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Xref: sserve comp.os.386bsd.questions:13175 comp.os.386bsd.misc:3507 Path: sserve!newshost.anu.edu.au!harbinger.cc.monash.edu.au!msuinfo!agate!howland.reston.ans.net!europa.eng.gtefsd.com!news.umbc.edu!haven.umd.edu!umd5.umd.edu!bigdipper!adhir From: adhir@bigdipper.umd.edu (Alok K. Dhir) Newsgroups: comp.os.386bsd.questions,comp.os.386bsd.misc Subject: FreeBSD vs NetBSD Date: 15 Sep 1994 06:03:28 GMT Organization: University of Maryland, College Park Lines: 45 Message-ID: <358o3g$p95@umd5.umd.edu> NNTP-Posting-Host: bigdipper.umd.edu X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.2 PL2] I hate to ask this question, but I really need to make a decision on a Free unix soon. I am currently running FreeBSD 1.1.5.1, and am happy overall. I understand that NetBSD 1.0 will soon be released. I am curious as to the advantages of one over the other. Do they match one another feature for feature? What is NetBSD based on, BSD 4.3 or 4.4/lite? I have found compiling things for FreeBSD is sometimes a bit of a chore (as compared to Linux and NeXTStep, which I also run), especially since there is usually not a default config for it (for example, with gcc, pine, and misc others). Is netbsd in the same boat? My application will involve setting up 3 machines (directly on the net through a T1)... One as an NFS server for the others (to save disk space by maintaining /usr on one machine only), one running inn, and another with a 16 port Bocaboard to accept incoming calls (so project team members can log in remotely via modem). The machines are ASUS 486/66 motherboards with ATI Graphics Ultra Pro PCI 2mb graphics boards and onboard PCI SCSI. I have purchased SMC Ultra 16T NICs for use with these machines. As far as I know, FreeBSD supports this configuration (has NCR PCI drivers, and supports the BB2016 multi- port serial card). Does NetBSD have support for my hardware configuration as well (if it doesn't, my decision is easy ;-). FreeBSD 2.0 is just around the corner as well (perhaps not as close as NetBSD), but I need things up and running in the next month or so. Are there any compelling reasons to wait to FreeBSD 2.0 instead of using NetBSD 1.0 when its released? I am not including Linux because its networking code has proven to be extrememly unreliable in my experience (used it up to 1.1.45), and because Linux vs *BSD seems to be somewhat of a religious issue... FreeBSD and NetBSD people seem to have a mutual respect for one another which is a pleasant change from the usual "this vs that" situations. Last question - where are the NetBSD mailing lists? Thanks for any comments. -- -------------------------------------___--------------------------------- | Al Dhir, Programmer Analyst /___\ UMCP Ag-Engineering Dept | | Internet: adhir@bigdipper.umd.edu (o o) (301) 405-1197 | ---------------------------------ooO-(_)-Ooo-----------------------------