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back to article Rumour: Sun pink slips to fly today

The word on the street this morning is that the second part of the 5,000- to 6,000-person layoff by struggling server and operating system maker Sun Microsystems will kick in today. The layoff, which was announced back in November, aims to remove $700m to $800m in costs from Sun's books, and will cost somewhere between $500m …

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  1. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Thanks for update

    This update is very timely, its sad to hear of the layoffs though, often so many good people are let go and there can be hardship for people and their families but lets hope this leads to a better and fitter Sun regardless if Sun are acquired or stand alone

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  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    More Sun pink slips to follow?

    With Sun at the end of Q3 there are sure to be more performance pink slips especially now with customer facing sales staff based on an evaluation of their performance to date and real Q4 sales pipeline and forecasts

    Sun traditionally have a stomping April to end of June Q4 end to their financial year.

    . . . this year with all the uncertaintly surrounding Sun and lack of forward visibility could be different as customers hold off major decisions pending the outcome of Sun's immediate future . .

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  3. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    poison the well

    ibm surly managed to poison the well pretty profoundly for sun. no matter if the takeover rumor is true or not, sun's credibility is diminished and it's stand in the server market damaged. I bet schwartz went ballistic when he saw the wsj article...

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  4. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    @AC 14:32 GMT

    AC, Jonathan Schwartz may even have known about this if its true as reported in el reg comments by Mr Otellini of Intel that Sun or major Sun shareholders like SAM have been shopping Sun to the IT industry at large for some time. Then again, it may have come as a bolt out of the blue to him.

    Agree that the chalice is poisoned by the rumour and speculation surrounding Sun and Sun enterprise IT credibility has been severely dented

    Wait and see and be cautious is all we can do for now

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  5. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Sun's payroll actually grew in its fiscal second quarter ended in December 2008.

    let me guess the managers got worried they might need more savings !!#

    bastards

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  6. Matt Bryant Silver badge
    Pirate

    Rumours are just rumours.

    Yeah, I know The Reg has to post rumours or risk competitors getting more attention, but it would be nice if they could wait for the actual news.

    As to Sun's headcount growing, what is likely happening is the smarter managers are protecting their workers by creating "vacancies" in their departments they never intend to fill. Then, when the call comes in saying all managers have to cut x% of their staff, they simply close their vacancies and say they have reduced their share of headcount. Been there, played those games. All that happens is the senior management do the sums, spot the shortfall, and come back and ask for more heads.

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  7. Dave
    Thumb Up

    Too true

    I still think Sun makes some of the better kit out there. I'd use Solaris over just about anything else if it really mattered. Sorry to see such an innovative company take it on the chin.

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  8. Anonymous Coward
    Dead Vulture

    It's true

    Our regional sales manager for Storage Products just called. He got whacked this morning. Bummer.

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  9. Anonymous Coward
    Stop

    Sun's Fiscal 4Q (CY2Q)

    "Sun traditionally have a stomping April to end of June Q4 end to their financial year."

    The whole sales force has already been told they will make 100% of on target earning, no more no less. There is ZERO incentive to sell anything and any wise sales person will move sales into next fiscal year. Sun did the same thing last quarter and blamed it on their IT systems..this quarter makes it look like they are trying to flatten the costs for an acquisition.

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  10. Anonymous Coward
    Boffin

    Sun employee for 10 years. laid off today

    I can assure you these are NOT rumours. I work(ed) in Colorado office.

    Many service staff were let off today. I was laid off today. 6 month vacation for me !!!

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  11. Anonymous Coward
    Thumb Down

    @Matt Bryant

    Virtual vacancies? Get real.

    You need approval to open a position, and if any sort of cutbacks are happening they're done in two stages. First all unfilled positions are closed, then calculations are made with the real numbers. If your company does it differently then your accountants might like to have a word with the financial regulators,

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  12. Anonymous Coward
    Coat

    Ticks and fleas

    I once found a dog lost in the woods. Malnourished and near death. I took him home and noticed something - he had hundreds of ticks on him but not one flea. Took him to the Vet and he explained; fleas will leave an unhealthy dog and try their luck someplace more promising, ticks are in it to the bitter end.

    In case I was too subtle..

    Engineers/workers=Fleas

    Executives=Ticks

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