Sun seeks to apply the lessons of Linux and turn open source Solaris into an operating system to rival Linux and to be as commonly used as Java. Sun Microsystems has ambitious plans for the commercial and open-source versions of its Solaris operating system, hoping to achieve for Solaris the kind of ubiquity already enjoyed by Java. In addition, Sun released Update 4 for Solaris 10 (also called Solaris 08/07), introducing a major enhancement in its OS virtualization technology called Solaris Containers.
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Member since:2006-02-05
There is more to the computing world then desktop users.
In the embedded space, java is unchallenged, and in the business space, .net is only just starting to make some inroads into a completely java dominated market. There are far more programmers whose job is to develop on java then any other language. Just because as a desktop user you don't come in contact with it that often, doesnt mean that it doesnt have a collosal install base. In fact, home use is more setting their sights lower rather then higher, considering the embedded market compared to the home desktop market.
Again, you are looking at it from the perspective of a linux desktop home user, which puts you in less then 1% of the market. UNIX is not about x, or gnome, or firefox. It is about throughput, stability, and security. Linux has wiped many UNIXs off the map, Solaris is one of the few that has stayed strong, as it is probably the most advanced OS on the market. Last time I checked, you weren't able to hotswap a CPU on linux.
Member since:2006-04-17
Again, you are looking at it from the perspective of a linux desktop home user, which puts you in less then 1% of the market. UNIX is not about x, or gnome, or firefox. It is about throughput, stability, and security. Linux has wiped many UNIXs off the map, Solaris is one of the few that has stayed strong, as it is probably the most advanced OS on the market. Last time I checked, you weren't able to hotswap a CPU on linux
You must have checked a long time ago, then, because you can hotswap CPUs on Linux for a long time. That really doesn't require much "advanced functionality" from the software at all. That myth is probably because the hardware actually is more exotic and nobody would think to do it in their home systems.
You'd want to be careful with that claim. Linux has many areas that rival or better solaris, and many other operating systems like AIX or mainframes have pretty advanced functionality too.
Edited 2007-09-04 18:40
Member since:2005-06-29
I agree with most of your comment, just wanted to add that cpu hotswap/hotplugging is indeed possible on linux.
Just google for it: http://www.google.com/search?q=linux+cpu+hotplugging .
Member since:2005-11-12
I fail to see what CPU hotswaping has to do with it's challenge to linux desktop wise. Sun have some good server orientated hardware/software but for hardware support on the desktop it's not even close.
Sun may have the toys but turning them into a desktop linux killer I fail to see.
Member since:2006-01-03
"Last time I checked, you weren't able to hotswap a CPU on linux."
Please check again.
Of course you can't hotswap a CPU (or memory) on most Linux systems, but that's just because the hardware itself doesn't allow it.
If this were to be a pissing contest, then Solaris would loose to the 1024-CPU SGI monsters running Linux.
Member since:2005-11-15
Member since:
2005-07-08
to be as commonly used as Java.
Someone at Sun should tell the directives some day that Java has failed to become "commonly used". I've been using Linux for years and I've never installed a java VM, and I've never used a program that required me to use Java. I only have found a page that required me to use java, and it was a page with small games programmed with java.
Jave gets used a lot internally in many companies and as server-side language in web servers...but come on, I hope they're targetting a bit highter than java's level of usage.
BTW: Linux has also been "challenging" solaris - for now, the fight is "1-0", with linux as winner. Personally I doubt Solaris can "challenge" linux supremacy in the FOSS field: Opensource is mostly about X.org, gnome, kde, firefox.....ie: things that will run in solaris just as well, there're not many incentives to change just to get the same.
Edited 2007-09-04 17:53