(September 18, 2003) -This week, Sun Microsystems broke security, price, and feature barriers in the enterprise desktop market with the PC industry's first alternative in more than 15 years. Sun's desktop solution includes the Sun Java Desktop System (formerly known as Mad Hatter) secured by the Java Card smartcard, the new StarOffice 7 productivity suite, and enhancements to the Sun Ray product line.

The Sun Java Desktop System delivers a secure, familiar, affordable desktop solution for enterprise customers. At $100 per desktop, the system includes the full desktop environment and the latest release of Sun's fastest growing open and affordable office productivity suite, StarOffice 7, the latest release of the J2SE platform and the popular Mozilla browser, plus e-mail, calendaring, and instant messaging applications.

"This week's onslaught of viruses and warnings make it painfully obvious that the proprietary desktop installed on 98 percent of the world's desktop PCs is a ticking time-bomb," said Jonathan Schwartz, executive vice president, Software at Sun. "Whether motivated by business continuity objectives, or a desire to save millions in licensing fees, enterprises, academic institutions, and governments - and ultimately consumers - require a secure, credible, and affordable alternative. By leveraging the security infrastructure in deployment on hundreds of millions of mobile phones and in use by the U.S. Government, the Java Card platform for microprocessor smartcard authentication is the foundation of the Java System, and its newest offering, the Java Desktop System."

According to research firm IDC, the installed base of paid Linux client operating environments will increase by 43.9 percent compound annual growth rate from 2002-2007. Market surveys show that close to 50 percent of Fortune 2000 CIOs are seriously considering alternative desktops based on cost and the need for more secure systems.

The Sun Java Desktop System, which runs on x86- and SPARC-based systems using either the Solaris OS or Linux OS, is designed to lower computing costs and reduce desktop management complexities while providing a familiar and secure environment. By focusing on interoperability and user familiarity, the Java Desktop System provides a solution that plugs seamlessly into existing environments, working with current files, applications, systems, and services.

The Java Desktop System supports connectivity to existing enterprise messaging servers as well as the new Java Enterprise System. Sun's desktop system also supports existing file and print services and includes the latest technology applications from RealNetworks, Adobe, and Computer Associates. EDS' support services will help keep the platform more resilient.

The Java Desktop System will be available in Q4 03 for $100 per desktop user. Each user license will include the right to have multiple installations of the Java Desktop on up to two systems so that users can share the same environment at home and at work. For those companies that choose to adopt the $100 per employee model deployed in Sun's Java Enterprise System, the desktop system will be made available for an incremental $50 per employee. For a limited time, Sun will also be offering a trade-up program for users looking to move off of their existing desktop. By providing Sun their proof of purchase to their existing desktop environment, users will be able to purchase the Java Desktop System for $50. For more information, visit: www.sun.com/javadesktopsystem .

Sun's StarOffice 7 is the latest release of its popular open source-based office productivity suite. StarOffice is distributed to more 40 million users worldwide, making it the highest volume open office productivity suite on the planet. StarOffice 7 will be available at one-fifth the cost of other proprietary office suites in Fall 2003. For more information, visit www.sun.com/staroffice.

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