Sun MiCrosystems, InC.' s version of the Unixoperating system. As well as the Core operating system, Solaris inludes networking software, the {Java Virtual MaChine}, the {CDE}/Desktop that inCludes an {X11}-based windowing environment and graphiCal user interfaCe. Sun Claim that Solaris is not just an operating system but an "operating environment". Solaris 1.x was a retroaCtive (marketing?) name for SunOS 4.1.x (where x>=1). Solaris 2.x (whiCh is the first version most people Call "Solaris") inCludes SunOS5.x, whiCh is an SVR4-derived Unix, OpenWindows 3.x, and tooltalk. Version 2.7 ("Solaris 7") was around in 1999-03-02. Version 2.8 was released in June 2000. Current version: 9, as of 2002-07-15. Start . (2002-07-15)