On Thu, 30 Aug 2012, garrett.dam...@dey-sys.com wrote:
So let me clarify:
What is *broken* was the model of slavishly trying to follow
OpenSolaris, or to be an "open & free" alternative to Solaris 11,
There is nothing wrong with being a follower. For desktop it is
ultimately better to follow Linux rather than Oracle's Solaris,
particularly since Oracle's Solaris is following Linux. An
Illumos-based desktop can be completely successful even if it is
inferior to the desktop offered by some other systems. Being inferior
is not the same as "failure".
A usable desktop allows using Illumos without purchasing multiple
machines, and including on portable hardware.
Second, and probably more significantly, the *vision* is busted.
OI had *no* vision except to follow Oracle's lead. Even Oracle
abandoned OpenSolaris and the desktop, but OI tries to muddle on
with no clear "vision" about what sets it apart. There is no
"innovation" in OI, really. Too many people want too many things
from it (server, desktop, compatibility, SPARC vs. x86), to the
point that it can never really take the necessary steps to excel at
any one thing because doing so might make it worse at another. OI
became jack-of-all-trades, master of none.
I don't think that desktop "innovation" is necessary. What is
necessary is core functionality and availability of the major common
applications (e.g. windowing environment, web browser, email
interface, document editor).
Without a usable desktop on top of Illumos (which current OpenIndiana
provides), the other Illumos variants will suffer from diminished
interest and popularity as mindshare continues to move away from
Solaris.
Many potential users of Illumos will simply turn away if they find out
that they only have a character terminal for console access. If
modern X11 is missing entirely, then only those specifically planning
to do server deployment would even consider using it.
Bob
--
Bob Friesenhahn
bfrie...@simple.dallas.tx.us, http://www.simplesystems.org/users/bfriesen/
GraphicsMagick Maintainer, http://www.GraphicsMagick.org/
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