Return to BSD News archive
Xref: sserve comp.os.linux.misc:11666 comp.os.386bsd.misc:2125 Path: sserve!newshost.anu.edu.au!harbinger.cc.monash.edu.au!msuinfo!agate!howland.reston.ans.net!EU.net!ieunet!news.ieunet.ie!jkh From: jkh@whisker.hubbard.ie (Jordan K. Hubbard) Newsgroups: comp.os.linux.misc,comp.os.386bsd.misc Subject: This whole Linux vs FreeBSD thing: A FreeBSD founders perspective Date: 27 Mar 1994 01:02:24 GMT Organization: Jordan Hubbard Lines: 73 Distribution: World Message-ID: <JKH.94Mar27020224@whisker.hubbard.ie> NNTP-Posting-Host: whisker.hubbard.ie From time to time, a thread in both the comp.os.386bsd.misc and comp.os.linux.misc groups flares regarding which operating system is "better", FreeBSD or Linux. This generally provokes controversy from users on both sides, with one group claiming that their OS is "better" for some reason and the other group claiming that the first group doesn't know what the heck it's talking about. Both arguments are a waste of time. Rather than trying to win a rather questionable debate on relative technical merits, we should be asking ourselves what both groups are REALLY about and what they really represent. This is naturally going to be a matter of personal opinion, but I believe even the most seriously at odds members would agree that both operating systems represent a unique and long-awaited opportunity: The ability to run a fully featured operating system on popular, easily affordable hardware and for which all source code is freely available. For those who have been in computing for awhile, or certainly at least long enough to remember the days when an operating system was something provided solely by a hardware vendor, with very little in the way of alternative options, and never EVER given out with source code (necessitating that true "wizard" status be achieved by mind-numbing amounts of effort and patience in digging through forbidden or at least protected bits of binary data). Certainly, the feeling of achievement that came from finally ferreting out some esoteric bit of information from a 4MB printed system dump was high, but I don't think that anyone would argue that it was hardly the most optimal way of truly getting to know your operating system! :-) So now, suddenly, we're almost spoiled for choice in having machines several times more powerful than the first multi-user VAX machines available for under $2000 and we've got not one but SEVERAL perfectly reasonable free operating systems to chose from. And what are some of us doing? *Complaining* about it! I suppose the old Aesop fable about the dog on the bridge with the bone has a ring of truth about it, eh? :-) So really, all I wanted to say was this: For the first time ever, you have what previous computing generations could only dream about: A powerful computer at a reasonable price and a wonderful selection of things to run on it. Be happy, read the source code you're so privileged to now have available (*believe* me! What I wouldn't have given, even 5 years ago!) and spend your energy in making constructive use out of it, not in arguing with the guys on the other side of the fence! Additionally, it should be said that none of the FreeBSD team has anything but the highest degree respect for Linus Torvalds and his "team" of dedicated volunteers (and we occasional exchange gripe mail about the huge volume of messages each of us gets as a direct result of being insane enough to volunteer to do something like this :-) and our common commitment to the Intel platform gives us more common ground (and interests) than one might think. If anything, it's a pity that we do not endevor to share more code and effort - ideologically, at least, I'd say we share pretty similar goals. As to which is "best", I have only one standard reply: Try them both, see for yourself, think for yourself. Both groups have given you something for free, at considerable personal effort, and the least you can do is give them the benefit of exerting enough effort to try what they're offering out before passing judgment (or worse, blindly accepting someone else's!). Whichever you run, you're getting a great deal - enjoy! Jordan (FreeBSD core team) -- Jordan K. Hubbard FreeBSD core team Electric Bivalves Anonymous On the net, no one can hear you scream.