Popularity of the current Solaris releases
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From: Dave on 29 Nov 2009 15:05 Richard B. Gilbert wrote: > Dave wrote: >> There are basically 4 current Solaris operating systems? >> >> * Solaris 10 on SPARC processors >> * Solaris 10 on x86 processors >> * OpenSolaris on SPARC processors >> * OpenSolaris on x86 processors. >> >> how do they compare in popularity? >> >> I assume it fairly safe to assume that OpenSolaris on SPARC is less >> popular than OpenSolaris on x86, but I'm less sure how the others rank. >> >> I guess Solaris 10 is more popular on SPARC than x86, but maybe that >> is not true. >> >> > > I think popularity is not terribly important. It does matter, big time, > that the O/S runs on your hardware and supports most peripherals. It > matters that the system can get your work done in a reasonable amount of > time. Whether "reasonable" means seconds, minutes, or hours depends on > both your needs and your budget. > > It also matters that the O/S is reasonably free of bugs and security > vulnerabilities. My issue is one of developing open-source software (Sage), to run on hardware others have. Some will use it as hobbyists, others as departmental servers, supporting 100's of students. My first priority was SPARC on Solaris 10, as that is what I run, and that is what the T5240 donated by Sun runs. Next will be OpenSolaris on x86, simply as I have an Ultra 27 myself. Believe it or not, I'm doing a bit on HP-UX in parallel, mainly as different operating systems often show bugs which another platform does not. I'm sure its fastest to develop software on linux, and only worry about it building on Linux. I'm also pretty convinced you gain in quality by addressing portability issues, and testing on multiple platforms. Dave -- I respectfully request that this message is not archived by companies as unscrupulous as 'Experts Exchange' . In case you are unaware, 'Experts Exchange' take questions posted on the web and try to find idiots stupid enough to pay for the answers, which were posted freely by others. They are leeches.
From: Richard B. Gilbert on 29 Nov 2009 16:05 Dave wrote: > Canuck57 wrote: >> Dave wrote: >>> There are basically 4 current Solaris operating systems? >>> >>> * Solaris 10 on SPARC processors >>> * Solaris 10 on x86 processors >>> * OpenSolaris on SPARC processors >>> * OpenSolaris on x86 processors. >>> >>> how do they compare in popularity? >>> >>> I assume it fairly safe to assume that OpenSolaris on SPARC is less >>> popular than OpenSolaris on x86, but I'm less sure how the others rank. >>> >>> I guess Solaris 10 is more popular on SPARC than x86, but maybe that >>> is not true. >> >> My guess for business is: >> >> 1) Solaris 10 on SPARC processors > > My feeling is that would be top too. > >> 2) Solaris 10 on x86 processors >> 3) OpenSolaris on x86 processors. >> 4) OpenSolaris on SPARC processors (and could be near zero) > > My feeling that would be bottom too. > >> For hobbiests and at home: >> >> 1) Solaris 10 on x86 processors >> 2) OpenSolaris on x86 processors. > > I would have thought that OpenSolaris (on x86) is much more popular for > home/hobbyists than Solaris 10 on x86, simply because OpenSolaris has a > better desktop experience and better support for drivers for commodity > x86 hardware. > > I guess if your reason for running Solaris is to learn something that > you might be able to use for employment, Solaris 10 would be a better > choice, but then I would have thought it better to buy a SPARC in that > case. > >> 3) Solaris 10 on SPARC processors >> 4) OpenSolaris on SPARC processors (and could be near zero) > > Yes, I get the feeling that OpenSolaris on SPARC is near zero. > > >> In each case, the top 2 represent 98% of the cases. >> >> The best thing about Solaris on AMD/intel is simple, you can learn >> skills that port well to big iron. Even develop nice apps on x86 and >> port to Sparc for the business side. > > > >> I also suspect x86 for business servers is also growing at Sun, or >> fairing better than Sparc as a percentage of sales. > > Probably true, as performance per � is better. It's a shame for Sun, as > I'm led to believe the profit on x86 is small compared to SPARC. That > said, judging by the amount of money Sun wanted for RAM and disks for my > Ultra 27 (Intel Xeon), was it any surprise I bought it with 500 GB disk > and 2 GB RAM? (I did consider buying with no disk or RAM, but thought > that would be more difficult if a warranty issue arose). > > I bought the other 10 GB from Crucial, and the enterprise grade disks > elsewhere, for a hell of a lot less than Sun wanted for them. > > Just don't expect Sun to service third party hardware. You'll need to keep your own spares and be prepared to replace disks or memory DIMMs at inconvenient times! It's not a huge burden. Just make sure that you have a stock of spare parts adequate for your need. And make sure you know how to open the case and replace a disk.
From: Canuck57 on 29 Nov 2009 16:04 Dave wrote: > Canuck57 wrote: >> Dave wrote: >>> There are basically 4 current Solaris operating systems? >>> >>> * Solaris 10 on SPARC processors >>> * Solaris 10 on x86 processors >>> * OpenSolaris on SPARC processors >>> * OpenSolaris on x86 processors. >>> >>> how do they compare in popularity? >>> >>> I assume it fairly safe to assume that OpenSolaris on SPARC is less >>> popular than OpenSolaris on x86, but I'm less sure how the others rank. >>> >>> I guess Solaris 10 is more popular on SPARC than x86, but maybe that >>> is not true. >> >> My guess for business is: >> >> 1) Solaris 10 on SPARC processors > > My feeling is that would be top too. > >> 2) Solaris 10 on x86 processors >> 3) OpenSolaris on x86 processors. >> 4) OpenSolaris on SPARC processors (and could be near zero) > > My feeling that would be bottom too. > >> For hobbiests and at home: >> >> 1) Solaris 10 on x86 processors >> 2) OpenSolaris on x86 processors. > > I would have thought that OpenSolaris (on x86) is much more popular for > home/hobbyists than Solaris 10 on x86, simply because OpenSolaris has a > better desktop experience and better support for drivers for commodity > x86 hardware. > > I guess if your reason for running Solaris is to learn something that > you might be able to use for employment, Solaris 10 would be a better > choice, but then I would have thought it better to buy a SPARC in that > case. > >> 3) Solaris 10 on SPARC processors >> 4) OpenSolaris on SPARC processors (and could be near zero) > > Yes, I get the feeling that OpenSolaris on SPARC is near zero. > > >> In each case, the top 2 represent 98% of the cases. >> >> The best thing about Solaris on AMD/intel is simple, you can learn >> skills that port well to big iron. Even develop nice apps on x86 and >> port to Sparc for the business side. > > > >> I also suspect x86 for business servers is also growing at Sun, or >> fairing better than Sparc as a percentage of sales. > > Probably true, as performance per � is better. It's a shame for Sun, as > I'm led to believe the profit on x86 is small compared to SPARC. That > said, judging by the amount of money Sun wanted for RAM and disks for my > Ultra 27 (Intel Xeon), was it any surprise I bought it with 500 GB disk > and 2 GB RAM? (I did consider buying with no disk or RAM, but thought > that would be more difficult if a warranty issue arose). > > I bought the other 10 GB from Crucial, and the enterprise grade disks > elsewhere, for a hell of a lot less than Sun wanted for them. I will give Sun this, their memory prices are better than IBM or HP, but then their sales are in the tank for UNIX iron. But still, the pricing on Sparc hurts. But at least Sun's stuff works with COTs parts. I too have put memory and disk from COT suppliers. You are at waranty risk but saving $20,000 on a base $20,000 machine is often the benifit. It is that or some sucky MS-Windows boxen from hell.
From: Canuck57 on 29 Nov 2009 16:12 Richard B. Gilbert wrote: > Dave wrote: >> There are basically 4 current Solaris operating systems? >> >> * Solaris 10 on SPARC processors >> * Solaris 10 on x86 processors >> * OpenSolaris on SPARC processors >> * OpenSolaris on x86 processors. >> >> how do they compare in popularity? >> >> I assume it fairly safe to assume that OpenSolaris on SPARC is less >> popular than OpenSolaris on x86, but I'm less sure how the others rank. >> >> I guess Solaris 10 is more popular on SPARC than x86, but maybe that >> is not true. >> >> > > I think popularity is not terribly important. It does matter, big time, > that the O/S runs on your hardware and supports most peripherals. It > matters that the system can get your work done in a reasonable amount of > time. Whether "reasonable" means seconds, minutes, or hours depends on > both your needs and your budget. > > It also matters that the O/S is reasonably free of bugs and security > vulnerabilities. Agreed. But one hold back for Solaris on x86 is the lack of SATA ICHR7/8/9/10 drivers in modes other than IDE emulation, which many BIOS no longer supports the IDE downgrade part. I have 3 perfectly good common mobo based systems at home, none will run Solaris nor OpenSolaris outside a VM. And the chipsets are amongst the most common in the desktop quad processor arena there is. A severe handycap for Solaris adoption. Part of why I am increasingly recommending Linux, as not every app is going to fork $20k+++$$$$ and up for a Sparc with decent memory/storage. Solaris seems to be taking the path to a niche OS. Unfortunate, as I think it is the best. Just being wasted like OS/2. OS/2 dies for the same reasons, crappy driver support.
From: Canuck57 on 29 Nov 2009 16:15
Dave wrote: > Richard B. Gilbert wrote: >> Dave wrote: >>> There are basically 4 current Solaris operating systems? >>> >>> * Solaris 10 on SPARC processors >>> * Solaris 10 on x86 processors >>> * OpenSolaris on SPARC processors >>> * OpenSolaris on x86 processors. >>> >>> how do they compare in popularity? >>> >>> I assume it fairly safe to assume that OpenSolaris on SPARC is less >>> popular than OpenSolaris on x86, but I'm less sure how the others rank. >>> >>> I guess Solaris 10 is more popular on SPARC than x86, but maybe that >>> is not true. >>> >>> >> >> I think popularity is not terribly important. It does matter, big >> time, that the O/S runs on your hardware and supports most >> peripherals. It matters that the system can get your work done in a >> reasonable amount of time. Whether "reasonable" means seconds, >> minutes, or hours depends on both your needs and your budget. >> >> It also matters that the O/S is reasonably free of bugs and security >> vulnerabilities. > > My issue is one of developing open-source software (Sage), to run on > hardware others have. Some will use it as hobbyists, others as > departmental servers, supporting 100's of students. > > My first priority was SPARC on Solaris 10, as that is what I run, and > that is what the T5240 donated by Sun runs. Next will be OpenSolaris on > x86, simply as I have an Ultra 27 myself. > > Believe it or not, I'm doing a bit on HP-UX in parallel, mainly as > different operating systems often show bugs which another platform does > not. I'm sure its fastest to develop software on linux, and only worry > about it building on Linux. I'm also pretty convinced you gain in > quality by addressing portability issues, and testing on multiple > platforms. > > Dave Good technique too. Cheap, fast and easy way to find problematic areas of code is to look at the reasons why it will not cross compile unaltered. Not sure I would worry about Itanic though. Bad idea from HP to drop PA/RISC. Killed them in the real server market. |