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From: Terry Lambert <terry@cs.weber.edu>
Newsgroups: comp.unix.bsd.freebsd.misc
Subject: Re: Difference between FreeBSD and NetBSD
Date: 7 Aug 1995 02:18:13 GMT
Organization: Utah Valley State College, Orem, Utah
Lines: 101
Message-ID: <403t55$did@park.uvsc.edu>
References: <3v8b7r$ju0@trauma.rn.com> <3vppa0$c33@park.uvsc.edu> <MICHAELV.95Aug5124114@MindBender.HeadCandy.com> <403j7a$kh1@nnrp2.primenet.com>
NNTP-Posting-Host: hecate.artisoft.com
keithr@primenet.com (Keith Rowland) wrote:
] Being a Unix programmer/user of SCO and Interactive and Linux, I claim
] ignorance when it comes to BSD too. I think the orignal poster (as well
] as I) is more interested in a basic response like:
]
] Who makes/publishes each of 386BSD, NetBSD, FreeBSD, etc. etc.
386BSD is an OS for 386 class Intel hardware based on the now
defunct (because of the USL/UCB lawsuit settlement) Net/2 BSD
source release.
386BSD is published by Bill and Lynne Jolitz.
NetBSD is an OS for multple hardware platforms, including Intel
hardware (386 and above) based on the BSD 4.4-Lite release, which
is unencumbered.
NetBSD is published by the NetBSD core team.
FreeBSD is an OS for multiple hardware platforms (although only
one of these has been released), primarily Intel hardware (386
and above) based on the BSD 4.4-Lite release, which is unencumbered.
FreeBSD is published by the FreeBSD core team.
> What are the relative costs of each?
386BSD is free, if you can find it. It is also advertised as
being sold in reference format in DDJ.
NetBSD is free. It is available for FTP, and has been burned onto
CDROM at least several times by Infomagic and others.
FreeBSD is free. It is available for FTP, and has been burned onto
CDROM on a regular basis by Walnut Creek CDROM, Inc. an at least
several more times by Infomagic and others.
> Are they suited for any particular machine and/or function?
386BSD is advertised in DDJ as a source reference only, and is
targetted toward people who want to learn OS writing (also
according to the DDJ advertisement).
NetBSD is a general purpose OS.
FreeBSD is a general purpose OS.
] Previously, Michael L. VanLoon (michaelv@MindBender.HeadCandy.com) stated:
] >
] > I could give you gross generalization type summarizations of what the
] > differences are, but that would be the start of that flame war Terry
] > was referring to.
]
] We would like a gross generalization, but don't understand what flame
] war would start. You mean you gentlemen can't even discuss the various
] features of each incarnation of BSD without pissing people off!
More like any statement of comparison would have to be made as
authoritative, and given propagation delays of news articles,
at least one (if not many) of the points in such a post would be
incorrect by the time some sites received it.
Since an authoritative post would be considered an attempt to
gain "mindshare" across camp boundries, there would be flames.
Possibly, some of the criticisms would be leveled on the basis
of fixes that went into one or both source trees as a result of
the post being flamed.
Consider that this is similar to the state of affairs of posting
an OS comparison between any OS and Linux. Somewhere, there is a
version of the Linux code that fixes every Linux bug you want to
address, only it hasn't been integrated. The only thing you can
succceed in doing in these circumstances is (1) triggering the
integration and (2) generating flames.
] > Read the docs available for both; read the newsgroups for both; even
] > install both and try them out. Then, decide which you think you'd
] > like better. If your decision turns out to be wrong, install the
] > other. They're free.
]
] I tried to read the newsgroups for a list of differences, and this
] thread is the first yet to come up and then you guys blow him off!
] If there is a FAQ then point us there, thank you.
The intent of the "blow off" above is to get you to come to your
own conclusion, whichm having been made privately, won't get you
flamed unless you have Schitzophrenia with MPD, and even then
you won't get flamed unless two or more personalities were fans
of different OS's.
Terry Lambert
terry@cs.weber.edu
---
Any opinions in this posting are my own and not those of my present
or previous employers.