The most popular open-source and end-to-end web platform today is certainly LAMP, named after the first letter of the softwares used :
- Linux, the operating environment
- Apache, the web server
- MySQL, the database
- PHP, Perl or Phyton, the programing languages
The openess, the low price tag and the qualities of this platform made it very popular amongst open-source developers and ISPs.
Is Sun able to challenge this ? Let’s see our open-source software stack :
- Obviously, we have an operating environment : OpenSolaris
- we have an enterprise class application server : GlassFish
- we have web single sign-on technology : OpenSSO
- and we have the best development and deployment platforms : Java Standard Edition and Java Enterprise Edition
All, but the Java platforms, are open-sourced under the terms of the OSI approved CDDL license.
What are the missing pieces ?
- Most importantly, a database. For sure, Sun will not compete with the Oracle of this world anytime soon, but this interview indicates we might add an open-source database to our software portfolio
- An OSI approved open-source license for the Java platform is definitively something asked for by the community. My opinion is that Java is already built very openly : Mustang source code is available, everyone can submit a patch to correct or improve it and the bug database is fully open as well.
We think that interoperability is of greater value for the Java community. We therefore enforce compatibility for all implementations, something we would not be able guarantee with a 100% open-source Java platform
This list is pretty short, isn’t it ? We indeed are soon in a position to offer a full open-source stack of softwares for web applications. With the additional benefit of being in a position to offer enterprise-level support and services to deploy it and integrate it in an existing IT infrastructure.
The end of LAMP ? I don’t think so, LAMP is vastly used, cheap and offer a excellent quality. But watch out the industry moves, maybe the next LAMP is JOGx (Java, OpenSolaris, Glasfish and … a database)
Sharing is good ! You will end up with more choice.