[Info-vax] HP to distribute Solaris

[David J Dachtera]

JF Mezei wrote:
> 
> John Smith (not the one @ HP) wrote:
> > http://www.informationweek.com/news/hardware/unix_linux/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=214600051
> >
> 
> Should HP-UX customers be worried about this ?

Doubtful.

> I wonder if this is just a passing fad (like HP selling iPods) or
> whether it is part of  real strategy. In the later case, it would
> indicate HP dropping its server OS business and going for enterprise
> hardware running other people's OS. (Windows, Linux, Solaris)

Then again, since the writing is on the wall for Windows, Linux and
Solaris maybe HP's key to future sales of its x86-based (32 bit) servers
and blades.

> When HP announces the end of the line for IA64, it knows that it will
> lose 1/3 of customers to Sun, 1/3 to IBM and perhaps keep 1/3. (or
> whatever ratio).

Since they already lost healthcare through their own mismanagement, IA64
may be a much smaller business than we think.

> Having this deal may enable HP to keep 2/3 of customers by supplying
> them with Solaris.

Then again, if Sun were to pick up the remnants of OpenVMS engineering
and finally finish the x86-64 port begun on x86-32 ages ago, ...

On the other hand, how has Sun support been for software? We all know HP
support went spinning down the off-shore drain years ago. This could
spell doom for Solaris through the destruction of o.s. support as we
have seen with VMS.

D.J.D.