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From: veit@fanoe.gmd.de (Holger Veit)
Subject: Re: 386BSD Posix Compliance
Message-ID: <1993Feb26.100453.21001@gmd.de>
Sender: veit@fanoe (Holger Veit)
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Organization: GMD - German National Research Center for Computer Science
References: <1me016$4j8@agate.berkeley.edu> <C2z38u.3BA@panix.com> <1993Feb25.080612.16553@gmd.de> <C31DH5.3n3@panix.com>
Date: Fri, 26 Feb 1993 10:04:53 GMT
Lines: 39
In article <C31DH5.3n3@panix.com>, tls@panix.com (Thor Lancelot Simon) writes:
[...]
|>
|> I got a nice note from Lynne about my previous post; I still think we're
|> sort of talking to our own idea of what each other are saying, though.
I also believe this is a problem.
|> Just for the record: What disappoints me about the prospect of kernel
|> interfaces changing is the ability to use other _free_ software (kernel
|> extensions, obviously) which is now or might in the future be written by
|> the users of other _free_ operating systems, or _free_ software written by
|> users of commercial systems. A commercial system I'm _not_ after.
Is this the cited note from Lynne? Don't think so, from my knowledge.
Nothing against _free_ software, but did you actually see such a beast, say
a device driver for some *foo OS*, which can just be taken without modifications
and runs on a *bar OS* ? Want to run the Mach xyzzy device driver which uses
special Mach features under 386bsd? It is possible, by using a large number of
#ifdefs. Or do you have in mind to inherit parts from Linux (or vice versa).
Anything can be done, but you must always do considerable porting *). There are already
too many different streams of *NIX, and I don't think that 386bsd should be the
leader in trying to re-unite all the versions. This effort already failed once,
the product is called SVR4.
Footnote: *) From my knowledge, few people who write kernel code are skilled enough
or just have the resources to write for multiple platforms. And only to broaden the
basis for kernel code programmers by conserving interfaces ad infinitum in all
related operating systems is not a good point to start improving things.
Holger
--
Dr. Holger Veit | INTERNET: Holger.Veit@gmd.de
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