Sun Brings StarOffice 7 to Solaris x86
Sun Microsystems has ported its StarOffice 7 productivity suite to the x86 platform edition of its Solaris operating system, while reporting that momentum is being gained in the fight to displace Microsoft's market leading Office System.
StarOffice provides word processing, spreadsheet, database, presentation, and drawing functionality in a value-priced open source package that supports Microsoft's file formats.
For its 7.0 milestone, Sun has added direct PDF and Flash exporting capabilities, while maintaining native XML support and improving performance and stability. Sun has supported XML since the release of StarOffice 6.0.
Other features include new accessibility tools and a restyled user interface. As Sun and its competitors are well aware, accessibility tools are a prerequisite for obtaining lucrative government contracts.
The previous release, StarOffice 6.1, was geared toward businesses, and launched with a software development kit designed to allow customers to develop custom office solutions.
Another area of interest continues to be language support. StarOffice 6.1 focused on emerging markets in the Middle East, Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe. Eying further world markets, Sun has vowed to add 10 additional languages per capstone release.
The company's international focus and competitive price point helped win Sun a 10,000 seat contract from rival Microsoft at the United India Insurance Company (UIIC). In addition to its win in India, Sun struck a deal with SOURCENEXT Corporation to supply the Japanese language version of the suite to 15,000 retail locations in Japan.
"The reality is that customers are looking for a better business proposition to do more with less. UIIC can now focus on its business and core competencies -- not on restrictive licensing models and escalating desktop costs -- through the savings gained by choosing StarOffice software," said Jonathan Schwartz, executive vice president of Sun's software division.
Sun's Java Desktop also recently won high-volume government contracts with the People's Republic of China and the United Kingdom. The deal with China establishes Sun's Java technology as the nation's standard desktop solution.
StarOffice is available in a total of 40 different countries, and from 60 OEMs - despite a public falling out with some Linux vendors after Sun began charging for its wares. Domestically, StarOffice 7 retails at Amazon.com, Best Buy, Circuit City, CompUSA, Fry's, MicroCenter, OfficeMax, Office Depot and Staples.
Wal-Mart is also rumored to be in talks with Sun to become its latest reseller.
StarOffice 7 is priced at $79.95 USD, which includes 60 days of support services.