>>>>> "rt" == Rich Teer <rich.teer@XXX-group.com> writes:
rt> Summary: Solaris Express Community Edition (SXCE) is like the
rt> OpenSolaris of old
no. OpenSolaris used to refer to the OS/Net source code
consolidation, and the project/governance system, all of which
actually involved free and open source code.
old OpenSolaris:
* free software only
* can be copied and shared
* very few hardware drivers
* not a complete operating system. not able to self-host. it was a
.tar.gz containing source, initially extremely tiny like 90MB.
then there were ``binary kits'' you had to add on to build the
source. and, even with the binary kits, it doesn't build to a full
OS. It builds into something that overlays SXCE.
* currently there is no name to describe this piece. All names in
the redefined world include something that is not free software.
SXCE:
* free software
* binary software under redistributable license
* binary software under $0, non-redistributable ``click-wrap'' license.
* click-wrap. has to be downloaded from sun download center after
making account, can't be shared.
* self-hosting and complete (if you agree to a little more click-wrap
including ``no benchmark publishing'' clauses, and download sun
studio)
new OpenSolaris / Indiana:
* free software
* binary software under redistributable license.
* complete.
* many drivers are binary. often requres downloading a driver from
the manufacturer, under click-wrap.
* not sure if it is self-hosting, or built on SXCE. unlike
BSD/Gentoo, the distribution format is binary.
Nexenta:
* free software
* binary software under redistributable license
* complete.
* many drivers are binary. often requres downloading a driver from
the manufacturer, under click-wrap.
* not sure if it is self-hosting, or built on SXCE.
Solaris 10:
* binary only. this source code branch AIUI is not available for
inspection.
* click-wrap. has to be downloaded from sun download center after
making account, can't be shared.
It would be nice to name things in a way that people better understood
their freedom and could more easily compare Solaris's level of freedom
with Linux's. That said I find it more honest to have the OpenSolaris
name pointing intentionally to Indiana, rather than to have it
pointing through persistent uncorrected misunderstanding at the
less-open SXCE (which people used to keep confusedly thinking is
mostly free software which it is not).
Attachment:
pgpDtTt9vFeVo.pgp
Description: PGP signature