solaris

[backyard]

--- Giorgos Keramidas <keramida at ceid.upatras.gr>
wrote:

> On 2006-09-05 22:50, Bill-Schoolcraft
> <bill at wiliweld.com> wrote:
> > If just a "relatively" small handful of dedicated
> FreeBSD coders can
> > produce an OS that will install on damm near
> "ANYTHING" I always found
> > it troubling that SUN Microsystems, with all it's
> resources, could
> > not, at the least, make their x86 OS (think
> Solaris-10) install with
> > support, for lets say, what FreeBSD had for 4.2?
> >
> > I mean, all the drivers are available, wouldn't
> one think that they
> > could at least support what FreeBSD supports in
> terms of number of
> > devices?
> 
> I don't speak officially *for* FreeBSD, but let's be
> a bit realistic
> shall we?  There are both good and bad points for
> both FreeBSD and
> Solaris.  I'm sure someone can find hardware on
> which FreeBSD can not
> be installed at all.  The same can be said for
> Solaris.  In the end,
> it is all a matter of what hardware you have and
> what your particular
> application requires :-)
> 
> Having said that, I am more comfortable with the
> FreeBSD-way of doing
> most things, so when I have the choise and *both*
> systems can be used,
> I usually pick FreeBSD just because it is the one I
> know best.
> 

I think to be fair, SUN is mostly concerned with
making an OS for THEIR hardware and systems, and it is
nice of them to release an x86 version for free.
FreeBSD.org is only concerned with releasing an OS and
since they don't develop hardware they must support
more stuff because they have more hackers at their
disposal making "obscure" equipment work. And if it
didn't work the relatively small group of users would
shrink even more, or run Linux; {shudders.}

SUN sells to the military and those with deep pockets
who can afford their equipment, FreeBSD is just trying
to keep the spirit of BSD alive and well. It makes
sense that SUN will only use a few configurations of
PCs that are likely to be found in a military
contractor, or enterprise corporations arsenal;
especially on a system (V10) they release without
making money. Its unfortunate but that is life; I'm
sure in their minds if you can get it to run on a PC
they hope you will buy a Sparc of Sunfire, or whatever
line their up too now. It's advertising.

I think the important thing to remember in all this is
every system using one version of UNIX over another is
one more machine not running NT. And since NT is
single handedly stealing code, and destroying
internationally set standards I think the more UNIX
the merrier. Even if you're running a Mac... I find
the most important thing is trying to get people to
realize a computer isn't ment to tell you what you can
or cannot do, an Administrator should be able to kill
any running process on a system, you should be able to
choose what software is installed on your computer,
your web browser or PNP system shouldn't allow Viruses
or software in general to be installed on your machine
without your knowledge or consent, and most
importantly you should be able to take your hard drive
out of your machine and put it in another one and keep
on going.

Solaris is cool if it will run, FreeBSD will run if
Solaris won't; lets band together and destroy
Micrsoft... :)


-brian