[gnu-sol-discuss] Re: [sfwnv-discuss] Re: [ports-discuss] Re: [sfwnv] Open Source software and OpenSolaris. What is the deal?

[Brian Gupta]

I think you may be missing something. Just as there is an initiative
to open source Solaris, there is an initiative to make Solaris more
accessible to the Linux community.

Let us all understand that what we are talking about is Solaris 11 (or
OpenSolaris nevada). Solaris 10 is pretty much status quo.

No longer does the not invented here mantra reign supreme. Open source
packages will be constantly be evaluated for inclusion into Solaris.
And those that haven't yet been absorbed into the root, will be built
to the same high standards and paths that the included packages are.
Non Sun maintainers will be allowed and encouraged.

In addition, OpenSolaris team members have expressed a desire to move
away from the historical sun patch method, for bundled FOSS. Instead,
if there are enough bugs fixed, and the interfaces aren't broken, a
recompile will be in order. We are looking to engage the Blastwave and
For the next generation of OpenSolaris/Solaris 11.

I don't know what the plans are for updating the core UNIX pieces.
Maybe we will still see patches.

Now here is what see.

1) Solaris integrated open source will be installed and integrated
into root. (e.g. - gzip)
2) Non integrated open source that does not conflict with root, will
also be installed in root. OpenSolaris needs to reserve this namespace
for those community packages, as they are the strongest candidates for
future inclusion.

Both of the above will be stable releases corresponding to individual
OpenSolaris releases.

3) The same group that is maintaining 1 and 2 will also be maintaining
BE (bleeding edge) packages. Optionally any FOSS package can be
upgraded to BE, with a caveat that Upgrading the packages in #1 would
be on a strictly "use at your own risk" basis.

The group building and maintaining these FOSS packages would include
Sun employees, interested third parties, as well as the large
preexisting communities (e.g sunfreeware.com, and blastwave).

I just saw David Comay's email, and I agree with what he wrote.