Sun starts to distribute Ubuntu Linux

Neo · March 19, 2008, 11:02am

Posted by Matt Asay

Ubuntu is on the rise. The signs are everywhere (including here with its tie-up with IBM). Canonical has been very busy talking with the major server and desktop vendors, and is making inroads with each.

One that will come as a surprise to most, however, is that Sun is one of those server vendors that is getting into the Ubuntu game, as the VAR Guy notes. Sun is also distributing Linux distributions from Novell and Red Hat, but its inclusion of Ubuntu is a significant demonstration of Ubuntu's clout.

Sun is firmly committed to Solaris. No doubt about that. But think about how cool a Sun + Ubuntu Linux story would be to buyers. Suddenly, there would be real competition in the Linux market, competition based on product quality and not on cheap support. That would be a hugely disruptive story to tell the market.