Why are so many people using 4.x?

[Kevin Kinsey]

Vaaf wrote:

> Yes, the fact that it's still ongoing is amazing.
>
> If it has managed to keep going for 30 years, it will surely keep
> on going for another 30 years.
>
> What I meant was, the fundamentals for FreeBSD was set 30 years
> ago. Isn't it time we change that?


I'm probably just trolling.  I'm certainly no design engineer.  But:

I curse a certain product from Washington, USA, regularly due to the
fact that it doesn't have "grep" ....

AT&T attempted a "fundamental change" in the 80's/90's.  It apparently
looks and runs like something from outer space.  It has very high "geek
value", but last I heard there wasn't even a graphical web browser for it,
and Dennis Ritchie (perhaps by company policy, I can't tell and don't care
to ask unless it becomes real important for some reason) has to send his
emails with MS Outlook*.

Linus Torvalds, arguably, has created "fundamental change".  The arguments
of the relative merits of Linux vs. FreeBSD are argued on the 'Net 
constantly.
There is no "hands-down" winner, there's no distinct measure of overall
supremacy.  There's only lists of pros and cons, and ever-changing 
benchmarks
that reflect the ongoing development in both "camps".

When Steve Jobs went looking for a new apple core :D,
he picked BSD code instead of Linux.

So, what is going to replace these "fundamentals for FreeBSD"?  Do you
have any idea of the scope of the evolution of UNIX and Unix-like systems? 

If MSFT, with billions of dollars and thousands of the world's most talented
programmers, can't create a great operating system in 6 years using
VMS-based NT** (which dates back 13 years, I think, ATM, and VMS before
that), how do you propose that "starting over" is going to produce anything
as nice as what we have now before at least 2015, or later?


Kevin Kinsey

*I only can _assume_ that it's running on Win instead of Plan9.  It's also
possible that he _prefers_ this MUA, or just happened to be stuck on
a Winbox, or only has one computer at home (is there a Mrs. Ritchie?
that's one reason why I've a Winbox in the house)  when he sent the
message I'm referring to.  All I can do is read headers.

**Don't know if "VMS-based NT" is fully accurate, but it's generally
accepted, and for good reasons.

-- 
Q:	What do you call a group of kids with low IQ's, drinking diet cola, 	eating fruit, and singing?
A:	The Moron Tab and Apple Choir.