Sun holds back Netscape facts

Sun Microsystems has been accused of dawdling as partners await the final details of its revamped channel programme with Netscape.

Distributors, resellers and staff at Sun and Netscape were expecting to hear a final announcement from the vendor's software division last week, but were told that final details were still being discussed, according to sources.

'The meeting was like a bun fight, with Sun and Netscape employees jostling for position,' said one industry insider.

In April, Sun announced the unified software channel programme to bring existing Sun and Netscape programmes into a single three-tier initiative.

It has been working with partners to thrash out which products will be sold under the alliance and through which channels, with an unofficial start date understood to be 1 July.

Computer 2000 is the exclusive distributor for elements of Sun software in the UK, although it emerged in April that hardware master reseller ICL Multivendor Computing was also bidding for distribution rights. Tony Stirrup, enterprise software manager at C2000, told PC Dealer: 'I know what products I am guaranteed, but I am still looking for clarification on the unified products. Sun is dragging its heels a little but I understand the delay because it's a massive undertaking.'