What's New in Solaris Express

This document summarizes all features in the current Software Express release. The current release is the Solaris^TM Express Developer Edition 1/08 release.

The Solaris Express Developer Edition (Developer release) provides a simple initial installation of the Solaris OS for your laptop. Combined with community and Sun support and training services, this release includes the tools, technologies, and platforms enables developer to create custom Solaris, Java^TM, and Web 2.0 applications.

The Developer release includes the following operating system, desktop, and developer tools:

• Solaris Express operating system and desktop - Includes new features from the Sun Java^TM Desktop System (Java DS). Java DS is a secure and comprehensive enterprise desktop software solution that combines open source innovation from various communities such as GNOME, and Firefox. The Desktop includes the following:

  • GNOME 2.20 - The latest enhanced GNOME desktop

  • Firefox 2.0.0.3 and Thunderbird 2.0 - Current release of Mozilla's browser and email service

  • Orca - Screen reader and magnifier for the Java DS and GNOME desktop

  • Java and Gnome bindings for the GNOME Platform libraries and the Cairo 2D drawing engine - Enable GNOME and GTK+ applications to be written in Java software

  • NetBeans^TM plug-ins - Used in the NetBeans IDE to create applications

  • Ekiga - An open source desktop Voice over IP (VoIP) and video conferencing application for the GNOME desktop

  • Vino - Provides the ability to remotely administer a desktop session

• Sun^TM Studio 12 - C, C++, Fortran compilers, IDE, and integrated tools

• NetBeans IDE 5.5 - An open-sourced IDE for Java software developers

• NetBeans IDE Enterprise Pack 5.5 - Added to the NetBeans IDE, functionality to develop Java Platform, Enterprise Edition 5 based applications

• Java Platform, Standard Edition 6 - The OpenJDK based release of the Java platform JDK

• StarOffice^TM 8 - The OpenOffice based productivity suite, including word processor, spreadsheet, and presentation tools

• Open Source Tools - Over 150 open source applications, including Perl, Python, and GCC

To learn more about the Java DS features, see http://opensolaris.org/os/project/jds/.

Note -

• The Developer release installation defaults to the Solaris Express Developer Edition release. This Developer release includes a set of developer tools and uses a quick installation process.

  The prior default was to install the Solaris Express release. The Solaris Express release does not include the developer tools set. But, this release enables you to customize your system configuration during the installation. Now, if you want to install the Solaris Express release, you must select that release in the initial installation screen.