There were times when IBM believed that this 14 year old kid’s operating system would never be the major concern for the hardware and the primary focus of the hardware and computing shall remain the hardware and hardwire programming and then BILL GATES happily smiled .Soon the MSDOS had taken over . Just when Bill declared that the Windows is the largest used operating system the rebel  ,the freedom fighter Linus gave birth to LINUX and the penguin is arguably the best open systems mascot the favorites of all the geeks world over . But then the SUN kept shining high .Time is set to reveal the system that will have the last laugh .The time has arrived —- “OPEN SOLARIS”.

This operating system has a lots of feeling of us in it . For the bugs and their fixtures have been provided by lovers of open source all over the globe . This is the product of plurality of our thinking and the integration of the experiences onto this magnificent collage of code.

DOWNload  & INSTALL :

Well the SUN MICROSYSTEMS has now officially released the Open Solaris CD  version of 200805 .This can be downloaded via the site www.opensolaris.com .But if you are using the download manager or your connection hangs up like a lazy Garfield or if u have a broadband and pissed of with the download rate of only upto  15-20 KBps …. Don’t try it from this site . Because probably the site is being heavily being hit upon computer and the mad stampede for the OS has claimed life of the bit rate .Never mind the geek gals I have a solution only for you  . Get the torrent for the OS , google a bit and you will find  a good lot of torrent for the OS .This will download at all the good speed your connection can provide .

So far so good …When this file has been download the iso file is to be burnt , yes coz there is a good section in the FAQ the site that says it . Bring the NERO or any other CD burner and burn it on the CD . Restart the machine with boot from CD. Select the language and the keyboard layout. Installation is very easy . The CD loads and the live system boots the computer and the required hardware . This gives and easy option for the  install .Click the install button on the desktop .And a install dialog box opens up .It reminds me of the MAC installation , the partition are named as the solaris and other….. Like the mac’y thing .. Select size of the solaris partition (or complete install , if u wish ) .Type the administrator and user password ,computer name……… and let the set up run after setting the time zone the install is over quick and simple .

INITIAL look and feel :

Restart the machine and you would be greeted by the GRUB loader this time with the background of solaris .Select the OS  and continue (IT has however a short coming that it list all the partions in the drive even if the partition is not loaded with the Operating System , so don’t panic if the first windows in the grub says “UNABLE TO LOAD THE BOOTMGR” .Try the other ) If u happen to use the fedora then perhaps you would feel that this is something similar . This login screen is somewhat similar .Type the user name and password and you would get the common feel of the LINUX environment.

Most of the feel has been maintained as the linux environment.

A possible drawback I have faced is that it doesn’t read the windows partitions . you would have to open your windows documents or the partitions made in windows using windows only . It doesn’t have the sufficient sound drivers , but guys take heart the freedom lovers should not be deterred , try looking in www.opensound.com, or the hardware manufacturers site for the drivers .

It has host of other integrated open source softwares bundled in it for the use . It has the MOZILLA firefox and the thunderbird mail client. Beside open office.

Scope for the work :

Well most open source Operating systems act as the killers themselves and chop their own wings by not providing enough support systems .The communities shall  ensure that the geekiness doesnot overpaw the basics of decent  GUI , the plug and play connectivity . for starters they should have atlesat focus on compulsory three things for the OS to last at least some time on the machine

1 Sound and video plugins , drivers

2.Modem , wireless and Ethernet drivers .Easy touch connectivities…coz non nerds just wanna listen some music , catch a movie  and surf net .So appease them and this will create mass market and our future will be secured with the market .

Long live SOLARIS

Shiv Prakash