Re: SUMMARY: Solaris 2.2 licensing

From: Casper H.S. Dik (casper@fwi.uva.nl)
Date: Tue Jun 15 1993 - 06:25:02 CDT


chucks@iplmail.orl.mmc.com (Chuck Strickland) writes:

> The licensing for Solaris 2.2 has changed regarding the definition
> of User. And a new definition of client has been added. I have
> confirmed this with my local sales rep. Whom, is very upset about
> the definition change.

> Capsule:
> A desktop system is shipped with a 2 user license by default. A server
> system is shipped with a unlimited license. Sun has dropped the
> 4 and 20 user license so the only choice is 2 user or unlimited.

A desktop systems is shipped with a ``2 user or client (!)'' license
by default.

So, your desktop machine may serve one client, while you're logged in
on it.

What strikes me most is the vagueness of all the definitions in the license
document posted in the Florida Sunflash. I assume that this is the basis
for this summary.

How things are:

        SunOS 4.x: most systems have a 2 user license
        Solaris 2.1: desktop systems have a 1 user license
        Solaris 2.2: desktop systems have two user license, but user are less.

> Now the definition of a user is.

> 1. A login from console or directly connected tty.
> 2. An X terminal session.
> 3. A remote login session.

Sunflash says:

    Definition of a User
    --------------------

    A user is a direct login, an X host session, or an rlogin.

The first and last are pretty obvious what they mean. Xhost session isn't
clear to me. Is this any number/kind of X process(es) running on behalf
of one user?

> The key difference here is the the remote login session uses a
> user slot even if it is from another system running solaris. In contrast
> to previous releases that exempted a remote login from another solaris
> system.

This spells trouble: the prvious definition of user was unenforcable.
The new definition is. (It isn't in 2.2, but ...)

> A new definition of client is now given. If you system meets the definition
> of having at least one client then it must have the unlimited license
> which is the same as server license.

No. sunflash 53.27 says (sunflash is semi-official, I'd say):

    Solaris Desktop License
    -----------------------

    A Solaris Desktop License allows up to two concurrent users or
    clients to run Solaris on a system or board. It also permits the
    system to be used as a print server and for remote process execution in
    support of applications or RPCs.

A desktop license serves one or two clients.

> My local salesman is very upset about this and some respondents reported
> the same. So far SunSoft is holding to the new definition with no signs
> of changing.

Scream, scream, scream. It has helped before.

So far, SunSoft has been trying to find the best way to operate in the
license business. They have made error after error and have already changed
some of their decisions (they changed the license policy for 2.1, changed
it again for 2.2, changed the linger periods on their compilers).
Even more changes are rumoured.

Just complain, complain loudly. They may change their minds yet again.

Casper



This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.2 : Fri Sep 28 2001 - 23:07:55 CDT