Sun Microsystems is in talks with two more Linux projects to ensure its open source software and tools are delivered straight into the hands of developers.

The company is speaking to representatives of the Debian (http://www.debian.org/) and OpenSuSE (http://www.opensuse.org/) projects, having already engaged with Ubuntu (http://www.ubuntu.com/) and Fedora (http://fedoraproject.org/) over bundling its software.

The goal is for distros to come with Sun's open source Java Enterprise Edition project Glassfish (https://glassfish.dev.java.net/), the NetBeans (http://www.netbeans.org/) development framework, and the Java Standard Edition project OpenJDK (http://openjdk.java.net/).

Sun is reaching out to Debian, after parts of Glassfish began showing up in the distro - Sun would, obviously, like to see all of Glassfish ship with Debian.

Red Hat works with Sun on the OpenJDK through IcedTea (http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Features/IcedTea), a project to remove licensing-encumbered code from the software, so that it can ship with Fedora. A package is expected to be put in Fedora on April 29.

Sun is also working to build on early work with Ubuntu. As of now, OpenJDK is available in the Hardy Heron release of Ubuntu.

Barton George, group manager for Sun's GNU/Linux strategy, told Reg Dev Sun would like to have its software in the main sections of different distributions.

By seeding the ecosystem, Sun hopes that people will begin running more of its software, start writing more applications on top of this, and generate some revenue in the long-term.

How this turns into revenue is a good guess, but it's likely to involve sales of servers and - possibly - support. The focus now is on forging relationships with distros and getting the software out there. Worrying about the details comes later.

Anyone that knows the South Park Underpants Gnomes (http://www.flickr.com/photos/niallkennedy/13047656/) and open source in general will be familiar with this kind of strategic thinking.

Sun, meanwhile, is continuing its efforts to have the distributions certified on its SPARC hardware.®

Related stories

Nut launches death threats at Debian women (3 July 2008)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/07/03/debian_death_threats/
OpenSUSE 11 a redemptive OS with a Mactastic shine (18 June 2008)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/06/18/open_suse_11_review/
Next Ubuntu LTS in 2010, unless Linuxes synchronize (13 May 2008)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/05/13/ubuntu_linux_synchronization/
NetBeans extension makes simple work of PHP (13 May 2008)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/05/13/netbeans_php_early_access/
Fedora 9 - an OS that even the Linux challenged can love (12 May 2008)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/05/12/fedora_9/
Sun juggles love of code with need for cash (6 May 2008)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/05/06/sun_open_source/
Sun looks beyond MARS for NetBeans scripting (5 May 2008)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/05/05/netbeans_scripting_languages/
Sun stock goes degenerate dwarf (2 May 2008)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/05/02/sun_shares_fall/
Sun cushions slumping Q3 with layoffs (1 May 2008)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/05/01/sun_q3_down/
Linux-guru's conviction fuels ReiserFS debate (1 May 2008)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/05/01/reiser_conviction_re_invention/
NetBeans 6.1 packs welcome additions (29 April 2008)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/04/29/netbeans_six_point_one/
Novell strips SLES down to its undies (23 April 2008)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/04/23/novell_sles_jeos_beta/
Ubuntu man Shuttleworth dissects Hardy Heron's arrival (22 April 2008)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/04/22/shuttleworth_hardy_heron/
Delayed Debian developers get thumbs up (21 April 2008)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/04/21/debian_developers_approved/
Concerns build over Debian delays (16 April 2008)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/04/16/debian_drags_feet/
The missing five-minute Linux manual for morons (14 April 2008)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/04/14/linux_manual/
Ubuntu unpwned as CERN prepares to destroy Earth (6 April 2008)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/04/06/comments/
Only Ubuntu left standing, as Flash vuln fells Vista in Pwn2Own hacking contest (29 March 2008)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/03/29/ubuntu_left_standing/
Ubuntu chief picks panda over penguin, while Microsoft rolls Novell (29 March 2008)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/03/29/open_seasaon_14/
Amazon's cloud now less prone to failure (27 March 2008)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/03/27/amazon_flexible_ec2/
Reality crashes Google hippie code fest (27 March 2008)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/03/27/google_summer_code_debian_losers/
Ubuntu does bird beta (21 March 2008)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/03/21/ubuntu_beta_hardy_heron/
Ubuntu chief ushers in the age of Intrepid Ibex (20 February 2008)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/02/20/ubuntu_intrepid_ibex/
Canonical scoops up KVM for Ubuntu virtualisation (11 February 2008)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/02/11/ubuntu_hardy_heron_kvm/
Winners and losers in Sun's OpenDS spat (5 December 2007)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/12/05/sun_opends_defining_terms/
Linux desktops grow and grow and grow (23 November 2007)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/11/23/linux_desktop_survey/
Fedora 8 spins into action (10 November 2007)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/11/10/fedora_8/
OpenSUSE 10.3 opens for business (4 October 2007)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/10/04/opensuse_10point3_release/
You want to learn about Ubuntu? (4 October 2007)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/10/04/register_books_october/
Sun's 'Project Copy Linux' not a Linux copy (29 July 2007)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/07/29/sun_projectindiana_oscon/
Fedora 7 suppresses Red Hat separation anxiety (31 May 2007)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/05/31/fedora7_ships_redhat/
OpenSUSE 10.2 RC1 out and about (27 November 2006)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/11/27/opensuse_10-2_rc1/