Solaris Express Community Release build 20 is out. You can download it here. It should be available on the OpenSolaris page soon. In addition, Sun Cluster 3.1 8/05 has been released. More info here.
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Member since:2005-07-06
It is highly impractical to expect SUN to test these "code snapshot" releases and be able to guarantee upgradeability between these releases. That is why BFU exists.
Perhaps I am being just a bit demanding, but that doesn't mean that the situation could not be improved upon.
Is there any technically compelling reason why BFU couldn't go ahead and update the package database for consistency while it's doing its thing?
Member since:2005-07-06
Perhaps I am being just a bit demanding, but that doesn't mean that the situation could not be improved upon.
I'm not saying the situation could not be improved, I just don't think it's practical expect what you are expecting.
Is there any technically compelling reason why BFU couldn't go ahead and update the package database for consistency while it's doing its thing?
There are several from what I've heard. For example, between SX builds, there is no guarantee that the incoming upgrade will map to any existing package. Additionally, at current the BFU process for OpenSolaris is not capable of building packages.
Last, from what I know, BFU is somewhat akin to extracting a large tarball over an existing filesystem. For speed and other reasons, I personally believe it's not technically practical to update the package database. It would significantly slow down the BFU process and the build process.
I suggest you discuss this issue instead on the Opensolaris Discuss forum at:
http://www.opensolaris.org/jive/forum.jspa?forumID=13
There will likely be people there better equipped to explain the complications behind what you're asking for, and whether or not they have plans to change it, or really practically speaking can.
Member since:
2005-07-06
Let's put this in another light. If the SX community releases are going to continue to be the primary scaffolding for OpenSolaris, someone had better be working on a sane, if somewhat unstable, upgrade path between releases. Having to choose between continously leveling and rebuilding your install or using a system which renders your packaging system next to useless is not going to cut it in the long term.
This system which supposedly "won't cut it in the long term", has been in place for years. So I have to disagree rather strongly. And notably, this will not be the "primary scaffolding" for OpenSolaris.
There will be other distributions available for OpenSolaris that track these releases, when there are they will have their own update or packaging systems.
It is highly impractical to expect SUN to test these "code snapshot" releases and be able to guarantee upgradeability between these releases. That is why BFU exists.
At this point Solaris Express is still tied to SUN's binary update system(s). What you want is better served by source based distributions like SchilliX in the future.