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From: jkh@whisker.lotus.ie (Jordan K. Hubbard)
Newsgroups: comp.os.386bsd.questions
Subject: I wish people would just STOP ASKING about FreeBSD vs NetBSD!
Date: 07 Nov 1993 09:46:56 GMT
Organization: Lotus Development Ireland
Lines: 66
Distribution: world
Message-ID: <JKH.93Nov7014656@whisker.lotus.ie>
References: <CFxx11.Cos@cnsnews.colorado.edu> <2bh245$fq1@news.cerf.net>
<MYCROFT.93Nov6172318@duality.gnu.ai.mit.edu>
NNTP-Posting-Host: whisker.lotus.ie
In-reply-to: mycroft@duality.gnu.ai.mit.edu's message of 06 Nov 1993 22:23:18 GMT
In article <MYCROFT.93Nov6172318@duality.gnu.ai.mit.edu> mycroft@duality.gnu.ai.mit.edu (Charles Hannum) writes:
2) I would hardly say that FreeBSD is `more stable'. I can think of
many bugs right off the top of my head that are still in FreeBSD that
have been fixed for quite a while in NetBSD.
I've said this before and I'll say it again - if anyone from the
"core" of *either* group says "xxxBSD is more stable / better
supported / more wonderful" than the other, then you should ignore
that opinion completely as it is both biased and, in your particular
case, very possibly WRONG.
I say `in your particular case' very strongly because things like
`more stable' or `better' are highly subjective comparisons and wholly
dependent on what you're actually trying to do with the "product" in
question. What may make a stable "BBS" could make a very unstable
network router or mail gateway, for example. A "personal workstation"
configuration may run for months, whereas a `server', working with 20
NFS clients beating the crap out of it, may crash once a day.
I'm not saying either set of circumstances is true for FreeBSD or
NetBSD, I'm merely trying to make it clear that people who continually
ask us "which is better? Tell me!" are NOT GOING TO GET A MEANINGFUL
ANSWER and, what's more, we're rather sick of being asked! I am very
much aware of the fact that it's a question many of you would LIKE an
answer to, but as anyone trying to sell you an `authoratative' answer
is most likely full of horse exhaust, you might as well give up on
that idea right now and simply do the following:
1. Listen to the various USER testimonials in this group about
how good/bad each offering is. The users generally don't have
any preconceptions, or overt sensitivities, and will most likely
state, in no uncertain terms, whether they liked or hated one of
the available offerings. Ignore anything from a NetBSD/FreeBSD
core team member telling you to run their offering in preference
to the other.
2. TRY one or both operating systems and see if it does what you want
with reasonable reliability. If it does, run it! This is free
software, and you're expected to do SOME amount of work yourself,
so don't expect a spoon feeding. If you want something you can
install without thinking about it, then go buy a commercial UNIX.
If you have no idea what it is you want and just want to try some
random "BSD", then simply choose one at random! Please don't try to
get us to make your decision for you by providing you with some magic
"this one is better, run it" opinion. It only aggravates us to see
this continuously, and invites more antagonism between the two groups.
Chances are very likely that you'll be more than happy with whichever
one you choose, and if you change your mind later, then simply switch!
If this sounds like work, then see item #2 above.
If people keep asking, then I am going to retaliate by making this
article a section of the FAQ and posting it monthly!
Jordan
(FreeBSD Team)
--
(Jordan K. Hubbard) jkh@violet.berkeley.edu, jkh@al.org, jkh@whisker.lotus.ie
I do not speak for Lotus, nor am I even a Lotus employee. I am an independent
contractor.