Charlie Schluting has to wonder -- in fact, has to ask -- whether OpenSolaris 2008.11 has anything in its many new features that will appeal compellingly to hard core Linux users.

Writing for Enterprise Networking Planet.com, Schluting answers his own question quite unambiguously, "Yes, yes it can. The install is identical to all other Linux distros, and it uses the familiar GNOME desktop. OpenSolaris on the right hardware is basically the same as running Linux, from a casual user’s perspective."

With the right supported hardware, Schluting continues, there's no reason not to run OpenSolaris -- desktop, laptop, server -- and he directs users to the "pending" and "contrib" repositories that will open the door to thousands of software packages that have not yet been officially adopted.

The inclusion of the Image Packaging System (IPS) makes installation a snap, as many as 1500+ packages, in fact. And IPS allows users to update their entire system in quite the same way as the Linux package managers, Schluting adds. This means that one no longer need to download patches from Sun; just (as Linux users to) add package updates as they become available.

Schluting is really enthusiastic about the ability of OpenSolaris to update an entire system at once, using a ZFS snapshot of the root file system and a "boot environment" created by IPS. Prior to any changes being made, users can simply call up from the GRUB menu on boot if an update goes awry.

He expresses some reservations about Time Slider, an automated feature in ZFS, that OpenSolaris can leverage to take snapshots rather than copying files to another device. While this saves file space, it also leaves users without backup. Schluting expects this issue will be addressed in coming versions of the new ZFS replication support.

There are two additional features that Schluting expects will appeal to system administrators:

• Project COMSTAR: The new storage server project only supports Fibre Channel at this point, but iSCSI support is coming.

• Auto Install: a JumpStart-like installation system to automate OpenSolaris installs, but much simpler than JumpStart.

New desktop features that users will find attractive:

• GNOME 2.2.4: a very new version with what Schluting believes is an amazingly beautiful default theme.
• Print Manager: with automatic detection. Still not using CUPS, but this is planned for a future OpenSolaris release.
• Firefox 3: the latest Firefox Web browser, and Thunderbird mail client.
• Songbird: the iTunes clone for Linux is now available in the main repository.
• Tracker: the desktop indexing and search tool for GNOME now runs by default.
• OpenOffice 3: available in the repository, but is not installed by default.
• Suspend to RAM: works now for a very limited set of computers.

What Schluting recommends to foster OpenSolaris adoptions among the Linux community is a concentration on adopting standardized open source software rather than implementing shiny new features. "OpenSolaris doesn't need the exclusive community that Solaris enjoyed all these years, it needs the huge Linux community. I think it will happen," he predicts.

And, if you happen to be running OpenSolaris in VMware and QEMU+KVM, he heartily recommends hanging on tightly to the mouse during bootup and when X starts. [...read more...]

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