"File-sharing between Windows and Sun's OpenSolaris Unix platform is being bolstered through two projects at Sun. The OpenSolaris project: CIFS Server features server software source code that implements the CIFS protocol also known as Server Message Block, the standard for Windows file-sharing services, Sun said. The internal CIFS server enables Microsoft users to store and retrieve files on an OpenSolaris system, Sun said. This project and a related effort, CIFS client, improve the usefulness of OpenSolaris in data environments that serve NFS and CIFS clients, Sun said. Sun recently donated server source code that implements CIFS to the OpenSolaris Project."
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Member since:2005-07-06
I am amazed a developer like Jeremy would pretty much troll Sun's workers' blogs like that. Afterall, what a business does with it's own damned money is, of course, it's own damned business.
Let's get real about this. People using Solaris, and every one I have ever known, has been using Samba for Windows file and print sharing, even if they've compiled and installed it themselves.
What Sun are doing is simply going on their own merry little way of making things just as hard for people using Solaris by not reusing existing work. This will have repercussions in terms of replicating all the associated technology around CIFS, and that's something Samba is already doing. Yer, Sun: The company that gets open source development!
Member since:2006-01-11
> Yer, Sun: The company that gets open source development!
Samba is designed by dissembling the CIFS protocol - you can never use that product knowing that Microsoft could sue you.
Sun is using published CIFS specs and relying on their settlement with MS and also MS opening up protocols per the EU settlement - that IMHO is a cleaner solution.
Plus, anything in kernel space works 1000x faster and better than user space. If you think user space is good for filesystems I dare you to trust putting your datacenter on userspace ZFS developed for Linux
Edited 2007-11-21 19:09
Member since:2006-03-12
Not everyone is willing to accept the GPL just to save a few grand, especially when the intent is to make many more grand. Were Samba a MIT codebase, the bits which the Solaris codebase could use would be nice for Sun, but since Sun intends to integrate the code into their kernel, it's not possible. The choice is between using Samba and being forced to GPL their kernel, or making their own CIFS implementation and keeping their kernel the way they want it.
Since Sun chose not to GPL Solaris already, it's easy to see a reason for their not selecting integrating Samba into their kernel.
Sun likes integrated solutions in it's products, Samba doesn't do that - a part of this is it's portability, a part of that is it's userland basis, and a part of that is it's licence. C'est la vie.
Member since:2005-07-06
Were Samba a MIT codebase, the bits which the Solaris codebase could use would be nice for Sun, but since Sun intends to integrate the code into their kernel, it's not possible.
You have heard of userspace and kernelspace separation, right, as Jeremy Allison has talked about getting APIs into Solaris' kernel for Samba?
Sun likes integrated solutions in it's products
I'm trying to contain my laughter as I read that, but I can't.
Member since:
2006-03-12
I am amazed a developer like Jeremy would pretty much troll Sun's workers' blogs like that. Afterall, what a business does with it's own damned money is, of course, it's own damned business.
Jeremy's actions are akin to Theo de Raadt going onto Linus' blog about Linux development and telling him he should stop Linux work and begin working with OpenBSD so that they can, "cooperate and share in the creation of this rather than trying to build everything themselves." It's a matter of Sun not thinking Samba is doing the job Sun wants done.