[geeks] Mac definitions

[Mark Benson]

On 10 Jul 2011, at 03:10, Andrew Jones wrote:

> I suspect prices are dropping like lead bricks in part because Solaris is
dropping support for UltraSPARC II/III/IV.  Otherwise-unsupportable hardware
that would have made great test/dev/hobbyist gear is now much less useful.

> The days of running brand spanking new Solaris on your dumpster-rescue SPARC
hardware are past. Only Fujitsu and "Niagara"-based gear will retain Solaris
support.  Sales numbers are low enough that I feel safe asserting that average
hobbyists will not stumble across that stuff.

I'll say it again, it's the licensing and support contract issue, not anything
to do with the hardware availability, the version of Solaris you can run or
anything else. In most hobbyists eyes that are or were looking for good Sun
hobbyist platforms, Ellison has shafted us by dropping the free license and
open community support. I don't care that I can't run Solaris 11, I don't want
to, Solaris 11 would probably run like crap (well distinctly slow and steady)
on my SPARC hardware anyway. I'd happily stick with Solaris 10 but they won't
offer it free so I don't want it.

I think *those* feelings above most others are why hobbyists are dropping
Sun/Solaris. Weird thing is I just started up with OpenVMS and there are a
surprising number of new people moving across to that as hobbyists. Why? It
has a good Hobbyist support network and licensing structure (once you find the
right door). People who want something new to play with turn to that sort of
thing instead, even if it means learning the whole thing form the ground up.

--
Mark Benson

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