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A good reason NOT to open source Solaris.
If Solaris is to have value because of its uniquely effective way of working with Windows, how does exposing its code help retain Sun's advantage?

You're right, the death of proprietary Unix and the concomitant loss of employment is a major "success" of open source.

But a company like Sun should be looking for ways to beat open source, at least in part. Though they can't use service contracts to create sales opportunities as IBM does, they have devised a strategy for making their software and software from other companies easier to administer.

Again, this is based on unique capabilities. Any exposure of how it's done constitutes a clue. They might be able to sue another company if that company was too obvious in copying, but that's lengthy and difficult.

Question comes down to: why explain to your competitors how your software is advantaged compared with theirs?
This is the opposite of the open source philosophy. It's called competitive advantage. It's how profits get made.
Posted by: Anton Philidor   Posted on: 12/03/04 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use
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Well duh? Did anyone think Sun was going to hand  No_Ax_to_Grind | 12/02/04
Does it matter?  IT_User | 12/02/04
Sun Hardware  htotten | 12/02/04
Sounds sort of like...  IT_User | 12/02/04
Sun hardware doesn't need to run Solaris  balsover | 12/03/04
Toss MS in and your right.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 12/02/04
Face it: M$ has nowhere to go but down!  Jeff Spicoli | 12/02/04
Jeff, I am being honest here, you don't really believe that do you?  No_Ax_to_Grind | 12/03/04
Jeff is correct!  djc1309@... | 12/04/04
Nothing factual in your post.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 12/04/04
You are a die hard aren't you?  djc1309@... | 12/04/04
That makes me giggle.  John Le'Brecage | 12/02/04
Never suggested anything else. Are you concerned?  No_Ax_to_Grind | 12/02/04
Don't get in a tizzy. He's just marveling at your shillhood.  Jeff Spicoli | 12/02/04
sigh, You still have learned nothing.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 12/03/04
Concern and giggling are antithetical...  John Le'Brecage | 12/02/04
So is No_Ax becoming Mike Cox  shallow_diver | 12/03/04
You must be new...  No_Ax_to_Grind | 12/03/04
Is that so No Ax?  ken47b@... | 12/03/04
Yes it is true. Learn to pay attention. (nt)  No_Ax_to_Grind | 12/03/04
Re: That makes me giggle.  richdave | 12/04/04
And your point is???  AmusedAtItAll | 12/02/04
Booyah!  Jeff Spicoli | 12/03/04
Yes! Good move Sun! Best for Linux.  John Le'Brecage | 12/02/04
You hit the nail right on the noggin  Jeff Spicoli | 12/02/04
An excellent point John. (nt)  No_Ax_to_Grind | 12/03/04
How is this a good move for Sun?  Anton Philidor | 12/03/04
Anton, you always ask the tough questions.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 12/03/04
New sales outside the US would be a goal.  Anton Philidor | 12/03/04
Sorry, I'm not privy to Sun's plans.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 12/03/04
Who is?  Anton Philidor | 12/03/04
Is that in fact true?  No_Ax_to_Grind | 12/03/04
A good reason NOT to open source Solaris.  Anton Philidor | 12/03/04
You just identified the big *IF*.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 12/03/04
Just a thought here  voska | 12/03/04
May be a nuanced plan is afoot?  quietLee | 12/03/04
Too subtle to succeed.  Anton Philidor | 12/03/04
Sun's self-interest.  John Le'Brecage | 12/03/04
I don't really like the GPL anyways  CobraA1 | 12/02/04
But hey...  Jeff Spicoli | 12/02/04
Open Source isn't always better, though  CobraA1 | 12/03/04
You can link the two. There are exceptions.  John Le'Brecage | 12/02/04
John, you point out something important...  No_Ax_to_Grind | 12/03/04
A point in support.  Anton Philidor | 12/03/04
Correct, and the FUD is a very real thing.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 12/03/04
What rubbish!!  Jiim_z | 12/05/04
Not always an option  CobraA1 | 12/03/04
Toss this to the wind...  John Le'Brecage | 12/05/04
Clarify what you mean.  AmusedAtItAll | 12/02/04
heh, we keep forgetting section 2b!  CobraA1 | 12/03/04
No surprises here ...  George Mitchell | 12/02/04
Does Sun have the right  Roger Ramjet | 12/03/04
BSD is not relavant here ...  mwagner@... | 12/03/04
Good move for Sun ...  mwagner@... | 12/03/04
What is Sun's goal?  Anton Philidor | 12/03/04
Sun's goal is to ...  mwagner@... | 12/03/04
Does "complete user control of the code"...  Anton Philidor | 12/03/04
I think it does  voska | 12/03/04
Is "as easy as Linux..." a reason to buy Solaris?  Anton Philidor | 12/03/04
If it allows interop with Windows it does.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 12/03/04
Another good point  voska | 12/03/04
Won't take that long, I'll say a year from now.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 12/03/04
Seem to me you pointed out the Bunk factor  voska | 12/03/04
Linus ix Unix, too.  lycanthrope1 | 12/03/04
That's why there are only two "real" Linuxes...  Anton Philidor | 12/03/04
Depth limit?  lycanthrope1 | 12/03/04
Two Linuxes?  lycanthrope1 | 12/03/04
Yes, depth goes beyond ZDNet's limit.  Anton Philidor | 12/03/04
Two Linuxes for commercial use, yes.  Anton Philidor | 12/03/04
You do realize that Windows is POSIX compliant too right?  voska | 12/03/04
Mixed anticipations.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 12/03/04
Sun: "We'll damage ourselves in hopes"...  Anton Philidor | 12/03/04
Ah, but if Sun can...  No_Ax_to_Grind | 12/03/04
IBM and Linux  lycanthrope1 | 12/03/04
What damage?  lycanthrope1 | 12/03/04
All pain, no gain.  Anton Philidor | 12/03/04
Shares in Solaris?  lycanthrope1 | 12/03/04
Never said shares in Solaris.  Anton Philidor | 12/03/04
Yes to both!  lycanthrope1 | 12/03/04
If Sun is just chasing a buzzword...  Anton Philidor | 12/03/04
Increased sales is increased sales...  lycanthrope1 | 12/03/04
If being incompetent were only illegal...  Anton Philidor | 12/03/04
Oh please!  lycanthrope1 | 12/03/04
What have they done lately?  Anton Philidor | 12/03/04
"Too expensive" is too old.  lycanthrope1 | 12/03/04
Is Sun part of a plot to kill Linux?  Flash00 | 12/03/04
It is a good move for Sun  kokuryu | 12/03/04
Witness The Second Coming Of The Balkanization Of Unix  lbattis@... | 12/03/04
But there is really nothing new here ...  George Mitchell | 12/03/04
A few observations  lycanthrope1 | 12/03/04
Trying to salvage a marginalized OS  mwiley_z | 12/03/04
Too little, too late I suspect!  Jiim_z | 12/05/04
good move for Solaris  segurajohn@... | 12/03/04
I hate using Solaris. can open-source change that?  gorbehnare | 12/04/04
I think not. Linux is here to stay and grow!  flavio.becker | 12/04/04

What do you think?

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