> Based on what Paul said.... > > I don't think 'us' as the community that use Solaris > or OpenSolaris-based distros > should feel shafted if Oracle is focused on releasing > Solaris 11. I'd hope we'd want this > as the end goal as most of the OpenSolaris-based core > snapshots were not considered 'production-ready' or > well tested. Many people used the snapshots but > nothing was officially supported. > > What we have available is mainly OSOL 2009.06 as the > tested release as well as the IPS snapshot based > around it. We also have the DEV release based on > snv_b134. > > From some tests reports provided by third party > analysts, OSOL 2009.06 and OSOL-DEV performed as well > or better than FreeBSD and Fedora (Linux). The main > points brought out by competitors is in value-adds > included with their distro. Also, > how much software runs on their current distro. > > Kinda like when you buy a car. Either you look at > something that gets you from point-to-point, > reliability, and has good gas mileage or you look at > the creature comforts and exterior/interior styling. > > I'll speculate to answer these questions: > 1. Should we jump ship and propose mutiny? No, if you > know the value of OpenSolaris kernel and core > environment. > > 2. Should we just fork it and just roll-our-own > distro? The OpenSolaris project model was designed > with 'forking' in mind by third-party developers. A > core distro that is expanded upon. Meaning, you can > take the kernel, core packages, and toolsets provided > and create your own OS distro (if more software > developer inclined). Not as easy as it sounds but is > possible if well funded. Otherwise, wait for the > production-grade major update of Solaris 11 (if you > want a commercial product versus an open source > solution). > > 3. Wait for 2010.H2? I'll speculate and say wait till > the end of 2010.Q3 at least. If you are truely a > die-hard Solaris user/advocate then waiting is not a > big deal. Anyone with production-grade Solaris-based > server setups are not thinking too hard about > updating their OS environment to Solaris 11. They are > either using an OpenSolaris-based solution, keeping > what they got intact, or using some other > FOSS/commercial solution wrapped around some support > agreement or partially-skilled sys admin ninjas. > > 4. Move on? NO. Only move on if what you pick > resolves your problem or is much better than what you > are using today (without any doubts or regrets). This > is the 'grass is greener' fail safe we all fall back > on - but is a two-edged sword. Do you buy another car > once your old car's brakes start to squeal or the > engine seal leaks?!? Depends on the price to fix the > issue versus investing in something new. > > 5. Fork the community? Well, the community-at-large > considers themselves somewhat forked at the moment. > Oracle is providing OTN with BigAdmin and forums. > Oracle also has support agreements and account > management to provide assistance. Again, we have to > understand the Solaris community versus the > OpenSolaris community. Linux and FreeBSD have > communities that are forked > from the main forums. This is not a big deal and > fosters independent innovation. > Some will leave and some will stay. That's life on > the bus. We can be wise souls and be supporters of > the forked communities versus the unforked. In the > end, if it resolves our issues and helps us sleep at > night - then I won't tell if you don't. > > Seriously, Oracle is making several announcements > which some people may have ignored. Three things deal > with new certifications, updated x64 hardware, and > the OTN portal with Solaris/OpenSolaris and BigAdmin > support articles. This is the infrastructure to > support 'things to come' dealing with Solaris. I > think some people want the 'cart-before-the horse' > when the focus is on producing 'and' supporting the > OpenSolaris-based version of Solaris - as well as > migrating the Sun IP web infrastructure(s) within > Oracle's umbrella(s). > > So the only true let down would be if the shoe > dropped and the releases of Solaris 10u9 and Solaris > 11 don't happen this year. As for OSOL 2010.X, just > wait till after Solaris 10u9 is released and the > OTN/BigAdmin portal is fully operational. > > My crystal ball is currently on lock-down via iPhone > 4. > ~ Ken Mays
Hi Ken, Thanks for taking an eldership role during this vacuum. This is particularly appreciated since you have always kept a low but productive profile by, for example, helping others like myself offline. -- This message posted from opensolaris.org _______________________________________________ opensolaris-discuss mailing list opensolaris-discuss@opensolaris.org
