Open Source Protects the OmniOS Project
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It took fourteen weeks after the open source Solaris-based OmniOS operating system was cancelled before open sourcers decided to pick up the code and resurrect the project. OmniOS is far from mainstream and used by very few (if any?) businesses, but is an interesting and somewhat important operating system research platform and provides some variety and protection for the Solaris space where Solaris itself, the parent OS, is closed source. This is a great example of how even very small, niche projects often get love and protection in the open source space.
In late April, OmniTI, the sole corporate sponsor of OmniOS, and decided to shut down the project and not to extend or offer future support contracts for it. But the community stepped in and the project is alive and well again. So very much a specific example of how a single corporate sponsor of even an extremely niche project losing interest in its pet project will potentially still have the community protect the project if there remains interest in it.
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Hope they will keep the pace