Editing Oracle Solaris (section)

==License==

===Traditional operating system license (1992 to 2004)===
For versions up to 2005 (Solaris 9), Solaris was licensed under a license that permitted a customer to buy licenses in bulk, and install the software on any machine up to a maximum number. The key license grant was:

{{blockquote|License to Use. Customer is granted a non-exclusive and non-transferable license ("License") for the use of the accompanying binary software in machine-readable form, together with accompanying documentation ("Software"), by the number of users and the class of computer hardware for which the corresponding fee has been paid.}}

In addition, the license provided a "License to Develop" granting rights to create derivative works, restricted copying to only a single archival copy, disclaimer of warranties, and the like. The license varied only little through 2004.

===Open source (2005 until March 2010)===
From 2005 to 2010, Sun began to release the source code for development builds of Solaris under the [[Common Development and Distribution License]] (CDDL) via the [[OpenSolaris]] project. This code was based on the work being done for the post-Solaris 10 release (code-named "Nevada"; eventually released as Oracle Solaris 11). As the project progressed, it grew to encompass most of the necessary code to compile an entire release, with a few exceptions.<ref>{{cite web
  | url = http://hub.opensolaris.org/bin/view/Main/general_faq#HWhatsourcecodedoestheOpenSolarisprojectinclude
  |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120102124622/http://hub.opensolaris.org/bin/view/Main/general_faq#HWhatsourcecodedoestheOpenSolarisprojectinclude3F
  |archive-date = 2012-01-02
  | title = What source code does the OpenSolaris project include?
  | access-date = May 13, 2010
  | work = OpenSolaris FAQ
  | publisher = OpenSolaris Project
}}</ref>

===Post-Sun closed source (March 2010 to present)===
When Sun was acquired by [[Oracle Corporation|Oracle]] in 2010, the OpenSolaris project was discontinued after the board became unhappy with Oracle's stance on the project.<ref>{{cite web
  | url = http://techie-buzz.com/foss/oracle-has-killed-opensolaris.html
  | title = Oracle Has Killed OpenSolaris
  | publisher = Techie Buzz
  | date = August 14, 2010
  | access-date = July 17, 2013
  | archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20200806044747/https://techie-buzz.com/foss/oracle-has-killed-opensolaris.html
  | archive-date = August 6, 2020
}}</ref> In March 2010, the previously freely available Solaris 10 was placed under a restrictive license that limited the use, modification and redistribution of the operating system.<ref>{{cite web
  | last = Paul
  | first = Ryan
  | date = March 30, 2010
  | url = https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2010/03/solaris-10-no-longer-free-as-in-beer-now-a-90-day-trial
  | title = Solaris 10 no longer free as in beer, now a 90-day trial
  | website = Ars Technica
  | access-date = July 17, 2013
}}</ref> The license allowed the user to download the operating system free of charge, through the [[Oracle Technology Network]], and use it for a 90-day trial period. After that trial period had expired the user would then have to purchase a support contract from Oracle to continue using the operating system.

With the release of Solaris 11 in 2011, the license terms changed again. The new license allows Solaris 10 and Solaris 11 to be downloaded free of charge from the Oracle Technology Network and used without a support contract indefinitely; however, the license only expressly permits the user to use Solaris as a development platform and expressly forbids commercial and "production" use.<ref>{{cite web
  | url = http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/licenses/solaris-cluster-express-license-167852.html
  | title = Oracle Technology Network Developer License Terms for Oracle Solaris, Oracle Solaris Cluster and Oracle Solaris Express
  | publisher = Oracle Corporation
  | date = July 13, 2011
  | access-date = July 17, 2013
}}</ref> Educational use is permitted in some circumstances. From the OTN license:

{{blockquote|If You are an educational institution vested with the power to confer official high school, associate, bachelor, master and/or doctorate degrees, or local equivalent, ("Degree(s)"), You may also use the Programs as part of Your educational curriculum for students enrolled in Your Degree program(s) solely as required for the conferral of such Degree (collectively "Educational Use").}}

When Solaris is used without a support contract it can be upgraded to each new "point release"; however, a support contract is required for access to patches and updates that are released monthly.<ref>{{cite web
  | url = http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/articles/servers-storage-admin/howto-update-11dot1-ips-1866781.html
  | title = How to Update to Oracle Solaris 11.1 Using the Image Packaging System
  | publisher = Oracle Corporation
  | date = November 30, 2012
  | access-date = July 17, 2013
  | archive-date = August 9, 2013
  | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130809152854/http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/articles/servers-storage-admin/howto-update-11dot1-ips-1866781.html
  | url-status = live
  }}</ref>