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VirtualBox allows a desktop or laptop computers running Windows, Linux, Solaris, or Mac OS to run additional operating systems side by side, switching between them with a mouse click. Software writers can use the capability to produce cross-platform applications. Regular users can choose to run apps that would not normally be available under their built-in operating system.

Along with the news of them buying MySQL, it appears that Sun is really bolstering it's Open Source offerings. Honestly, I see this as a good thing as the developers from both companies will have access to larger R&D budgets and better talent.

Sabre wrote: Along with the news of them buying MySQL, it appears that Sun is really bolstering it's Open Source offerings. Honestly, I see this as a good thing as the developers from both companies will have access to larger R&D budgets and better talent.

Not to rain on your parade, J, (on such a nice day, even), but the other side of this coin is a bunch of laid off programmers and Sun having lots of new IP. It's not like Sun can afford to grow right now when they're just barely keeping the hounds at bay in the server market. At least where I live.

Usually when these things happen, the programmers are the last to be laid off I thought. It would make more sense to get rid of the redundant people (HR for instance), rather than the people that bring the expertise in the subject matter to the table.

I wouldn't say Sun is doing badly. Second Quarter Fiscal Year 2008 and an interesting article on server share:

Unit shipment growth also continued, with a moderate gain of 6.5 percent to 1.8 million servers as IT consolidation activities continue across the market, according to IDC. HP and Sun were the only top-five server vendors to outgrow the market in Q1 -- growing factory revenue 18.1 percent and 39.5 percent respectively -- and gaining x86 market share in the process. HP led the market with 35.3 percent x86 revenue share with Dell holding second place with 20.4 percent revenue share.

Sabre wrote:Usually when these things happen, the programmers are the last to be laid off I thought. It would make more sense to get rid of the redundant people (HR for instance), rather than the people that bring the expertise in the subject matter to the table.

When we AOL bought Nullsoft, we took their software, we re-branded it, we learned mostly how it worked, and reimplemented it using our protocols and policies. Just ask Justin Frankl what he thinks about this sort of acquisition. Companies, for some reason especially technology companies, have a very hard to crack inner sanctum of engineers and principals who don't want new people moved in. Sun is buying up technology, not people.

Microsoft did almost the exact same thing to Bungie, for what that's worth.