Sun Microsystem (SUNW) is down in many sense of the word.�T���}�C�N���V�X�e���i sunw �j���_�E�����A�����̈Ӗ��ł̌��t�ł��B The billion dollar question is whether it can come back again.���h���̂��ǂ����̎���͗����Ԃ邱�Ƃ��ł��܂��B

Sun's strength was in innovation.���z�̋����́A�Z�p�v�V�ł��B After the first big innovation, Sun rapidly became way too bureaucratic and less innovative.������̍ŏ��̑傫�ȋZ�p�v�V�́A���z�����܂�ɂ��}���Ɋv�V�I�Ȋ����Ə��Ȃ��ł��B Java was innovative but I think it was designed in vacuum, without considering viable revenue models.�W�����́A�v�V�I�Ȃ������A�Ǝv�����Ƃ́A�^��݌v����A�L�]�Ȏ�v���f�����l�����܂��B

Sun had (has?) high markup on its products which was good so long Intel chips were far behind Sun.���z�́i�͂ł����H �j���̃}�[�N�A�b�v�����А��i�ɂ́A�C���e���̃`�b�v���ǂ��̂Œ�����������đ��z�̂ł��B It was more focused in meeting the revenue goals without reacting rapidly to market dynamics.����͑��̉�c���𒆐S�Ɏ�v�ڕW���s��ɋ}���ɔ������͊w�ł��B

A company like Apple (during Job's era) innovates continuously to stay ahead.�A�b�v���̂悤�ȉ�ЂŁi���Ɏd���̎���j�v�V�p���I�ɂ��؍ݐ�ցB So does Oracle which also does a great job of focusing on its core competency.����̓I���N���ɂ��傫�Ȏd���͂��̒��j�ƂȂ�\�͂ɏœ_�𓖂ĂĂ��܂��B Sun's core competency is in Solaris and Sparc.���z�̒��j�ƂȂ�\�͂́A Solaris��SPARC�̂ł��B It decided, without strong logical underpinnings, to open source Solaris, thereby drastically reducing its net value.���Ƃ����߂��A�Ƌ��͂Ș_���I��Ղ��I�[�v���\�[�XSolaris�̏ꍇ�A�����啝�ɍ팸����ƃl�b�g�l�ł��B

So what are the legs on which Sun can rise again?����͉��ł��r�̏�ő��z�͍Ăя㏸�ł����H I can't see many.���̑������Q�Ƃ��邱�Ƃ͂ł��܂���B Can you?���Ƃł����H

The key question to me is the fate of Java with slow but almost sure demise of Sun.��������̌��́A�W�����̉^�����������Ƃ������z�̕��󂪂قڊm���ł��B I don't think open source foundations can effectively manage and improve on this great product.�I�[�v���\�[�X�̊�ՂƂ͎v��Ȃ�����コ���邱�Ƃ���ʓI�ɊǗ����A���̈̑�Ȑ��i�ł��B And I wouldn't trust it with IBM or Oracle either.�M�����邱�Ƃ͂Ȃ��Ǝ��ɂ́A IBM�܂���Oracle�̂ǂ��炩�ł��B Microsoft is out of question.�}�C�N���\�t�g�ł́A�A�E�g�̎���ł��B

The other option is breaking Javasoft from Sun and making it self-sufficient with consultancy and java software services. javasoft����A���̃I�v�V�����́A���z�Ɣj�邱�Ƃ����������ɃR���T���^���g��Java�\�t�g�E�F�A�T�[�r�X�ł��B