To: kuku AT acds DOT physik DOT rwth-aachen DOT de (Christoph Kukulies)
Cc: djgpp AT sun DOT soe DOT clarkson DOT edu, re AT spinoza DOT enpc DOT fr
Subject: Re: Unix on PCs (was: unsubscribe) *long*
Date: Wed, 01 Apr 92 12:56:01 EST
From: Bob Doolittle <rad AT Think DOT COM>
Status: O


    >but finally I installed unix on my PC.
    
    Did you install 386BSD? I did - on a PC I freed for that purpose. On
    the other ones I'm running djgpp+DOS of course ;-)
    
    --Chris

I've been holding off, but maybe it's time for a blurb to this list,
considering the audience and potential interest in Unix on a PC.  Sorry for
the lengthy message, but I think it's relevant.  Future discussion should
be on lists provided for this purpose, not djgpp.  I'm not sure what lists
or newsgroups exist for 386BSD, sorry, can someone else provide a pointer?

I've been running Linux for some time now.  It's great, free, includes
sources, and the software is much more solid than 386BSD is currently
(Linux has been out for about a year or more and is currently at release
level 0.95a, 386BSD has been out for only a month or so and is currently at
release level 0.0).  Also, you don't have to "free" a PC for Linux, you can
keep MSDOS on some partitions and devote others to Linux as you like.

Check out the newly-created comp.os.linux or the newly-obsolete
alt.os.linux for details, or subscribe to the mailing list at
linux-activists-request AT niksula DOT hut DOT fi.  There're distributions which
should include a FAQ on:

banjo.concert.net:/pub/Linux (this machine runs mirrors to most others)
tsx-11.mit.edu:/pub/linux
nic.funet.fi:/pub/OS/Linux
tupac-amaru.informatik.rwth-aachen.de:/pub/msdos/replace

Here's an attempt at a short unbiased comparison of Linux vs 386BSD (I know
a lot about Linux but only a little about 386BSD).  I apologise in advance
for any errors or omissions - these are only my opinions.

Both:
Free!  386BSD is PD (I think), Linux is "Copylefted" ala GNU (i.e. any
    software derived from Linux must also be freely available including
    source).
Full sources available.
Large community of Internet hackers supporting them. :-)
Support for virtual memory via swapping and paging.
Support the latest EMACS and GNU compilers and tools.
Will support TCP/IP and X "soon".

386BSD:
BSD derived (in fact a full port of 4.3 BSD, I think).
More full-featured.
Will support more devices and strange hardware.
More "standard", probably making some utility ports easier.
I *assume* somebody will eventually remove the restriction that MSDOS can't
    coexist in a seperate partition, but currently you're stuck with either/or.
Reportedly very unstable currently.  Not recommended except for those who
    enjoy hacking buggy Unix kernels.  This will obviously improve over time.

Linux:
Sys V similar, written from scratch to avoid copyright restrictions.
Works *now*!
Will always be smaller.
May (probably?) always be faster.
Supports (does not require) the 387 with gcc 2.0 (I don't know about 386BSD).
Currently has 14-character filename restrictions (this should change soon).
Has VFS (BSD may also, I'm not sure about this).
subset of Sys V and POSIX "standards", making most utility ports doable but
    not always straightforward.
Principal author and maintainer is Linus Torvalds of Finland, currently
    with a *lot* of help from his Internet friends.

Cheers,
	Bob

--------
Bob Doolittle
Thinking Machines Corporation
rad AT think DOT com
(617)234-2734