opensolaris names, marketing, license



>>>>> "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).

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