{"id":568,"date":"2007-06-10T09:16:52","date_gmt":"2007-06-10T14:16:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.bytebot.net\/blog\/archives\/2007\/06\/10\/opensolaris-even-the-download-system-puts-you-off"},"modified":"2007-06-10T09:16:55","modified_gmt":"2007-06-10T14:16:55","slug":"opensolaris-even-the-download-system-puts-you-off","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.bytebot.net\/blog\/archives\/2007\/06\/10\/opensolaris-even-the-download-system-puts-you-off","title":{"rendered":"OpenSolaris: Even the download system puts you off"},"content":{"rendered":"

Like many out there, I’ve got an itch to check out what OpenSolaris has to offer. With DTrace (something I’ve played with extensively in OS X Leopard betas), ZFS (something that might show up in OS X for file system storage), Zones, and a whole bunch of other features, I’d be a luddite not to check it out.<\/p>\n

But I must admit, Sun has got a way of confusing you. Going to the Downloads<\/a> page tells you that their main intent is to confuse users. How am I supposed to choose between Solaris Express Community or Developer edition? The former is updated every other Friday, does that necessarily turn me on? Then there’s NexentaOS and the like.<\/p>\n

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Who distributes operating systems in segments? Sun do!<\/b><\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

An OpenSolaris newbie like me, ended up picking the Community edition as well as NexentaOS. I think I’ll get them to dual-boot on my soon-to-be-dedicated Solaris box. Now, once you’re done getting their Community edition (the Sun download system doesn’t allow you to get all 3 segments at once as well, mind you – you’re limited), all 3 1GB zip files, you get the pleasure of unzipping each and every one of them, and then (get this, its really funny), use cat<\/b> to make them into one large DVD ISO. <\/p>\n

Apparently I’m not the only one who thinks this sucks. Ian Murdock has adressed this<\/a> (or well, is open to comments on how to address this). Glynn Foster has also spoken about building the community mojo<\/a> – Ubuntu’s ShipIt program was a great success, maybe Sun should consider this for OpenSolaris? Time-based releases are better than “builds every other Friday”<\/i>. Take a cue from Ubuntu’s download page<\/a>. Redmonk’s Stephen O’Grady has his traditional Q&A on Project Indiana<\/a> – a must read.<\/p>\n

Technorati Tags: opensolaris<\/a>, sun<\/a>, download<\/a>, community<\/a>, silly download mechanism<\/a><\/p>\n

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