Linux, Microsoft and Sun to Discuss the Future of Operating Systems

[Axemantitan]

At the Hotel Kabuki in San Francisco on April 8-10, 2009, a meeting of the great OS minds will take place. There, sponsored by Intel, will be assembled together the Linux Foundation, Sun Microsystems and Microsoft representatives. For the first time ever, the three-way group will sit down at a single table to debate and discuss the future not only of their respective operating systems, but also the OS industry in general. What will come from such a meeting? I truly believe that only God knows.


The sit-down meeting will be moderated by Jim Zemlim, Executive Director at the Linux Foundation. It will include Microsoft's Sam Ramji, Director of Platform Strategy, and Sun's Vice President of Developer and Community Marketing, Ian Murdock. But where's Apple?

Apple currently holds around 10% of the global OS marketshare, and yet they are notably absent from these talks. Surely the UNIX-based OS X maker has something to contribute? The gathering is by invitation only, so maybe they weren't invited. Or, maybe they were but have chosen not to go -- deciding instead to do their own thing (which would not be out of character for Apple).

http://www.tgdaily.com/html_tmp/content-view-41685-140.html

 

[Kennedy]

Can't wait to see what comes of this. I've always had a soft spot for Solaris and Sun in general. Maybe Microsoft will learn a thing or two about gimmkicky packaged software.

 

[rdowns]

My bet is Apple declined due to their culture of secrecy.

 

[twoodcc]

My bet is Apple declined due to their culture of secrecy.

i agree. either that, or microsoft said they wouldn't come if apple was there

 

[MisterMe]

My bet is Apple declined due to their culture of secrecy.

Darwin is neither secret nor insignificant. It is one of the very few certified UNIX ports and the most successful UNIX in the marketplace by far.

No one can predict the future. However we can make projections based on past history and current conditions. If there is to be a major new paradigm in computing, then it is much more likely to come from Apple than from Sun, Microsoft, or the Linux distros.

 

[mkrishnan]

i agree. either that, or microsoft said they wouldn't come if apple was there

I'll offer door number three. If you are Apple, what is your motivation to meet with Team Irrelevant? Linux may have steadily growing market share, but Apple is the dominant growth engine in OS sales. They need to provide enough interoperability to satisfy consumers, but ultimately they're increasingly moving into the role of setting the tone of how a modern OS works, rather than sitting at a table and negotiating with Sun or MS about how it should work.