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Xref: sserve comp.os.linux.misc:25912 comp.os.386bsd.misc:3587 Newsgroups: comp.os.linux.misc,comp.os.386bsd.misc Path: sserve!newshost.anu.edu.au!harbinger.cc.monash.edu.au!bunyip.cc.uq.oz.au!munnari.oz.au!spool.mu.edu!howland.reston.ans.net!swrinde!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!decwrl!netcomsv!ix.netcom.com!netcom.com!jmonroy From: jmonroy@netcom.com (Jesus Monroy Jr) Subject: Re: Nailed down to 386bsd or linux, now which one? Message-ID: <jmonroyCx10D8.3yu@netcom.com> Followup-To: comp.os.linux.misc,comp.os.386bsd.misc Organization: NETCOM On-line Communication Services (408 261-4700 guest) X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.2 PL1] References: <36djkn$nm8@girtab.usc.edu> Date: Sun, 2 Oct 1994 03:29:32 GMT Lines: 93 Po-Han Lin (plin@girtab.usc.edu) wrote: : Ok, I didn't know QNX costs major money. So I am considering : either 386bsd or linux. One person said I should get linux because : 386bsd is monolithic (controlled I guess), while linux is non-monolithic. : Now the question is, which os better? Better as in... : 1) least bugs, and stable IMPORTANT! : OK. since you've throw out QNX. Least bugs is a relative thing. If you want to go by reported bugs, then it difficult to give a clear answer. As is know in the industry, what maybe a bug to one person is a bug to another. And as "bugs" go, system stability is a far more important factor. To that I would say that if test suites were available, (and maybe GNU would do this) then perhaps a go measure for persons, like yourself could be achieved. To this question of "stability", at this time I would say - Go with Linux.... else if you can wait for the release (mailing) of 386bsd release 1.0. : 2) more software available that runs on it : By your comment, I guess you would want the broadest assorment of software to run on you platform. Linux wins hands down. However, most Linux applications fall under *copyleft* legal issues. So, if you plan to make (or use) your code in a commercial manner, you may want to investigate that issue with the poeple at Linux, as they have the best answers. : 3) faster : Again, no benchmarks (or stats) are available for any of the above. Numbers generated depend heavily on equipment used and application (program) design. : 4) more compliance to POSIX (I think standards are good, or am I wrong) : POSIX is an arguement in itself. POSIX is a good start for internationalization, but many commercial vendors have found their own twist on this issue. For the "free" UNIX people POSIX is a nice buzz word, but NO ONE can even remotely (IMHO) suggest compliance with POSIX. : 5) more people using it. : No valid numbers are available, but if the "newsgroups" are any indicator I would say LINUX. : 6) more support for third-party hardware (VLB, EISA, modems, etc) IMPORTANT! : LINUX, definitely!... they certainly have more screwy peripherials in operation than any of the other UNIX variants.(sp?) However, I must, at this time say, this IS NOT a good thing. IBM PC machines have a real problem with off-shore vendors doing screwy things. Ask any software house about this boxes and you'll get to answers 1) get money. 2) too many variations on a single topic (i.e. CD-ROM) : 7) platform for programming. : Linux, at this time, has the serious lead in documentation. By my book, even the best tricks are just that, if you dont' know how to use them. : that the other OS is better. Has anyone actually used both systems? : I'm running the FreeBSD and 386BSD versions in house. I run both, because I'm still waiting for 386bsd release 1.0 Since I need to do X-windows development and TCP/IP testing at this time FreeBSD is of choice. Is one system better than the other? FreeBSD is better only in terms of getting the latest versions of applications to run on it. In other words, if I want the latest version of Mosaic to run in house, I am forced to used FreeBSD because the latest version of X-windows no longer supports 386bsd release 0.1. -- Jesus Monroy Jr jmonroy@netcom.com Zebra Research /386BSD/device-drivers /fd /qic /clock /documentation ___________________________________________________________________________