[oi-dev] Resignation as OI Lead

[Bob Friesenhahn]

On Thu, 30 Aug 2012, garrett.damore at dey-sys.com wrote:
>
> So let me clarify:
>
> What is *broken* was the model of slavishly trying to follow 
> OpenSolaris, or to be an "open & free" alternative to Solaris 11,

There is nothing wrong with being a follower.  For desktop it is 
ultimately better to follow Linux rather than Oracle's Solaris, 
particularly since Oracle's Solaris is following Linux.  An 
Illumos-based desktop can be completely successful even if it is 
inferior to the desktop offered by some other systems. Being inferior 
is not the same as "failure".

A usable desktop allows using Illumos without purchasing multiple 
machines, and including on portable hardware.

> Second, and probably more significantly, the *vision* is busted. 
> OI had *no* vision except to follow Oracle's lead.  Even Oracle 
> abandoned OpenSolaris and the desktop, but OI tries to muddle on 
> with no clear "vision" about what sets it apart.  There is no 
> "innovation" in OI, really.  Too many people want too many things 
> from it (server, desktop, compatibility, SPARC vs. x86), to the 
> point that it can never really take the necessary steps to excel at 
> any one thing because doing so might make it worse at another.  OI 
> became jack-of-all-trades, master of none.

I don't think that desktop "innovation" is necessary.  What is 
necessary is core functionality and availability of the major common 
applications (e.g. windowing environment, web browser, email 
interface, document editor).

Without a usable desktop on top of Illumos (which current OpenIndiana 
provides), the other Illumos variants will suffer from diminished 
interest and popularity as mindshare continues to move away from 
Solaris.

Many potential users of Illumos will simply turn away if they find out 
that they only have a character terminal for console access.  If 
modern X11 is missing entirely, then only those specifically planning 
to do server deployment would even consider using it.

Bob
-- 
Bob Friesenhahn
bfriesen at simple.dallas.tx.us, http://www.simplesystems.org/users/bfriesen/
GraphicsMagick Maintainer,    http://www.GraphicsMagick.org/