Barton's Blog

A couple of hours ago I heard the news that Sun was changing its stock ticker symbol from SUNW to JAVA.  I gotta say Im in support of it. 

When I was starting up java.com about 4 years ago I remember seeing research that stated that, on an international basis, "Java" had over 85% brand awareness.  Thats huge.  To put it in perspective, this put it at the same level as such well known tech brands as Intel, Nokia and Acrobat.  I dont remember where "Sun" was but Im only half joking when I say we were glad to make it to double digits (I think we made it to double digits).

Changing our ticker symbol is not the same as changing the company's name but it does link us to a highly recognizable asset (think of all those press releases and articles that list the symbol).   This association will give a tremendous boost to the global awareness of Sun.  As we leave the idea of the monolithic stack behind and look to partnerships and the ecosystem as the future, the importance of brand awareness grows significantly.

This was a bold move but one that positions us well for the future.