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From: jkh@whisker.lotus.ie (Jordan K. Hubbard)
Subject: FreeBSD IS released [was Re: 386bsd new release - when?]
In-Reply-To: stever@csuohio.edu's message of Thu, 2 Sep 1993 00: 31:02 GMT
Message-ID: <JKH.93Sep2224116@whisker.lotus.ie>
Sender: usenet@ieunet.ie (USENET News System)
Nntp-Posting-Host: whisker.lotus.ie
Organization: Lotus Development Ireland
References: <26352j$nst@pdq.coe.montana.edu> <1993Sep2.003102.675@news.csuohio.edu>
Date: Thu, 2 Sep 1993 22:41:16 GMT
Lines: 256
> I find this post somewhat disturbing. Has the FreeBSD project
>been canceled? Is the release of 0.2 imminent? Exactly what is going
Far from it! If I might be so bold...
FreeBSD
Release 1.0 GAMMA
1. What is FreeBSD?
FreeBSD is a freely available, full source 4.3 (+4.4 enhancements) BSD
release for Intel i386/i486 (or compatable) based PC's. It is based
heavily on Bill Jolitz's 386BSD 0.1, with additions from NetBSD, CSRG,
the Free Software Foundation, and a host of tireless BSD enthusiasts.
FreeBSD currently runs on a wide variety of ISA and EISA bus based
PC's, ranging from 386sx to 486 class machines (though the 386sx is
not recommended). Support for basic IDE/ESDI drive configurations,
various SCSI controller, network and serial cards is also provided.
What follows is by no means a complete list, please refer to the
release notes for more detail:
Disk Controllers:
Adaptec 1542{A,B,C} ISA SCSI controller.
Adaptec 174x EISA SCSI controller in standard and enhanced mode.
DTC 3290 EISA SCSI controller in emulation mode.
Bustec 742a.
Ultra Store 14F.
Ethernet cards:
SMC Elite 16 WD8013 ethernet interface, and most other WD8003E,
WD8003EBT, WD8003S, WD8003SBT and WD8013EBT based clones.
Isolan AT 4141-0 (16 bit)
Isolink 4110 (8 bit)
Novell NE2000 ethernet interface.
3Com 3C503 Etherlink II
FreeBSD does NOT support IBM's microchannel (MCA) bus.
A list of contributors may be found in section 5 of this document,
with a more complete list in the file "/usr/src/CONTRIB.FreeBSD" bundled
with the distribution.
FreeBSD incorporates many of the best features of 386BSD 0.1, "the
patchkit", additional material from CSRG's "Net/2" release, and many
of the the FSF's latest utilities. Many hundreds of bugs were fixed,
and many out-of-date pieces of software were upgraded to their current
releases.
Additionally, many packages such as XFree86 1.3, xview 3.2, elm, mh
and dozens of other miscellaneous utilities have been ported and are
available as add-ons. See section 3 of this document for more
details.
2. How is FreeBSD different from 386BSD, NetBSD or BSD/386 for the PC?
2a. The only currently available release of 386BSD is 0.1, which just
about everyone (including its author) admits is rather buggy and in
great need of replacement. It's also showing its age, and many of the
software packages making it up are out of date. Little more need be
said about 386BSD.
2b. NetBSD is quite a bit more up-to-date, as it is an actively
maintained codebase and has many people working on it. There are very
few significant differences between the FreeBSD and NetBSD groups, and
perhaps someday the two groups will merge. For now (at the time of
this writing), there are several differences worthy of note:
1. FreeBSD is the only release that allows you to install
the OS from DOS. This is not available for this first gamma
shipment but will be provided on the CDROM.
2. FreeBSD is still very close to 386BSD 0.1 and, as such, presents
a relatively easy upgrade - both at the user and the device
driver level - for existing 386BSD users.
3. FreeBSD is a bit more lenient when it comes to using GNU
code and tries primariy to stick to 4.3BSD as most people
expect it to look like now, not necessarily what 4.4BSD
will look like at some point in the future.
2c. BSD/386, though frequently confused for 386BSD, is a commercial
product released by BSDI, Inc. and, as such, comes with full support -
something we are obviously unable to offer for a non-commercial
product. BSDI is also a good deal more stable than either NetBSD or
FreeBSD and should definitely be your first choice if you are
considering commercial use (for around $1,000, we still think a fully
supported operating system with *source code* is a pretty good deal!).
Let it be stated now and for the record that we are not "in competition"
with BSDI! Theirs is a product, ours is "hackerware", provided for
your pleasure and enjoyment - use it at your own risk!
3. It all sounds great! Where do I get it?
If you have gotten this distribution on CD, then you've already gotten
all of FreeBSD and the various optional packages with your
distribution.
If you don't have it on CD, and would like to, you may order a copy
from Walnut Creek CDROM, 4041 Pike Lane, Suite E, Concord, Ca. 94520.
1-800-786-9907 or 1-510-674-0783.
Cost is $39.95 + $5 S&H in the U.S. and Canada, $10.00 overseas.
California residents please add sales tax.
Should you be dissatisfied for any reason, the CD comes with an
unconditional return policy.
If you are not one of the lucky few who own a CDROM drive, or can't
afford the distribution (it's not THAT expensive!), fear not! You can
still ftp FreeBSD and any or all of its optional packages from
``freebsd.cdrom.com'' - the offical FreeBSD release site. By the time
you read this, it may also be on one or more "mirror" sites somewhere
else on the internet; check with archie for details.
If you do not have access to the internet and electronic mail is your
only recourse, then you may still fetch the files by sending mail to
`ftpmail@decwrl.dec.com' - putting the keyword "help" in your
message to get more information on how to fetch files from
freebsd.cdrom.com. Note: This approach will end up sending many *tens of
megabytes* through the mail, and should only be employed as an
absolute LAST resort!
Finally, if you wish to order FreeBSD on floppy disks or tape, you
may do so from:
Winning Strategies, Inc. 61 Crestwood Drive #18, Daly City, CA 94015
<jtc@wimsey.com>
3.5" & 5.25" floppies $200.00
Contains "core" FreeBSD.
Shipping - add $15 for U.S. and Canada, $25 for overseas.
150MB QIC tape $100.00
Contains "core" FreeBSD + XFree86.
Choice of either 3.5" or 5.25" boot floppies.
Shipping - add $10 for U.S. and Canada, $30 for overseas.
DAT & Exabyte tapes $100.00
Contains everything on the Walnut Creek CD ROM.
Choice of either 3.5" or 5.25" boot floppies.
Shipping - same as for QIC tape.
All packages contain printed copies of the release and installation notes.
Visa, Mastercard, U.S. $ Money Orders, or U.S. $ checks drawn on a
U.S. bank accepted for payment.
It should be noted, lest you get the wrong impression that "FreeBSD"
is anything but, that almost no one in the "core team" makes money
from distributions or anything else connected with FreeBSD. We simply
provide this information as a public service for those wishing to get
their releases from somewhere other than the net (and the easier it
is for you to get ahold of our software, the happier we are).
4. Who do I yell at if doesn't work?
Your suggestions, bug reports and fawning praise are all of great
value to us - please do not hesitate to report any problems you may
find (preferably with a fix attached if you can!). Bug reports will
be dutifully filed by our faithful bugfiler program and you can be
sure that we'll try to respond to all reported bugs as soon as possible,
or at the very least feel guilty if we don't:
Bug reports:
FreeBSD-bugs@freefall.cdrom.com
Questions / Suggestions
FreeBSD-questions@freefall.cdrom.com
5. But who's responsible for all this? Give us their names!
FreeBSD is the work of many dozens, if not hundreds, perhaps BILLIONS
of individuals [stop - erase, go back -ed] ok, perhaps only dozens of
individuals from around the world who have worked, nay slaved,
tirelessly and unpaid to bring you this release. It would be very
difficult, if not impossible, to enumerate everyone who's contributed
to FreeBSD, but nonetheless we shall try (in alphabetical order, of course,
since trying to figure out who goes first would cause a fight). If your
name is not mentioned, please be assured that its omission is entirely
accidental and we value your contributions more than life itself.
The Computer Systems Research Group (CSGR), U.C. Berkeley.
An incalculable debt..
Bill Jolitz, for his extensive work with 386BSD.
And, finally, US! The FreeBSD "core" group:
J.T. Conklin
David Greenman
Rodney W. Grimes
Jordan K. Hubbard
Scott Mace
Andrew Moore
Rich Murphey
Paul Richards
Christoph Robitschko
Andreas Schulz
Rob Shady
Nate Williams
Special mention to:
Robert Bruce and Jack Velte of Walnut Creek CDROM, without
whose help (and continuing support) this release would never
have been possible.
The NetBSD group for their frequent assistance and commentary.
Additional FreeBSD helpers and beta testers:
Gary Browing Jon Cargille
Chris Demetriou Julian Elischer
Bruce Evans Sean Eric Fagan
Guy Helmer Terry Lambert
Gary Moyer Jaye Mathisen
L Jonas Olsson Chris Provenzano
Dave Rivers Guido van Rooij
Steven Wallace Rick Weldon
Terry Williams Garrett Wollman
And everyone at the University of Montana for their initial support.
Thanks to everyone, especially those not mentioned, and we sincerely
hope you enjoy this release of FreeBSD!
The FreeBSD Core Group
--
Jordan Hubbard jkh@violet.berkeley.edu, jkh@al.org, jkh@whisker.lotus.ie