*BSD News Article 5443


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Newsgroups: comp.unix.bsd
Path: sserve!manuel!munnari.oz.au!mel.dit.csiro.au!kimba.catt.citri.edu.au!tim
From: tim@kimba.catt.citri.edu.au (Tim Liddelow)
Subject: Re: Catch What They're Saying About Us...
Message-ID: <1992Sep23.025816.26961@mel.dit.csiro.au>
Sender: tim@kimba (Tim Liddelow)
Organization: CATT Centre at CITRI, Melbourne, Australia
References:  <19oe23INNqh0@agate.berkeley.edu>
Date: Wed, 23 Sep 92 02:58:16 GMT
Lines: 54

In article <19oe23INNqh0@agate.berkeley.edu>, wjolitz@soda.berkeley.edu (William F. Jolitz) writes:
|> 
|> Check out the "Re: Linux or 386BSD: neither or both ??" thread in
|> comp.os.linux. It's pretty amazing what's being said about 386BSD and
|> the people who've worked so hard on it.
|> 
|> Since I'm not one who likes to let disinformation be the order of the
|> day, I've challanged the Linux people to put their money where their
|> mouths are and justify negative claims regarding 386BSD (this works
|> both ways) -- the goal being to better and improve BOTH systems. I
|> realize that in head-to-head competitions we'll win some, lose some,
|> and draw some, but this is not really important.
|> 
|> My hope is that competition and open discussion/debate, handled in a
|> professional manner, might promote a lot of new ideas, especially
|> regarding optimization of the system. We could all benefit from a bit
|> of critical thinking.
|> 
|> I invite comments, assistance, and new ideas to help make this a
|> reality.  If we do well, we might even set new records that the big
|> guys haven't. The possibilities are endless. :-)
|> 
|> Lynne Jolitz.

Yes, I've been following that thread, and it brings a few important points
to mind.  One is that Linux and 386BSD are very different, yet ideas can
be used from both to better each.  Linux is more what I'd term a 
"hacker's O/S" ; it doesn't carry the so called "baggage" that 386BSD carries
in terms of networking and other BSD code.  It is also much more difficult
to port software to Linux; I've ported many "unix" apps very easily to
386BSD.  However, Linux does have other nice features that are not found
in 386BSD such as virtual consoles and more SCSI card support.

The main thing is this "competition" is very healthy for both operating 
systems, and will hopefully bring the best out in both.  Any negative claims
about 386BSD will just fuel the fire, and to my mind are simply the raw
enthusiasm :) of finally having a FREE decent operating system for a PC.
I am overjoyed with 386BSD, and am having trouble doing work during work
hours, without playing with the kernel or trying to improve my setup. :)
No doubt others are having the same level of fun with Linux, and good on 
them.  On many occasions I have had great "debates" with a fellow researcher
here on the better points of 386BSD vs. Linux.  And in my mind, 386BSD WINS!!
:) :) :) 

Cheers

________________________________________________________________________________
  Tim Liddelow                                          for(;;) fork();
  Systems Programmer
  Centre of Advanced Technology in Telecommunications   My brain on a bad day.
  CITRI, Melbourne, Australia                           
  internet : tim@kimba.catt.citri.edu.au                
  Phone : +61 3 282 2455   Fax : +61 3 282 2444	        
________________________________________________________________________________