SANTA CLARA, Calif., Sept. 27, 2005 -- Sun Microsystems, Inc. (Nasdaq: SUNW), today announced the availability of StarOffice(TM) 8 software, the latest version of the award-winning desktop productivity suite. StarOffice 8 software is the first commercial office suite using the Open Document Format for Office Applications, the OASIS open standard that makes sharing files easier. Sun also announced today new relationships with leading software publishers Encore Software, Avanquest Software and a continuing relationship with SourceNext to make StarOffice 8 software available to consumers and businesses worldwide.

StarOffice 8 software is an easy to use office productivity suite with powerful word processing, spreadsheet, presentation, drawing and database capabilities. Based on open source technology, OpenOffice.org, StarOffice 8 runs on Windows, Linux and Solaris operating systems. The suite is comprised of five key components: StarOffice Writer, Impress, Calc, Base and Draw.

StarOffice software provides excellent compatibility with Microsoft Office. StarOffice 8 software further improves import and export of Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents, even password-protected MS Word and MS Excel files and presentations with complex animations, autoshapes and slide transitions. StarOffice 8 software also provides features that look more familiar to Microsoft Office users. The Format Paintbrush allows simple transfer of styles from one section of a document to another, and the Impress multi-pane user interface simplifies creation of high-impact presentations.

StarOffice 8 software is the first commercial office suite to use the OpenDocument format, standardized at OASIS through an open transparent process. The OpenDocument format provides improved interoperability and enhanced programmability and is increasingly adopted by government agencies, including the European Union and the state of Massachusetts.

"The StarOffice 8 software not only allows users to transparently read and write files in Microsoft Office formats, its new default OpenDocument file format ensures their data won't be bound to a single product, now or in the future," said John Loiacono, Executive Vice President, Software Group, Sun Microsystems. "With our expanding base of software publishers, StarOffice 8 software is easily accessible to cost-conscious customers at retail locations around the world and on the Web. This is part of our overall effort to ensure all customers -- from students to governments to enterprises -- have access to information in an open, secure and freely available fashion independent of any vendor or product."

StarOffice 8 Enterprise Edition software builds on the OpenOffice.org code base by simplifying configuration across desktops enterprise-wide with its bundled management tools. Using built-in MS Office file analyzer, users are better able to manage migration from Microsoft Office. StarOffice 8 software includes a Macro Migration Wizard to convert VBA macros, a commercial spellchecker, the Adabas D database engine and additional clip art, fonts and templates on top of OpenOffice.org.

"Organizations are seeking out ways to both reduce their costs of using information technologies and also make their IT investments provide real, measurable benefits in a very short term," said Dan Kusnetzky, vice-president, system software research, IDC. "Software, such as Sun's StarOffice 8, could neatly fit into both of these requirements. It could be used to reduce the software costs for each of their many desktop or mobile computers while also keeping the staff-related costs in check."

Customers Impressed with StarOffice 8

"StarOffice 8 software allows our employees to go from Microsoft Office files to StarOffice files effortlessly," said Mike Prince, CIO, Burlington Coat Factory. "Burlington Coat Factory has been using StarOffice software for years, so we are doubly pleased that we can roll out StarOffice 8 software now."

"StarOffice 8 software combines low cost with support for open standards, ease of use, a full range of business features and compatibility with other products," said Stewart Long, Head of ICT at Bristol City Council. "Sun has consistently listened to our feedback and continuously improved StarOffice software, implementing features that matter to us. The low acquisition cost of StarOffice software has enabled us to direct investment into staff skills and knowledge, improving our efficiency and productivity."

New Software Publishing Model Extends Availability to Consumers

Sun is expanding the StarOffice software publisher model to increase retail distribution worldwide with new agreements with Encore, Avanquest and a continuing relationship with SourceNext to provide marketing, manufacturing and distribution. Encore will leverage its pervasive retail and wholesale distribution channels to make StarOffice 8 software widely available to consumers in retail and e-tail locations in the U.S. and Canada. Avanquest will be the software publisher in Europe and initial coverage includes Italy, France, Germany, Belgium, Portugal, United Kingdom, Spain, Austria and Switzerland. In Japan, SourceNext will continue to offer StarSuite (TM) software, the version of StarOffice software for Asian languages, in up to 15,000 retail outlets.

"Sun has clearly taken StarOffice 8 software to the next level with the latest round of improvements," said Michael Bell, CEO of Encore. "We're thrilled to provide retailers and consumers with such an impressive and cost-effective home office suite alternative."

Pricing and Availability

StarOffice software is available in seven languages and StarSuite software is available in another four. The suggested list price for the packaged software product is $99.95* and the download price is $69.95. For enterprise customers, StarOffice 8 software is priced on a tiered, per-user basis, starting at $35/user and $25/user for upgrades. Education organizations can continue to obtain StarOffice 8 software at no-charge. StarOffice 8 software downloads are available immediately at http://www.sun.com/software/star/staroffice/get.jsp and packaged configurations will be available starting in October.

*Note: All prices given are in U.S. dollars.

For more information, call 800-786-7638 or access Sun's Web site at http://www.sun.com/staroffice .

About Sun Microsystems, Inc.

A singular vision -- "The Network Is The Computer"(TM) -- guides Sun in the development of technologies that power the world's most important markets. Sun's philosophy of sharing innovation and building communities is at the forefront of the next wave of computing: the Participation Age. Sun can be found in more than 100 countries and on the Web at http://sun.com .

Russell Castronovo
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
650-257-4460
russ.castronovo@sun.com