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Xref: sserve comp.os.386bsd.questions:3376 comp.unix.bsd:12138 Path: sserve!newshost.anu.edu.au!munnari.oz.au!news.Hawaii.Edu!ames!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!decwrl!usenet.coe.montana.edu!osyjm From: osyjm@cs.montana.edu (Jaye Mathisen) Newsgroups: comp.os.386bsd.questions,alt.os.bsdi,comp.unix.bsd Subject: Re: 386BSD vs. BSD386 Date: 30 Jun 1993 01:17:35 GMT Organization: Computer Science, MSU, Bozeman MT Lines: 86 Message-ID: <20qpjf$p6l@pdq.coe.montana.edu> References: <C98zMo.KFr@magnus1.uucp> <C9E6Iq.1C99@austin.ibm.com> <1993Jun30.000804.13384@news.csuohio.edu> NNTP-Posting-Host: fubar.cs.montana.edu In article <1993Jun30.000804.13384@news.csuohio.edu> thx1139@knuth.cba.csuohio.edu (thx) writes: >In article <C9E6Iq.1C99@austin.ibm.com> guyd@austin.ibm.com (Guy Dawson) writes: >>In article <C98zMo.KFr@magnus1.uucp>, davidr@magnus1.uucp (Bulletin board login) writes: >>> I have been really interested in 386BSD for the last few months as the main >>> OS that I'll be running once I get my new computer next week, but recently I >>> have been attracted to a comercial product called interestingly enough BSD386. > >Now I'm _really_ confused. I've been assuming that 386bsd was the new >OS from BSD inc. If this is not the case, then just what _is_ it, and >where does it come from? I'm on the verge of buying my first un*x, >and just tuned into this group a couple of weeks ago. This is a common misconception. BSD/386 == BSDI, Berkeley Software Design, Inc. A nice port of Unix to the x86 arch. Many $$$'s. 386BSD == Work by Bill Jolitz, made usable by a *lot* of other people. runs on the x86 arch. 0 $$$'s. NetBSD == 386BSD kind-of base, + multiple arch support, billions of fixes to WFJ's stuff, plus the last refuge of those disappointed with 386BSD and how it was evolving. 0 $$$'s. Brief history: Many moons ago, WFJ released 386BSD 0.0 in association with the multi-part article in DDJ about porting BSD to the x86. A Kajillion bugs later, he released 0.1. Then various people started getting hooked, and in the absence of any participation from WFJ (who was/is supposedly hard at work on 0.2), the patchkit group was born. Patches were released against the 0.1 tree, mainly bug fixes, and stability enhancements. Communication with WFJ disappears into black hole, as to 0.2 availability, features, etc. Some people, frustrated with WFJ's lack of participation, and dismayed at the inherent slowness of the patchkit mechanism, snarfed up essentially 386BSD, and then bashed it into NetBSD, with lots of fixes. Along in here, the interim group was formed, dedicated to releasing a 0.1.5 release of 386BSD, with all the patchkit fixes in, updated utilities, and whatever else they could lay their hands on. They're hard at work, and I would expect you to see a 0.1.5 release (albeit possibly under another name, as WFJ is acting like a butthead), sometime soon. (don't ask, announcements will be posted.) At the same time, NetBSD is hard at work, rearranging, hacking, fixing, and adding support for other architectures, for a pending release (don't ask, announcements will be posted.) Whither 386bsd 0.2? Who knows. Apparently the author thinks that its possible to provide a complete OS, including support, as a normal human being. You decide. Whither NetBSD? Going strong. Take a good look at their stuff. Whither 386bsd 0.1? With the Patchkit, it's not too bad, but install mechanism sux rocks. (Will WFJ let us fix it? No. We're too dumb. Oh wait, it was "We wouldn't undersand"). Whither 386bsd 0.1.5 with new name? Soon. Whither BSD/386 from BSDI? Good solid product. Quick tech support. Lousy peripheral support in the sense of supporting a wide variety of SCSI stuff. (Adapters mainly). Many $$$'s. Whither other unixes? NextStep is out for a limited time at $249, and is relatively leading edge. I just received an offer from Univel to buy their personal edition Unix for $249, and be able to also run DOS and Windows apps. Also, they're offering some kind of University site license deal with source for $1200. Blows the doors off BSDI there. I've run 386BSD and BSDI. If you want to do real work, and want instantaneous tech support, spring for BSDI. Stable, slow moving, works. If you want to hack, get 386BSD, or more likely, NetBSD. -- Jaye Mathisen, COE Systems Manager (406) 994-4780 410 Roberts Hall,Dept. of Computer Science Montana State University,Bozeman MT 59717 osyjm@cs.montana.edu