Re: Debian/GNU Freebsd

[Joseph Carter <knghtbrd@debian.org>]

[donning asbestos underwear]


On Thu, Feb 18, 1999 at 08:16:51AM -0600, John Goerzen wrote:
> > does, I don't think we should try and dissuade them from it: it might
> > be beneficial in the future---additional portability, more diverse
> > users, etc.
> 
> Well, again it's not GPL, so I don't think we could call it GNU.

GNU/FreeBSD == GNU + FreeBSD....


> But anyway, if there really is a problem with Linux compared to FreeBSD,
> which I maintain there isn't, why not fix Linux?  This would require far
> less effort than porting a lot of Linux stuff to FreeBSD.  We'd still
> potentially get those people that were avoiding it, which would again mean
> more diverse users.

"Ein Volk, Ein Reich, Ein Fuhrer" 
"One World, One Web, One Program"
"One Community, One Operating System, One Kernel" ?

Why is "Linux Everywhere" any better than "Windows Everywhere"?  Don't be
so quick to replace one oppressive system with another.  Yes, I said
oppressive.  How many times have I heard in the last week alone cries for
Linux "World Domination"?  Many people have said they don't believe
anyone takes it seriously---look again, people ARE taking it seriously
and they're acting like they are on a Jihad to take down the "Evil
Empire" and replace it with Linux.

What happens when 90% of the computers out there are running Linux?  I
see a very grim future if that happens with the community in the state it
is now.  In the US at least, if you are talking about Linux in the press,
you're really talking about Redhat.  This is dangerous because most new
users are by default Redhat users.  Most Redhat users could care less
about free software, all they want are binaries for free.

Redhat is not a Free Software distribution nor is it an "Open Source"
distribution.  Much of what they distribute we consider non-free and if
the Open Source Definition is essentially equivalent to the Debian Free
Software Guidelines, well...

Linux is quickly being invaded by non-free software en masse from
corporations that all want to make money, as much as they can, with
Linux.  They all want to see Microsoft taken down, but any one of them
would like nothing more than to take the place as the company that
controls the computer industry.


> I don't see how FreeBSD increases portability.  It runs only on i386 (and
> maybe Alpha by now).

It increases portability to non-Linux kernels, that's a start.

Creating a BSD kernel based Debian distribution may not do a thing to
stop the above nightmare Linux could become from happening, but it's one
small step closer to being ready, just in case things happen the way
they're likely to at the moment.

-- 
"There are 3 things to remember about being a Starship Captain: 
 Keep your shirt tucked in, go down with the ship, and never, 
 ever abandon a member of your crew."
                        -- Kathryn Janeway, Star Trek: Voyager