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From: briggs@csugrad.cs.vt.edu (Allen `Xext' Briggs)
Newsgroups: comp.os.386bsd.misc
Subject: Re: So you say you want an interim release of 386bsd? (What to do?)
Date: 23 Apr 1993 09:25:13 -0400
Organization: Virginia Tech Computer Science Dept, Blacksburg, VA
Lines: 46
Message-ID: <1r8qnp$1dc@csugrad.cs.vt.edu>
References: <1993Apr21.193218.5724@cs.few.eur.nl> <GENE.93A <2109@hcshh.hcs.de>
NNTP-Posting-Host: csugrad.cs.vt.edu
In article <2109@hcshh.hcs.de> hm@hcshh.hcs.de (Hellmuth Michaelis) writes:
>I would like something like 386BSD 0.1 + patchkit + shared libs + loadable
>device drivers, support from EVERYONE (1/ + 2/ + 3/ + 4/) working in the
>same direction of getting a stable (!), standardized (POSIX) operating
>system which is not only good for just being an operating system but also
>for providing a base for some "real world applications".
I think a reminder is probably in order. The Jolitz' appear to be
sticking to the CSRG release system. The CSRG tended to release even
numbered releases with new ideas/experiments/innovations/bugs. Odd
numbered releases tended to be stable, bug-fixing releases.
Everyone would like a stable system. Kernel hackers live with unstable
systems, but I don't think anyone *likes* living with them.
There are some good reasons for revamping the kernel interfaces now as
opposed to five years from now. There are some good reasons for not
doing so.
My favorite plan would be to have several groups working together. The
NetBSD group states that they plan to integrate patches from the patch
kit. I might have been hallucinating, but I think I saw someone else
planning to make sure that the NetBSD enhancements will be put into the
patch kit.
0.2 is a somewhat different entity in that many of its changes sound
like they will not be very compatible with 0.1. I beleive Chris
mentioned in his announcement that NetBSD would pick pieces from 0.2
after it's available. Following the assumptions in the previous
paragraphs, these will bring the 0.1+pk and NetBSD paths converging
with 0._3_ (stable 0.2) when that's available. The process then starts
anew as 0.4 starts exploring new ground.
This kind of development has great potential to produce a very rich
system. I concur with Hellmuth, though, that it needs some coherency,
and at least a couple of consistent, visible, organizers for it to
work. Hopefully MacBSD can be integrated into this whole process, too
(E-mail for FAQ on MacBSD, such as it is :).
-allen
--
Allen Briggs \ Swift has sailed into his rest;/Savage indignation
briggs@csugrad.cs.vt.edu | there/Cannot lacerate his breast./Imitate him
- end / if you dare,/World-besotted traveller; he/
killing - / Served human liberty. -- W.B.Yeats, 1931