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From: andreas@knobel.gun.de (Andreas Klemm)
Newsgroups: comp.os.linux.advocacy,alt.os.linux,comp.unix.bsd.freebsd.misc,comp.unix.bsd.netbsd.misc
Subject: Re: a monthly FreeBSD magazine (and other *BSD's too)
Date: 4 Jan 1996 09:59:56 GMT
Lines: 121
Message-ID: <4cg8es$1ih@knobel.gun.de>
References: <4ajc07$sb7@unix2.glink.net.hk> <4ca3gu$4nc@news1.halcyon.com> <4cdijr$hjg@toplink1.toplink.net> <4cesep$pb1@agate.berkeley.edu> <4cf40b$9ri@bell.maths.tcd.ie>
NNTP-Posting-Host: knobel.gun.de
X-Newsreader: knews 0.9.3
In-Reply-To: <4cf40b$9ri@bell.maths.tcd.ie>
To: tim@maths.tcd.ie (Timothy Murphy)
Xref: euryale.cc.adfa.oz.au comp.os.linux.advocacy:32277 alt.os.linux:6937 comp.unix.bsd.freebsd.misc:11600 comp.unix.bsd.netbsd.misc:1737
In article <4cf40b$9ri@bell.maths.tcd.ie>,
tim@maths.tcd.ie (Timothy Murphy) writes:
>I am actually running FreeBSD on a 386,
>and can say after scientific testing that it is much slower than
>Linux on a Pentium :-)
Well, simply saying such statements isn't fair. You certainly
know about the difficulties with benchmarks and so on ...
With FreeBSD 2.x I had to fine tune the Hz variable to 128Hz
otherwise you get odd results an so on ...
As long as I don't know, what and how you exactly did I believe
only a "halfword" long ;-))
Ok, there are really some benchmarks, where Linux has higher values
(I think it were fork or exec calls). But on the whole I made the
experience (it's about a year ago) that FreeBSD is the more balanced
system. that has much better response times when the system has lot's
of things to do.
Benchmarks are benchmarks, real life is real life.
>[We recently added 12 FreeBSD boxes as `X-terminals'
>to the system I nominally direct -- maths.tcd.ie.]
>I honestly believe that FreeBSD is good for Linux,
>and Linux is good for FreeBSD.
I can't follow the logic of this statement, sorry ;-)
>In my experience both are completely stable,
>and for the home user (like me)
>there is absolutely nothing to choose between them.
Well. That's true, both are stable. But concerning Linux:
only if you get a rocksolid distribution. I really dislike
that many Linux distributions ...
[...]
>I have criticised the documentation of FreeBSD in the past,
>and consider that it still remains behind that of Linux
>(cf the "Linux Bible").
I'm still the opineon, that there wouldn't have been such
a high demand on Linux-HOWTO's, if Linux distributions had
followed more some standards ...
The network configuration and such was completely different
to the configuration I'm used to have on BSD and SYSV machines.
They even didn't follow SVR4 principles.
With FreeBSD you are lucky, go into a bookstore and simply say:
"Hey buddy, I wanna have a real cool book about BSD system
administration". And that's it.
Ok, where Linux did more is the area "How do I setup Cnews,
How do I setup XXX {ppp,slip} and such" ...
Concerning networking and such, FreeBSD is about making or
already has very fine manual sections. And it certainly will
be improved on the long run.
On the other hand FreeBSD could improve the install scripts
in the ports section ... More user guidance after installation.
This would have the advantage, that you get your new service
running faster and it would reduce the need for documentation.
Manpages and source is still there for a good reference.
BTW: You can write HOWTO'S and FAQ's as you like...
The experience shows, that most people are too lazy too read,
or too impatient, to read && understand. Some people might
additionally have the handicap, not to understand at all...
That to documentation ... Better make better install and maintenance
scripts and GUI like scripts ... This is what enduser need.
Noone likes reading tons of docs, they want a menue based setup
that documents itself. Period.
>However, while Linux documentation has not improved at all recently,
>FreeBSD has been making a huge effort,
>and will hopefully equal its rival in the near future.
Next year perhaps someone will make a new Unix called "FreeSucks"
(dates and names guessed ;-) And there will be a strong documentation
Project... And then Taylor UUCP, PPP, CNEWS, XXX, ... will be documented
n+1 times ...
Wouldn't it be ok, to write docu for Applications only once ???
People ... the RFC are a good example, where people agreed, to
write down worldwide agreed standards once ....
It would be good, to write HOWTO'S and such OS independent and
to add special installation notes for the different flavours
of Unix...
Now documentation seems to be an additionally prestige object
of the different kinds of Free Unix Systems ... let's move
to make it OS independant ... *sigh*
>Finally, I would suggest that many of the people posting
>in support of FreeBSD are actually harming their cause
>by implying that FreeBSD is aimed at "power users"
>rather than the home PC owner currently using Windows.
>(Of course I am not suggesting Jordan subscribes to this view.)
>If FreeBSD is to succeed it must aim at that market.
Well, I think this is Jordans goal. Look at FreeBSD's and
NetBSD's installation floppies, I think you'll note some
differences... And the rest it's only a question of time
and manpower and additional volunteers ...
--
andreas@knobel.gun.de /\/\___ Wiechers & Partner Datentechnik GmbH
Andreas Klemm ___/\/\/ - Support Unix - aklemm@wup.de -
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