I've got a simple "flavor" question...

[Hobbes]

Hello all,
I'm a new UNIX convert, having just gone through a certification course. I've got a real softball question for you gurus out there.

One topic that wasn't covered in any great depth was the issues of flavors of UNIX. Yes, we covered the various decendants of the original AT&T version (SCO, Solaris, BSD, etc.). But my question is a bit more focused. I'm going to be administering a Solaris domain (hopefully). My question is what is the difference between SunOS 4, Solaris 2.6, 7, 8. Now I realize that the Solaris versions are most likely simple revisions (but what happened to versions 3-6?), but what's with the SunOS version? Is it an older system, before they found a catchier name? Just wondering... Don't want to sound like an absolute dolt during interviews...

thanks in advance,
Hobbes

Thanks in advance

 

[KenCunningham]

Hi,

you might like to take a look at:

http://home.earthlink.net/~bhami/rosetta.html

for a description of the different commands in various flavours, including SunOS and Solaris. The changes probably reflect the new technologies available, some of which have caused radical shifts in the requirements of an operating system. SunOS is Sun's older operating system, and Solaris 2.5 superceded it, as far as I'm aware. I guess the numbering system is a throwback to this, Solaris effectively 'becoming' the new SunOS at version 2.5. Others, however, may have a better handle on this than I.

 

[CitrixEngineer]

I recently went on the Solaris course, and the instructor told us this story;

Solaris 1 was the name given to SunOS 4 by the marketing team when AT&T joined forces with Sun around 1990, as UNIX International. The engineers, however, kept calling the product SunOS 4.

When Solaris went to version 2, and SunOS to version 5, the product became widely known as Solaris 2.5.

Maybe it's just a rumour...but it's a nice story


He also gave us these "history bites" - maybe they'll also be useful. I haven't checked their accuracy, but it's a good starting point for some research;

SunOS itself was a conglomeration of System V and BSD 4.3. Solaris 1 was effectively System V release 4.

System V was developed by Dennis Ritchie and Brian Kernigan at AT&T. In 1971 it was ported to C by Jim Thompson.

BSD is arguably the network side of UNIX, dealing with packet switching and routing, and was the basis of ARPAnet, developed at Stanford University.

Bill Joy wrote the C shell and the vi editor, and is accredited with developing Java.

Sun was formed by Stanford University Networks in 1982.


Ken, that listing is awesome! Thanks

 

[ElgisRamon]

Remember Old SunOS was BSDish, but New Solaris is System Vish
I hope it works...
Unix was made by and for smart people.

 

[stevea]

Citrix is correct....

The last version of SunOS was4.1.3.

Solaris 1st versions of Solaris was 2.0, 2.1, 2.2. These version were terribly unstable. When Solaris 2.3 was released it would actually work. Most Sun shops didnt move to Solaris until after Solaris 2.3. Solaris 2.4 saw improvements.....but Solaris 2.5 (2.5.1) was finally a rock solid OS. Solaris 2.6 was intoduced then, Sun (once again) changed it to Solaris 7 (Solaris 2.7).

I do beleive SunOS 4.0 is the same as Solaris 1.x, but I forget which SunOS version convert to which Solaris 1.x name.....

 

[cgswong]

I'd agree with the above explanations as to the SunOS and Solaris. Also, you'll notice that when Solaris boots you'll notice it says SunOS 2.x, then Solaris 2.x/7/8 when it's loading the GUI console. When you telnet, you'll also see SunOS 2.x as the first message line. This has something to do with what has been said above with Solaris being the descendant of SunOS and the engineers still calling it SunOS.

As to the skip from 2.6 to 7, then 8; Sun decided to go 'Windows' (or with the times) and have a more current, catchy (whichever) tag for the OS. So after Solaris 2.6 they called it 7 and then 8. But you'll notice that people still refer to them as 2.7 and 2.8 as this is effectively what they are. SunOS 2.7 -> Solaris 2.7 -> Solaris 7, SunOS 2.8 -> Solaris 2.8 -> Solaris 8. You'll notice the X is the .x in 2.x

Hope this helps. Regards.