The specific market I care about is web application service and development. And, in that market Solaris is so close to dead that it doesn't even matter if it's still breathing (unless you develop with Java against an Oracle database).
This is relevant because Sun and Solaris backed by Oracle databases owned the first generation of the web. They've lost it, and are exhibiting no effort to regain it, or even hold the last remaining bits of the market they still have.
And, I think it's relevant that so few people know Solaris. I'm reasonably comfortable with it, as I cut my teeth in the sysadmin world when Sun systems still showed up now and then. But, it's been more than a decade since I've seen a Sun in the wild. Lack of new developers and new IT folks working with Solaris systems virtually guarantees it will continue to become less popular. Nobody starting a new web or mobile app thinks, "I know, I'll buy a bunch of Sun servers!"
So, I think you're arguing that Solaris is "good", while I'm arguing that it is irrelevant. We can both be right.
Except about this:
"The pkg system is well thought out."
That's hilarious.
Sure, it's "different" and not "cool", but it is a good product and has some really solid engineering and design behind it. People just need to understand that it's not a desktop OS.