailed review of JDS Release 3 at that time.

While JDS R2 has the best look and feel and user experience of any Linux distribution, it sits on a modified version of SuSE SLES 8. Both the Novell Linux Desktop and JDS Release 3 sit on SLES 9.

Still, I suggest you give JDS R2 a try.