What if Sun wrote the Solaris kernel as a drop-in replacement for the Linux kernel?

I also wonder why Schwartz didn't even bother to invite Stallman to
dinner. Perhaps the reason is that Torvalds can rightfully say: "I am
a pragmatic person" while that word is not in RMS' vocabulary?

"Sun CEO to Torvalds: Let's work together
Posted by Stephen Shankland

Days after Linus Torvalds discussed the possibilities of Linux and
Solaris joining forces as open-source projects, Sun Microsystems Chief
Executive Jonathan Schwartz has invited the Linux leader to dinner to
allay his suspicions about Sun's motives."

http://news.com.com/8301-10784_3-9729019-7.html

http://news.com.com/Torvalds+Solaris...l?tag=nefd.top
http://tinyurl.com/26cuhf

-Ramon

Ramon F Herrera wrote:
> I also wonder why Schwartz didn't even bother to invite Stallman to
> dinner. Perhaps the reason is that Torvalds can rightfully say: "I am
> a pragmatic person" while that word is not in RMS' vocabulary?
>
> "Sun CEO to Torvalds: Let's work together
> Posted by Stephen Shankland
>
> Days after Linus Torvalds discussed the possibilities of Linux and
> Solaris joining forces as open-source projects, Sun Microsystems Chief
> Executive Jonathan Schwartz has invited the Linux leader to dinner to
> allay his suspicions about Sun's motives."

Linus must be smart enough to know he can't hold out much longer with
only the protection of the "Open Source Foundation" to protect him.
Their small ranks have already dwindled.

It can't be Bill Gates and an army of thousands and funding of billions
versus Torvalds and ten guys with sketchy funding based on the largesse
of a lot of conflicting tech giants who may or may not participate each
year.

Linus needs to wrap himself up in the shell of something big like Sun to
keep his work going.

Sorry, but that's reality.



>
> http://news.com.com/8301-10784_3-9729019-7.html
>
> http://news.com.com/Torvalds+Solaris...l?tag=nefd.top
> http://tinyurl.com/26cuhf
>
> -Ramon
>

Ramon F Herrera wrote:



http://www.gnusolaris.org/gswiki

--
Ian Collins.

Ramon F Herrera wrote:

>
> I also wonder why Schwartz didn't even bother to invite Stallman to
> dinner. Perhaps the reason is that Torvalds can rightfully say: "I am
> a pragmatic person" while that word is not in RMS' vocabulary?
>
> "Sun CEO to Torvalds: Let's work together
> Posted by Stephen Shankland
>
> Days after Linus Torvalds discussed the possibilities of Linux and
> Solaris joining forces as open-source projects, Sun Microsystems Chief
> Executive Jonathan Schwartz has invited the Linux leader to dinner to
> allay his suspicions about Sun's motives."
>
> http://news.com.com/8301-10784_3-9729019-7.html
>
>
http://news.com.com/Torvalds+Solaris...l?tag=nefd.top
> http://tinyurl.com/26cuhf
>
> -Ramon

Anyone can take the kernel and change it, if it is a change that is intended
for release then provided they use the proper naming convention so that
users can not be confused as to which kernel is relevant, then they is
nothing wrong with that.

Some already do that with changed kernels for devices. Then they was one (I
don't know what came of it) that was specifically intended for gaming. Most
are of cause just configuration or module changes, the kernel is so well
thought out for configuring to various uses that I would have thought they
would be very few actual changed kernels, but maybe some devices will need
to do that.

Solaris could drop in a kernel if they wanted to. There might be good
reasons to do that too, because Solaris's real target area is the medium to
large server systems, so the our vendors general purpose configured kernel
not be right. Rather than simply reconfigure our kernel though they are
better off using their own ready made/tested kernel supports which
Solaris's needs better.

There have been many arguments over the years about the Linux kernel, is it
best where it is or would it be better in someone elses hands. I am sure
most of us could come up with arguments on both sides. But we can't get
around the fact that the current system has given us a very powerfull yet
extremely stable kernel, we couldn't ask for anything better to build OSs
or applications onto.

When was the last time anyone in here had a kernel crash? I am surrounded by
Linux and UNIX servers and have been for many years. The last kernel crash
I can remember was when that bad kernel came out many years ago, I can't
remember exactly which it was but I think it was the launch of the 2.x's.

That was caused by a bug, within a couple of days as the various vendors
realised there was a problem, it was withdrawn and we all nipped back to
the previous kernel. Then a short time later the release was out again with
new minor numbers and all was well again.

So on the record of all of these years and only one bad release, I would say
our kernel is in very good hands.

Ramon F Herrera wrote:
> I also wonder why Schwartz didn't even bother to invite Stallman to
> dinner. Perhaps the reason is that Torvalds can rightfully say: "I am
> a pragmatic person" while that word is not in RMS' vocabulary?
>
> "Sun CEO to Torvalds: Let's work together
> Posted by Stephen Shankland
>
> Days after Linus Torvalds discussed the possibilities of Linux and
> Solaris joining forces as open-source projects, Sun Microsystems Chief
> Executive Jonathan Schwartz has invited the Linux leader to dinner to
> allay his suspicions about Sun's motives."
>
> http://news.com.com/8301-10784_3-9729019-7.html
>
> http://news.com.com/Torvalds+Solaris...l?tag=nefd.top
> http://tinyurl.com/26cuhf
>
> -Ramon
>
Hemlock on the menu?

["Followup-To:" header set to comp.os.linux.misc.]
On 2007-06-14, John Bailo wrote:

> Linus must be smart enough to know he can't hold out much longer with
> only the protection of the "Open Source Foundation" to protect him.
> Their small ranks have already dwindled.
>
> It can't be Bill Gates and an army of thousands and funding of billions
> versus Torvalds and ten guys with sketchy funding based on the largesse
> of a lot of conflicting tech giants who may or may not participate each
> year.
>
> Linus needs to wrap himself up in the shell of something big like Sun to
> keep his work going.
>
> Sorry, but that's reality.

How do you figure? Are the storm troopers going to break down the doors
of all the open source developers and send them to Guantanamo so they
can't work on open source projects on their own time?

--

-John (john-at-os2.dhs.org)

Ramon F Herrera wrote:
> Days after Linus Torvalds discussed the possibilities of Linux and
> Solaris joining forces as open-source projects, Sun Microsystems Chief
> Executive Jonathan Schwartz has invited the Linux leader to dinner to
> allay his suspicions about Sun's motives."

I believe that the only problem Sun has is that they didn't foresee
Linux coming and they wish they made Solaris open source 10 years ago
and have the position Linux is holding right now. They are trying to get
there now (a little late) and it's an uphill battle.


--
Milan Babuskov
http://abrick.sourceforge.net

Milan Babuskov writes:

>Ramon F Herrera wrote:
>> Days after Linus Torvalds discussed the possibilities of Linux and
>> Solaris joining forces as open-source projects, Sun Microsystems Chief
>> Executive Jonathan Schwartz has invited the Linux leader to dinner to
>> allay his suspicions about Sun's motives."

>I believe that the only problem Sun has is that they didn't foresee
>Linux coming and they wish they made Solaris open source 10 years ago
>and have the position Linux is holding right now. They are trying to get
>there now (a little late) and it's an uphill battle.

And the worst of it is that some people inside Sun knew at the time
they needed to do this ....

Casper
--
Expressed in this posting are my opinions. They are in no way related
to opinions held by my employer, Sun Microsystems.
Statements on Sun products included here are not gospel and may
be fiction rather than truth.

Casper H.S. Dik wrote:
>Milan Babuskov writes:
>
>>Ramon F Herrera wrote:
>>> Days after Linus Torvalds discussed the possibilities of Linux and
>>> Solaris joining forces as open-source projects, Sun Microsystems Chief
>>> Executive Jonathan Schwartz has invited the Linux leader to dinner to
>>> allay his suspicions about Sun's motives."
>
>>I believe that the only problem Sun has is that they didn't foresee
>>Linux coming and they wish they made Solaris open source 10 years ago
>>and have the position Linux is holding right now. They are trying to get
>>there now (a little late) and it's an uphill battle.
>
>And the worst of it is that some people inside Sun knew at the time
>they needed to do this ....

An interesting point from many different perspectives.

First, it is not an uncommon occurrence. Recent examples
have been how The Internet in specific, but computers
and computer networking too, have changed several
industries in ways that some people saw coming, and
others didn't.

The telecommunications industry (AT&T being the most
fascinating example) was one where it was very
frustrating for those who had the vision to see what was
coming but were commonly unable to move those who had
control far enough fast enough. The newspaper industry
was another where a completely different business plan
was necessary to survive and function with the new
technologies that became available in the early 1990's.

It appears to me that Sun will survive after missing the
boat initially. Much the same as Apple...

But smaller companies change direction more easily, and
one has to wonder how long it will take Microsoft to
understand exactly the same thing and then if they will
be able to accomplish such a change without (a la AT&T)
simply falling apart first.

For example, I'd bet that Vista will be the last major
"build a whole new OS" project based on a proprietary
kernel from Microsoft. Another attempt would destroy
them...

As always, interesting times are just ahead!

--
Floyd L. Davidson
Ukpeagvik (Barrow, Alaska) floyd-at-apaflo.com

Words to the wise, Casper H.S. Dik wrote:

>>I believe that the only problem Sun has is that they didn't foresee
>>Linux coming and they wish they made Solaris open source 10 years ago
>>and have the position Linux is holding right now. They are trying to get
>>there now (a little late) and it's an uphill battle.
>
>And the worst of it is that some people inside Sun knew at the time
>they needed to do this ....

Is it possible to shed some light on the reasons why this didnt happen
earlier?

I mean, what could have possibly gone wrong?

In a simplistic view, the company always wins (no I am no OSS FSF
advocate). You can basically get other companies and people to do your
development for you while you can still sell the same product, so to
speak.
--
Claus Kick
Computers are stupid, but they create work