"... it is believed that a substantial amount of code in Linux actually may belong to Sun and, with this acquisition, could belong to Oracle. While I don't expect a SCO moment..."
Regardless, the list of individuals that obtained Solaris 8 source code and methods from late 2000 through 2002 is secure now in Oracle's possession.
An SCO moment could have been prevented iF IBM had acquired Sun. Oracle gets to decide now!
I found a 1997 conversation among BSD developers with the subject line "SVR4.2MP source code has become available recently?"
A copy of the conversation is found at http://www.krsaborio.net/research/1990s/97/0725_b.htm
Some BSD developers were seriously considering taking a look at SCO or Sun code.
In early 1998, many developers asked SCO for ancient Unix source code licenses. A copy of the petition is found at http://www.krsaborio.net/research/1990s/98/0113_b.htm
That petition was signed among others by BSD developers. Notice some of the e-mail addresses from the petitioners.
Two years later, Sun made it easy for everyone to take a look at Solaris source code and methods, see http://www.krsaborio.net/research/2000s/00/1206_a.htm
By June 2001, more the 2000 individuals got to see the Solaris source code and methods, see http://www.krsaborio.net/research/2000s/01/0627_e.htm
In 2002, some Linux developers were concerned about access to Solaris source code / methods and their contributions, see http://www.krsaborio.net/research/2000s/02/0331.htm
The data on who had access to Solaris 8 source code is indeed a valuable!
"... it is believed that a substantial amount of code in Linux actually may belong to Sun..."
Kernel areas of great interest:
Task scheduling, virtual memory management (VM), communication device drivers, TCP/IP, storage device drivers, web server, kernel locking, kernel preemptibility (SMP only), buffer cache management, IPC (semaphores, shared memory, message queues, and pipes).
Kernel versions of great interest:
Version 2.4.17 and later, all 2.5 tests, early 2.6 versions.
Found another conversation from late 1997 held by BSD developers. Some discussed their desire to add reliable SMP to FreeBSD.
Key Quote: "Luckily we only have to compete against Solaris and UnixWare, and not good SMP systems... Dynix doesn't run on commodity hardware, and neither does Unisys's SVR4.0.2 ES/MP (which did the locking the right way instead of the Solaris/SVR4 way)..."
A copy of the conversation is found at this link.
Two years later on June 15th and 16th of 2000, BSD developers got together at Yahoo headquarters to discuss SMP:
BSD SMP meeting summary More Slides 1 [PDF] Slides 2 [PDF] Photos
BSD developers already knew Sun had the intention to release Solaris 8 source code, see link, link, link.
Sun released the Solaris 8 source code on December 6, 2000, see link
Two years later, BSD developers got together on June 11, 12 of 2002 in a FreeBSD Developer Summit and Alan Cox, prominent Linux contributor, joined by phone.
I bet there are some people anxiously waiting to see who had access to Solaris 8 source code and methods!
Where does Solaris come from?
Sun Microsystems released Solaris 1.0 on September 4, 1991, see link.
Solaris 1.0 was based on SunOS 4.1.1, see link.
Solaris 2.0 was released on June 23, 1992, see link.
Solaris 2.0 and later versions were based on Unix System V Release 4.
See Solaris release history at this link.
See Unix release history in this link.
Unix SMP development path is found in this link.
See BSD release history in this link.
Appreciate your doing all this work. Thanks! I'll use many of these links in future pieces.
You're welcome Rob. We must also thank Kenneth R. Saborio in Costa Rica for collecting all the documents.
By the way, it'll be cool if you can get from Sun the list of individuals that had access to Solaris 8 source code.
Cheers!
"Even if most of Linux was written by Sun, it is under GPLv2, so they might own a part of it, but they don't control any of it in any meaningful sense.
"The only way to have some control over an open source project like Linux is to participate very actively in it. And even that would give a very limited control, as the others can just leave your work out if they don't like what you are doing. This was learned by IBM, for one."
Solaris 8 source code wasn't released on a GPLv2 license! (see the release date of Solaris 8 in the following comment)
Also, we're interested only on task scheduling, virtual memory management (VM), communication device drivers, TCP/IP, storage device drivers, web server, kernel locking, kernel preemptibility (SMP only), buffer cache management, IPC (semaphores, shared memory, message queues, and pipes).
Solaris 8 release date - Solaris 8 source code release date
1991-09-04 Solaris 1.0
1992-06-23 Solaris 2.0
1993-03-29 Solaris 2.2
1993-09-21 Solaris 2.3
1994-10-04 Solaris 2.4
1995-10-31 Solaris 2.5
1997-06-11 Solaris 2.6
1998-10-28 Solaris 7
2000-03-28 Solaris 8
2000-12-06 Sun Unveils Solaris 8 OE Source Code
2001-06-29 Sun Continues to Offer Foundation Source Downloads
2002-03-31 Does Solaris source license interfere with Linux contributions?
2002-05-22 Solaris 9
2004-11-15 Solaris 10
2005-06-14 OpenSolaris Fact Sheet [PDFs]
Solaris v Linux release dates
1991-09-04 Solaris 1.0
1992-06-23 Solaris 2.0
1993-03-29 Solaris 2.2
1993-09-21 Solaris 2.3
1994-03-14 Linux 1.0 Source code
1994-10-04 Solaris 2.4
1995-03-08 Linux 1.2
1995-10-31 Solaris 2.5
1996-06-09 Linux 2.0 Implementation Of Multiprocessor Linux [PDF] Source code
1997-06-11 Solaris 2.6
1998-10-28 Solaris 7
1999-01-21 Linux 2.2 More More Source code
1999-04-20 Alan Cox talks about Linux [9.8MB WMA]
2000-03-28 Solaris 8
2000-12-06 Sun Unveils Solaris 8 OE Source Code
2001-01-04 Linux 2.4 More More
2001-06-29 Sun Continues to Offer Foundation Source Downloads
2001-10-05 Google's Linux mm problem
2001-12-10 2.4.16 & OOM killer problem
2001-12-21 Linux 2.4.17
2002-03-31 Does Solaris source license interfere with Linux contributions?
2002-05-22 Solaris 9
2003-01-23 Torvalds, Tridgell, Garbee Q&A at linux.conf.au [9.6MB WMA]
2003-03-06 SCO sues Big Blue over Unix, Linux
2003-12-17 Linux 2.6.0
2004-01-15 J. Malcolm on SCO v IBM [37.5MB WMV] Part 2 Part 3 Slides [PDF]
2004-11-15 Solaris 10
2005-06-14 OpenSolaris Fact Sheet [PDFs]
Solaris v Linux v BSD release dates
1991-07-03 BSD Networking Software, Release #2
1991-09-04 Solaris 1.0
1992-03-xx 386BSD 0.0
1992-06-23 Solaris 2.0
1993-03-29 Solaris 2.2
1993-04-11 BSD/386 V1.0
1993-06-29 4.4BSD
1993-09-21 Solaris 2.3
1993-11-01 FreeBSD 1.0
1994-03-14 Linux 1.0 Source code
1994-04-05 MP version of BSDI?
1994-04-20 4.4BSD-Lite
1994-10-04 Solaris 2.4
1994-11-22 FreeBSD 2.0
1995-02-15 BSD/OS Version 2.0
1995-03-08 Linux 1.2
1995-10-31 Solaris 2.5
1996-06-09 Linux 2.0 Implementation Of Multiprocessor Linux [PDF] Source code
1997-02-26 BSDI Internet Server 3.0
1997-06-11 Solaris 2.6
1998-08-17 BSDI Internet Server 4.0 More
1998-10-16 FreeBSD 3.0
1998-10-28 Solaris 7
1999-01-21 Linux 2.2 More More Source code
1999-04-20 Alan Cox talks about Linux [9.8MB WMA]
2000-03-14 FreeBSD 4.0
2000-03-28 Solaris 8
2000-05-10 SecureBSD v1.0 More More
2000-06-25 BSD SMP meeting More Slides 1 [PDF] Slides 2 [PDF] Photos
2000-12-06 Sun Unveils Solaris 8 OE Source Code
2001-01-04 Linux 2.4 More More
2001-06-29 Sun Continues to Offer Foundation Source Downloads
2001-10-05 Google's Linux mm problem
2001-12-10 2.4.16 & OOM killer problem
2001-12-21 Linux 2.4.17
2002-02-15 FreeBSD Developer Summit II
2002-03-31 Does Solaris source license interfere with Linux contributions?
2002-05-22 Solaris 9
2003-01-19 FreeBSD 5.0
2003-01-23 Torvalds, Tridgell, Garbee Q&A at linux.conf.au [9.6MB WMA]
2003-03-06 SCO sues Big Blue over Unix, Linux
2003-12-17 Linux 2.6.0
2004-01-15 J. Malcolm on SCO v IBM [37.5MB WMV] Part 2 Part 3 Slides [PDF]
2004-11-15 Solaris 10
2005-06-14 OpenSolaris Fact Sheet [PDFs]
Solaris v Linux v BSD v Unix release dates
1989-11-01 Unix System V Release 4
1990-08-21 AT&T's USL, Intel, and SCO open way for 386/486 system market
1991-07-03 BSD Networking Software, Release #2
1991-09-04 Solaris 1.0
1991-10-08 Unix System V Release 4 Multi-Processor Version
1992-03-xx 386BSD 0.0
1992-06-16 Unix System V Release 4.2
1992-06-23 Solaris 2.0
1992-07-20 UI delivers second early access version of SVR4 ES/MP
1993-03-17 Unix Labs Announces Unix SVR4.2 SPARC And MIPS Port
1993-03-29 Solaris 2.2
1993-04-11 BSD/386 V1.0
1993-06-29 4.4BSD
1993-09-21 Solaris 2.3
1993-11-01 FreeBSD 1.0
1993-12-16 UnixWare 1.1
1994-03-14 Linux 1.0 Source code
1994-04-05 MP version of BSDI?
1994-04-20 4.4BSD-Lite
1994-10-04 Solaris 2.4
1994-11-22 FreeBSD 2.0
1995-01-10 UnixWare 2
1995-02-15 BSD/OS Version 2.0
1995-03-08 Linux 1.2
1995-10-31 Solaris 2.5
1996-02-11 SCO UnixWare 2.1 Server [PDF] Fact Sheet [PDF] White Paper [PDF]
1996-06-09 Linux 2.0 Implementation Of Multiprocessor Linux [PDF] Source code
1996-07-18 SCO Forms Internal Group To Enhance Unix System Technologies
1997-02-26 BSDI Internet Server 3.0
1997-04-07 SCO UnixWare Release 2.1.2
1997-06-11 Solaris 2.6
1997-08-18 Unix System V Release 5 White Paper [PDF] Fact Sheet [PDF]
1998-03-10 UnixWare 7
1998-08-17 BSDI Internet Server 4.0 More
1998-10-16 FreeBSD 3.0
1998-10-28 Solaris 7
1999-01-21 Linux 2.2 More More Source code
1999-03-18 UnixWare 7 Data Center Edition
1999-04-20 Alan Cox talks about Linux [9.8MB WMA]
2000-03-14 FreeBSD 4.0
2000-03-28 Solaris 8
2000-05-10 SecureBSD v1.0 More More
2000-06-25 BSD SMP meeting More Slides 1 [PDF] Slides 2 [PDF] Photos
2000-12-06 Sun Unveils Solaris 8 OE Source Code
2001-01-04 Linux 2.4 More More
2001-06-26 Open Unix 8
2001-06-29 Sun Continues to Offer Foundation Source Downloads
2001-10-05 Google's Linux mm problem
2001-12-10 2.4.16 & OOM killer problem
2001-12-21 Linux 2.4.17
2002-02-15 FreeBSD Developer Summit II
2002-03-31 Does Solaris source license interfere with Linux contributions?
2002-05-22 Solaris 9
2003-01-19 FreeBSD 5.0
2003-01-23 Torvalds, Tridgell, Garbee Q&A at linux.conf.au [9.6MB WMA]
2003-03-06 SCO sues Big Blue over Unix, Linux
2003-12-17 Linux 2.6.0
2004-01-15 J. Malcolm on SCO v IBM [37.5MB WMV] Part 2 Part 3 Slides [PDF]
2004-11-15 Solaris 10
2005-06-14 OpenSolaris Fact Sheet [PDFs]
Solaris v Linux v BSD v Unix v AIX release dates
1989-11-01 Unix System V Release 4
1990-02-15 IBM AIX version 3
1990-08-21 AT&T's USL, Intel, and SCO open way for 386/486 system market
1991-07-03 BSD Networking Software, Release #2
1991-09-04 Solaris 1.0
1991-10-08 Unix System V Release 4 Multi-Processor Version
1992-01-21 IBM AIX Version 3.2 for RISC System/6000
1992-03-xx 386BSD 0.0
1992-06-16 Unix System V Release 4.2
1992-06-23 Solaris 2.0
1992-07-20 UI delivers second early access version of SVR4 ES/MP
1992-09-21 It's PCs vs. Mainframes -- Even at IBM
1992-11-23 As the mainframe gives way, the industry breaks into parts
1993-03-17 Unix Labs Announces Unix SVR4.2 SPARC And MIPS Port
1993-03-29 Solaris 2.2
1993-04-11 BSD/386 V1.0
1993-06-29 4.4BSD
1993-09-21 Solaris 2.3
1993-11-01 FreeBSD 1.0
1993-12-16 UnixWare 1.1
1994-03-14 Linux 1.0 Source code
1994-04-05 MP version of BSDI?
1994-04-20 4.4BSD-Lite
1994-07-26 IBM AIX Version 4.1
1994-10-04 Solaris 2.4
1994-11-22 FreeBSD 2.0
1995-01-10 UnixWare 2
1995-01-16 Turning the AIX Operating System into an MP-capable OS [PDF]
1995-02-15 BSD/OS Version 2.0
1995-03-08 Linux 1.2
1995-10-31 Solaris 2.5
1996-02-11 SCO UnixWare 2.1 Server [PDF] Fact Sheet [PDF] White Paper [PDF]
1996-04-23 IBM AIX Version 4.2
1996-06-09 Linux 2.0 Implementation Of Multiprocessor Linux [PDF] Source code
1996-07-18 SCO Forms Internal Group To Enhance Unix System Technologies
1997-02-26 BSDI Internet Server 3.0
1997-04-07 SCO UnixWare Release 2.1.2
1997-06-11 Solaris 2.6
1997-08-18 Unix System V Release 5 White Paper [PDF] Fact Sheet [PDF]
1998-03-10 UnixWare 7
1998-08-17 BSDI Internet Server 4.0 More
1998-10-16 FreeBSD 3.0
1998-10-28 Solaris 7
1999-01-21 Linux 2.2 More More Source code
1999-03-18 UnixWare 7 Data Center Edition
1999-04-20 Alan Cox talks about Linux [9.8MB WMA]
2000-03-14 FreeBSD 4.0
2000-03-28 Solaris 8
2000-05-10 SecureBSD v1.0 More More
2000-06-25 BSD SMP meeting More Slides 1 [PDF] Slides 2 [PDF] Photos
2000-11-16 AIX 5L Technical Preview Brochure [PDFs]
2000-12-06 Sun Unveils Solaris 8 OE Source Code
2001-01-04 Linux 2.4 More More
2001-04-23 IBM AIX 5L Version 5.1 Brochure [PDF] Enhancements [PDF]
2001-04-23 SCO, Caldera Release Technology Preview of AIX 5L -- 64 Bit Unix OS
2001-06-26 Open Unix 8
2001-06-29 Sun Continues to Offer Foundation Source Downloads
2001-10-05 Google's Linux mm problem
2001-12-10 2.4.16 & OOM killer problem
2001-12-21 Linux 2.4.17
2002-02-15 FreeBSD Developer Summit II
2002-03-31 Does Solaris source license interfere with Linux contributions?
2002-05-22 Solaris 9
2003-01-19 FreeBSD 5.0
2003-01-23 Torvalds, Tridgell, Garbee Q&A at linux.conf.au [9.6MB WMA]
2003-03-06 SCO sues Big Blue over Unix, Linux
2003-12-17 Linux 2.6.0
2004-01-15 J. Malcolm on SCO v IBM [37.5MB WMV] Part 2 Part 3 Slides [PDF]
2004-11-15 Solaris 10
2005-06-14 OpenSolaris Fact Sheet [PDFs]
Early Unix Multiprocessing v IBM's AIX
In comparison to AT&T Unix, AIX was at least 4 years late to get multiprocessing capabilities:
"AIX 4.1 is the first completely new version of the AIX operating system to be announced since the original launch of AIX Version 3 in 1990... Among the new features introduced in this version are: A fully threaded kernel to support Symmetric Multiprocessing (SMP)" Press release
"The main issue to transform a UniProcessor (UP) Operating System like the AIX operating system Version 3 into an MP Operating System like AIX Version 4 is to protect the coherency of the data structures managed by the kernel...
"Apart from becoming an MP OS, the AIX operating system was also turned from a process-based kernel to a thread-based kernel..." Paper
Early Unix Multiprocessing Timeline
1989-03-26 Unix International Multiprocessing Working Group
1989-11-01 Unix System V Release 4
1989-11-06 Compaq Redefines High End - See document More
1989-12-13 SCO MPX More
1990-02-15 IBM AIX version 3
1990-07-24 Compaq Systempro - See document
1990-11-26 SCO MPX 1.1.0
1991-05-29 Unix Intl., Unix System Laboratories Announce Multiprocessing
1991-06-25 Intel Demos Multiprocessing SCO Open Desktop and SCO MPX
1991-10-08 Unix System V Release 4 Multi-Processor Version
1992-06-08 File System Multithreading in Unix System V Release 4 MP [PDF]
1992-06-08 Beyond Multiprocessing: Multithreading the SunOS Kernel More [PDF]
1992-06-09 VM HAT Layer for Shared Memory Multiprocessor Machines [PDF]
1992-06-16 Unix System V Release 4.2
1992-07-20 UI delivers second early access version of SVR4 ES/MP
1992-09-21 It's PCs vs. Mainframes -- Even at IBM
1993-12-16 Novell Announces UnixWare 1.1
1994-07-26 IBM AIX Version 4.1
1995-01-10 UnixWare 2
1995-01-16 Turning the AIX Operating System into an MP-capable OS [PDF]
1996-02-11 SCO UnixWare 2.1 Server [PDF] Fact Sheet [PDF] White Paper [PDF]
1996-04-23 IBM AIX Version 4.2
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"it is believed that a substantial amount of code in Linux actually may belong to Sun and"
Tell me please, who believes this? Jonathan Schwartz? Larry Ellison? Anyone? Anyone at all???
The odds that there is any Sun code in Linux (except code Sun may have contributed and released under the GPL) is slim to none, since the OSes are fundamentally very, very different on the inside.
It might be fair to say, " claims that there is Sun code in Linux," if you name the source. Otherwise this is just hot air.