First things first – thanks for all your toughts and insights in the past – what ever topic it was, it was filled with passion. You could probably write about “How to drive a bicycle” and it would be interessting, because you mention things others wouldn’t care or even realise it exists. Perhaps you just have a differnt point of view and inspire others.
Another thing is, that you write simple (KISS) and reduced to what’s important.

Since the sun doesn’t shine anymore, it became dark for a while. Enterprises initiated “Off Solaris” projects and migrated to linux. With Oracle there was no expectation that solaris would be cheaper than their Linux. Business have to be cheap and words like “Low cost” and “cloud” still are overused by managers these days.

For me, there is 1 major thing why solaris > opensolaris > openIndiana > smartOS get out of Business: Lack of Hardware Support / Drivers

Slogans like “Linux is the better Unix” depends on the usability. Like on the tablets (“there is an app for…”) the applications connect to the consumer. The Consumer would be hunted by the corporations. And the corporations produce the hardware and support their prefered OS.

The OS is still the layer where you can keep your competitors away (apple)… and Larry know this as well: Software, Hardware – Complete!

He is now able like apple on the client/mobile side to do the same on the Server Side.

So back to the Lack of Client-Device-Drivers… would illumos/smartOS be able to push the developement of state of the art client/mobile device drivers? NO?
Then it never become popular and without popularity there is no/small business.

Otherway.. just drop us your different point of view!

that said I think even though solaris kinda imploded its far from dead and currently in an process of re-focusing and prioritization.

the small post-solaris ecosystem sees a lot of innovation and is the only os outside of linux that attracts smart people doing interesting and important things. without these developments we would truly face a sort of a linux monoculture in the enterprise space. there is just not much going on outside of torvalds reach; hp-ux future is uncertain (good riddance) and aix is well aix.

I believe these are interesting times for the ‘solaris-community’ and I believe you could provide valuable contributions to the debate and shape the future of post-solaris ecosystems. so please spend at least a share of your blog-time with solaris and derivatives.

Someone talking about these things would help to bring light.

Go for it, and write what makes you happy. I’ll keep reading. (have been for so long now, I forget, but probably around 2000 is when I started…)