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Caldera's Almost-Linux Skips The Linux Kernel

Cassivs points to this UnixReview article, which says "Caldera has released Open UNIX 8, which includes a complete GNU/Linux distribution, except that it runs on the SVR5 kernel, acquired from SCO. It uses the same packages as Caldera's OpenLinux 3.1. It should scale much better, and provides a commercial UNIX kernel with the ability to natively develop GNU/Linux applications." It sounds like a non-Linux kernel has advantages on certain hardware, even running exactly the same software otherwise -- I wonder how long that will be true. Caldera has talked about this product, with it's Linux Kernel Personality, for a long time, and this is an informative review for anyone following it.

18 of 240 comments (clear)

  1. much like IBM AIX5L then by johnjones · · Score: 3, Insightful

    so its much like AIX5L wich caldera(SCO) helped them create as far as I can work out
    (any info ?)

    this might be a nice product but it runs on x86 hardware and the clustering is not something that is revelutionary you can get heartbeat for linux and D.Becker seems to have MPI + rest going nicely

    But its a nice way of going about things as proved by the AIX impl

    But IBM sells the hardware thats where they get the suppport contracts from where is Caldera going to get them from ?

    How about geting the UDI project running nicely and chargeing vendors for drivers on unix or about the nice update stuff the caldera has?

    this as far as I'm concerned is the SCO staff trying to accert their will over the company

    regards

    john jones

  2. Re:The kernelset 2.4 is not that presentable... by penguin_nipple · · Score: 2, Insightful
    posting a vague inflammatory and judgemental post like this is ridiculous. You problem should be directed to Kernel.org specifically to their mailing lists. But blandly proclaiming that "the 2.4 series" is not presentable is ridiculous. What was the output of your make dep or make bzImage? where did it fail?

    C'mon don't be lame, I have been using every single 2.4 update with ntfs support and MANY experimental features...never had a single problem. I am not saying you are incompetent, but an informed comment would be far more helpful than that kind of ridiculous statement.

  3. Will openunix support most x86 hardware? by Billly+Gates · · Score: 5, Insightful
    The linux kernel supports large amounts of pc, alpha, and sun devices with a huge amounts of drivers. This one of the reasons why linux is hot and openserver never really took off outside the bussiness world. All the other unix vendors run on expensive proprietary servers with only a limited amount of devices so the kernel can support them. This kernel may or may not be better then linux but I am sure you will need to run it on approved hardware for great device support.

    This is the problem running alternative os's on x86 platforms.

    Caldera needs to hook up with particular OEM's who want to create mission critical using openunix. If caldrea can't convince OEM's that openunix will sell, then the OS is doomed. No sane IT manager would buy an OS without approved hardware. Most Linux servers for example run on Dell or Compaq systems that are linux approved. This issue will not go away unless the kernel is opensourced and the gnu community can write drivers for it. I also hope it doesn't use the openserver libraries. Microsoft made Xenix as proprietary as possible and openserver was based on Xenix. Compiling gnu apps might be difficult. Hopefully OpenUnix's libc libraries are those from AT&T.

    Anyway Caldera is dying. Its a shame because it was my first linux distro. Caldera was ahead in the linux and dos game but they did not have good marketing. Redhat totally took over. Also Ransome love's comments on the evils of gnu and opensource did not help. Client access licenses also hurt it severly. Caldera just got rid of one of the main arguements of using linux instead NT or Unix. The cost and licensing issues for small projects on limited budgets is what linux's key market is. Also linux runs on cheaper hardware. If Caldera keeps this up, then the arguement to use OpenLinux or even OpenUnix is moot. I chose Redhat for my servers thank you.

    1. Re:Will openunix support most x86 hardware? by warpeightbot · · Score: 4, Insightful
      No sane IT manager would buy an OS without approved hardware. Most Linux servers for example run on Dell or Compaq systems that are linux approved.
      Doesn't have to be.

      Any IT lead who's been paying attention knows that you can put together any old white box solution and as long as you use stuff off the hardware HOWTO it's pretty much gonna work... Oh, sure, if you're doing this on a massive scale, getting a batch of ProLiants or PowerEdges is the best way to get hardware support (and not have hardware support tell you to upgrade to the latest version of You-Know-What...).. but for small to medium sized stuff, go see your buyer with your laundry list, wait two days for FedEx, grab the stuff from Receiving, spend a couple of relaxing hours getting your paws in the hardware (you did remember your anti-static wristband, right?) and away from the CRT, and poof, time to load your kickstart CD. Twiddle the BIOS to boot off the CD, F10, go get coffee, kabam. New Linux server for cheap cheap cheap.

      I mean, you do HAVE a couple hours you can take off from reading Slashdot, right? your automation scripts are up to date and will beep your cellphone if there are problems, right?

      --
      Something the PHB's have never figured out is that a good sysadm is first and foremost a lazy-ass s.o.b.

  4. Re:GNU UNIX by SmileyBen · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Well on a serious note, this does hint at what RMS means. Most (including me) think he's barmy for insisting on GNU/Linux, but if this system works much like (GNU/)Linux just without the kernel, perhaps he's just being mad for trying to change the way everyone speaks, rather than being wrong. Sounds to me that GNU/Linux without the Linux could be as similar or as different as without the GNU. If that makes sense ;-)

  5. I have to wonder... by trilucid · · Score: 4, Insightful

    With regard to the kernel itself, what are the ramifications of this structure security-wise? While I know this particular kernel has been around awhile (hell, SCO is ancient), it makes me curious.

    To me, one of the primary advantages of using a Linux kernel is the "many eyes" approach to security. While I appreciate the fact that the distribution using a full suite of GNU/Linux utilities and such, I'd be somewhat apprehensive about the kernel itself (stability through age aside).

    Anyone who has any insight into this, please reply!

    1. Re:I have to wonder... by mindstrm · · Score: 3, Insightful

      The vast majority of security holes are not related whatsoever to the kernel... they are application specific.

    2. Re:I have to wonder... by duffbeer703 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      If many eyes aren't looking at every inch of the kernel, open source is worse than commerical software.

      A great example is the Linux implementation of PAM, which is a complete and utter joke.

      --
      Conformity is the jailer of freedom and enemy of growth. -JFK
    3. Re:I have to wonder... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

      There was a post on advogato or kuro5hin a few days ago which said the "many eyes make all bugs shallow" should be "many eyes find all shallow bugs." Which I do believe is true. It is simple to find the occasional assignment or logic bug, but the nonobvious bugs will remain there. Those many eyes are _not_ analyzing the code, but skimming it. I know it is extremely hard for me to find nonobvious bugs when I am "in the zone" so-to-speak. After coming back a day later I may never find the bug. Plus this says nothing about design issues which are larger than the source code itself (and we all know how the open source crowd likes to innovate and design software).

  6. Caldera is like debian... by Error27 · · Score: 2, Insightful

    With debian we have debian on Linux and debian on Hurd.

    So in a way Caldera is a little bit like debian.

    There are other ways Caldera is like debian which I would list if I had time... But I must be off. :( Duty calls.

  7. Re:MOD UP! by penguin_nipple · · Score: 2, Insightful
    I agree with you on your last point, which in fact is the crux of my entire argument to this guy.

    My earlier reply is there also (to the original poster). As a sys admin, or junior IT guy or maintainer of any system, it's your job to read read read the Changelogs, Mailing Lists, and all associated docs. Seriously a competent IT person should be all over their systems.

    I mean this guy was complaining (original poster) that he almost got fired! Well, ummm *duh*...these are 2.4 issues...I promise someone has run into it before. What sys admin runs out adhoc and grabs new kernel source (even 2.4 source) without checking the implications of what they are doing. I am a coder, not a sys admin, although I used to be and it just goes against everything a sys admin *should* stand for. Many guys I know admin'ing linux systems which are critical are very very wary of any kernel upgrading unless *absolutley* neccessary. Then when the decision is made to upgrade it is *thoroughly* researched, planned, carefully implemented with redundancy in case of any bad circumstances.

    It certain does not seem to be the case here. Beware the l33t sysadmin!

    Just my 2 cents.

  8. What about the source? by eap · · Score: 2, Insightful

    So can I go download a Caldera Unix 8 iso image? I couldn't find one on their site. If I'm not mistaken, they still have to make the GNU tools they use available in source form, right?

    Has anyone found a place where you can d/l this release, or is it only available for purchase?

  9. NFS, not ntfs, people by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    Not the Win NT filing system, but the standard Network File System.

  10. Caldera and the GPL by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Caldera, from the beginning, has tried to be the Microsoft of Linux. Most recently, Ransom Love has taken to publicly slagging the GPL, and has said they were looking for ways to proprietize their stuff so they can rape the users more fully. This looks like the beginning of it.

    I haven't liked, or trusted, these guys for at least 5 years. I used to use Caldera, but now, I've sworn off them more than I've sworn off Windows.

    Slack, Debian, Redhat, BSD, whatever. They're all better than Caldera, just because of the "Caldera Attitude". Ransom Love thinks he deserves a stable of Ferraris for packaging someone else's code and selling it.

    Bah. I'd use Windows before I use Caldera.

    1. Re:Caldera and the GPL by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

      This guy's not a troll. Caldera is selling out. Fuck, Ransom Love SAID they wanted to be the Microsoft of Linux.

      And I love the moderation work, guys, you mod up an "All Your Base" post or a pro-M$ post, but this guy compares OpenLinux to Windows, a comparison which even Love would understand, and you mod him down as a troll.

      You suck. But there are so many M$ astroturfers wandering around here, I wouldn't be surprised if it was one of them.

  11. Moderator, I doth protest! by Error27 · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Clearly thou miss understandeth my post!

    Forsooth, I simply stateth that Debian is not unlike Caldera in that they have interchangeth the kernels there unto. Ye Caldera has chosen Open Unix while ye old Debian can found to use HURD or on occasion FreeBSD.

    The similarities there in are obvious to all! Therefore, I must prostest vociferously the my post was most unquestionably On Topic!

    Certainly, thou seemest to be on crack!

  12. Re:MOD UP! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    The issue we're trying to discuss here is the quality of recent "stable" kernel releases. And you're here telling us that there's nothing wrong with the kernel releases, the problem is that the guy is a shitty sysadmin.

    Well, first of all, you don't even know the guy or the specifics of the situation, so I don't think you are qualified to judge him. Second, you're being hypocritical by telling him he didn't have any business blaming the kernel without more information, yet you seem perfectly willing to blame him. Third, I don't think that his failure to effectively avoid a problem excuses the kernel maintainers from repeatedly letting simple obvious errors sneak into the stable series.

    So lighten up, OK?

  13. Re:Big deal by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    "Of course, when I submitted the story, it got rejected."

    This is why I don't bother to submit stories at Slashsnot anymore. You have to be part of the elite.