No es una consideracion personal, Java Desktop es un escritorio para Solaris, si le sacas Solaris no te funciona ... tambien hay una version para Linux por cierto.
Extraido directamente de la pagina oficial de Sun (
http://www.sun.com/software/javadesk...m/faq.xml#q1):
"Java Desktop System combines the best of open source software with the technical innovation of Sun to offer an affordable, comprehensive, fully integrated
desktop client environment with administration and developer tools that lower business costs, reduce complexities of
desktop management, and provide a secure computing environment.The
desktop components are based on open source and standards and include the GNOME desktop environment, StarOffice productivity suite, Mozilla browser, Evolution mail and calendar client, and Java 2 Platform Standard Edition. Java Desktop System is a major component of the
Solaris 10 Operating System. A version is also available that includes a
Linux OS."
Claramente establece la diferencia entre los S.O. (Solaris y Linux) donde se puede ejecutar ese escritorio.
En cuanto a que con esto hagan frente a Microsoft, en la misma pagina hay informacion que lo contradice bastante:
"How does the Microsoft announcement impact the strategy for Java Desktop?
A:
The
alliance between
Microsoft and
Sun provides Sun access to the proprietary interfaces for Microsoft products. This includes things like the MS extensions to DHCP, Kerberos, DNS and other industry standards. With access to these interfaces, the Java Desktop System, as well as other products from Sun like Solaris, will be able to interoperate with Windows-based servers and environments more seamlessly and more completely than ever before. Sun still has more announcements on how we will implement this alliance in the future. "