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Path: sserve!manuel!munnari.oz.au!spool.mu.edu!uunet!bcstec!sleepy!pat From: pat@sleepy.UUCP (Pat Eyler ) Newsgroups: comp.unix.bsd Subject: linux, 386BSD, and free UN*X systems Message-ID: <353@sleepy.UUCP> Date: 26 Sep 92 14:46:52 GMT Organization: Boeing Computer Services, Seattle Lines: 110 I am including an interesting challenge that was made to the linux community. It seems to map rather well to 386BSD. I'm certainly not the one to address this, but I'd sure like to see an article on both OSes. ------begin included stuff------ Linus and you Gentlemen: I have recently read an article in the Oct. issue of UnixWorld with the title of "The PC Unix Explosion". Somewhat troubled by the neglect of non-commercial packages such as linux in that article and by the implication that such packages might be inferior to commercial packages, I sent a letter to the editor. Rik Farrow's response to my letter is enclosed in the following. He practically challenges me and other linux afficionados to put forward an article presenting linux, its installation, etc. As I am just a user, I prefer to let the real authors and contributors speak. In my opinion, it could be a real opportunity to present linux in a very popular magazine and give it the exposure it deserves. Anyone to take up the challenge?? Marius Hancu (hancu@crim.ca) P. S. Rik's answer follows. ======================================================================= Marius: ----- Your letter seemed to beg an immediate response. My responsees are indented one tab. ----- It really seems that you have a crass industry bias. ----- Actually, we chose a commerical bias. Not everybody wants source. I am currently attempting to determine what percentage of our readership has EVER built public domain software. I hoping a large percentage does, but I have no proof. In the PC Unix Explosion, you failed to really make a fair presentation of the linux and 386BSD, the best free Unixes. I have installed linux on a 386PC and found this is the best choice for a person who is not willing to pay the 120O$ of SCO. It offers all the features and the advantage of having an enthusiatic creation/support team all over the world. It definitely has the best compilers and tools from the Free Software Foundation (gcc, g++, bison, gmake, etc.), X windows (with a reconfigurable window manager able to emulate twm, olwm and mwm), etc. All the code (including source code), manuals, are obtainable by anonymous ftp for free. You are also wrong in terms of price figures: a fully functional Unix PC can be obtained for something in the range of 1000US$, should the user be clever enough to use an 386 PC from a no-name manufacturer and linux. ----- Well, on the cost issue, you could get a pretty decent starter system, with UNIX installed, for $2519.90 US from Dell. This comes with 486 running at 25 Mhz, Super VGA, 120 MB disk and 8 MB memory (and a mouse). Now I don't think that *you* would want this system, but for someone with little or NO UNIX experience, this might be a LOT better than a source system. And how do you think someone with no UNIX experience is going to get a network connection, know how to use ftp, and build their own UNIX system? One only really needs some DOS experience to install it. ----- Having no DOS experience, I have managed to install UNIX on DOS boxes with only a little hair pulling, around fdisk partitioning and telling the PC PROM about my hardware. But unless you get a pre-installed UNIX system, you always have to do that. You should provide a fair service to your readers by indicating the appropriate newsgroup about linux, comp.os.linux, and one of the main ftp locations, tsx-11.mit.edu, directory pub/linux, on which an anonymous ftp can be performed to get all the code. I would really like you to correct this major omission by including asap a full article on the free Unixes, including a feature interview with its author, Linus Torvalds from Finland (torvalds@kruuna.helsinki.fi). A large segment of your readership wants to install Unix at home and you simply do not provide the best choice and information. It's a mistake as big as neglecting the Mac market in favor of PCs. Thousands of people all over the world are already using linux. ----- I would like to invite you to put your words into action. I suggest that you submit a proposal for a tutorial on obtaining, building, and installing linux or 386BSD. If you are not interest- ed, perhaps you can find someone else that can do this. Remember that you are limited to 3000 words of text and 200 lines of examples. The proposal should be done first, essentially as an outline of the proposed article. Published authors receive a $250 US honorarium and recognition from their peers for being able to write about an important topic. I am quite serious about this. I simply drew the line arbitrarily at commercially available PC UNIX versions with a least some support available, and no special features (such as realtime, or only supported by Macs, like Mach10). Rik Farrow Technical Editor UNIXWorld Magazine Reply-to: rik@uworld.com