*BSD News Article 86810


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From: "John S. Dyson" <dyson@freebsd.org>
Newsgroups: comp.os.linux.misc,comp.os.linux.networking,comp.os.linux.setup,comp.unix.bsd.bsdi.misc,comp.unix.bsd.misc
Subject: Re: Linux vs BSD
Date: Sat, 25 Jan 1997 10:24:27 -0500
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Russell Nelson wrote:

> 
> Right.  It's a different focus.  Linux is aimed at people who want to
> use it, whereas FreeBSD is aimed at people who want to work on it.
> The latter is a much smaller group of people.
>
I don't think that your statement about FreeBSD is fair or accurate.
It is most accurate that FreeBSD is aimed at people who use it as
a tool and not nearly as much as a toy.  It is kind of like a tool
in your garage or workshop, it is not necessarly something to love,
but is something that is reliable and is there when you need it.

Don't get me wrong, there are those that 'love' FreeBSD (like there
are craftsmen that love their tools), but I think that we aren't
necessarily targeting that audience.
 
> 
>  Linux's marketing is heads and
> shoulders above FreeBSD's.
>
Yep, and IMO, that is practically the only reason that it is as far
along
as it is.

>
>  If you want a free Unix to be widely used,
> then there is no question but that you should support and promote
> Linux, because FreeBSD simply isn't on anybody's radar except for the
> few hackers who use it.
> 
Again, FreeBSD is a fully integrated tool and OS, with runtime that
can be put into embedded product without redistribution
encumberances, or something that (very) large ISPs use as
their server platforms.  I guess that the lack of evangelizing
by FreeBSD people is probably due to many of our careers being
so long, that we have seen OSes come and go, and we know that
the "answers and tools" of today are going to be the curiosities
of tomorrow.  FreeBSD was NOT the first non Microsoft OS for
many if not most of the FreeBSD team, developers, users and
contributors. In fact, Linux was for many of them :-).

John
dyson@freebsd.org