*BSD News Article 68989


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From: sf@edmonds.ctc.edu (Scott Farrand)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.bsd.freebsd.misc
Subject: Re: linux vs freebsd in stability?
Date: Mon, 20 May 1996 21:36:49 GMT
Organization: Edmonds Community College
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Message-ID: <4nqosn$pho@taz.edmonds.ctc.edu>
References: <4nlgap$18do@ns3-1.CC.Lehigh.EDU>
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a052@Lehigh.EDU wrote:

>i am running linux 1.2.13 (which is supposedly "stable") but am unsatisfied
>with its stability. i put very little load on this machine (i basically just
>use minicom, pppd, a few x apps, compile some stuff occasionally) but have
>lost 3 file systems due to lockups. my kernel is properly configured and my
>hardware tests out ok, so i assume linux is just buggy. is freebsd any more
>stable? ftp.cdrom.com's machine seems to be a great advertisement for
>freebsd's stability, but i'm just curious.

I used to run Slackware 1.3.x (and 1.2.x for attempted stability)
Neither worked well when attempting to be a WWW server and INN news
server.  (486 - 100, 32 MB, Adaptec 2940, conner 1gb, Seagate 4gb
Barracuda)  I had Serious problems with the Barracuda... also, the
server's usage seemed to be really high (1.9 + current utilization
from top)  was always about 30 MB into  swap space, etc.  

Now I am running Free BSD which feels slower (slightly) isn't quite as
user friendly (Ack un*x != Userfriendly... right?)  Free BSD running
same software, but different 4 GB drive -- Fujitsu now  runs pretty
reliably... with MUCH lower loads and isn't into swap... 

 load averages:   0.00,  0.02,  0.03

44 processes:  2 running, 42 sleeping
Cpu states:  0.4% user,  0.0% nice,  3.5% system,  1.2% interrupt,
95.0% idle
Memory: 19M Active, 776K Inact, 5684K Wired, 4540K Cache, 320K Free
Swap:   77M Total, 62M Free, 19% Inuse

The box does get reset every so often... fields a reasonable number of
web hits, and has a steady incoming news feed...

I prefer linux for configuration, but free bsd seems to handle a load
much more effectivly!

hope this gives you a little info from my experience... :)

Scott
Scott
sfarrand@edmonds.ctc.edu

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