Can Some Please Explain Diff: SunOS and Solaris

[Michael42]

Is SunOS and Solaris the same thing?

My SunOS lists as 5.8 but I think we are running Solaris 2.8.

Thanks for making this clearer! Michael

MCSE NT\2000, UNIX, Novell
Java, JSP, ASP, VB

 

[BVSJ]

SunOS is the only UNIX while Solaris is the whole bundle of UNIX, CDE, Openwindows, NIS etc.

SunOS 5.8 means Solaris 2.8 or Solaris 8.
So you are correct, SunOS and Solaris are same thing when you talk only UNIX.

 

[Michael42]

Your simple explanation has made it 100% clearer.

One more please:

If I read into your reply a bit, is it true that you CAN install just SunOS 5.8 OR you can install Solaris 2.8 (which includes the Sun OS)?

Thanks again for your time. Michael

MCSE NT\2000, UNIX, Novell
Java, JSP, ASP, VB

 

[wcombruce]

From what I remember it works as follows:

SunOS stems from the early versions. Before Solaris 2.x was released the OS was referred to as SunOS, this goes back to SunOS 1.x, 2.x, 3.x etc...The release of SunOS 4.x became known as Solaris 1. This was more noticeable with the release of Solaris 2.x (SunOS 5.x) which is also related to the OS being (System 5) etc etc. To summarize:

SunOS 4.1.3 = Solaris 1.1.3
SunOS 5 = Solaris 2 (First release of SystemV)
SunOS 5.1 = Solaris 2.1
SunOS 5.4 = Solaris 2.4
SunOS 5.6 = Solaris 2.6
SunOS 5.7 = Solaris 2.7
SunOS 5.8 = Solaris 8 **

Hope that makes sense.

 

[bigscouse]

Solaris has software clusters so that you can install various levels. They are: -

End-User-System-Support.
Developer-System-Support.
Entire distribution.
Entire distribution plus OEM system support.

You can always start with the base cluster (End-User) then add packages that are required.
Ged Jones

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