OpenSolaris released, aimed at storage market
A version for x86 machines, 686 MBytes in size, is already available for download from here.
Technically only pre-release versions were available before now. The Solaris code base itself has been open since 2005. Now you can get a quick download-and-install of the whole OpenSolaris operating system.
The release party will also include a panel on building Web communities featuring our own Matt Asay.
OpenSolaris may make its first big splash in Web storage. Sun says developers can create an OpenSolaris storage server in 10 minutes with its software. I can't get a new iPod out of the package in that time.
Sun's open source moves have been controversial, here as elsewhere, with some warning that OpenSolaris is a "trojan horse" that will keep those who use it from ever going back to Linux. Or it could be complementary.
Which do you think is right?[poll id=78]