incorrect statement on www page

Poul-Henning Kamp phk at phk.freebsd.dk
Fri Apr 29 00:32:51 PDT 2005


One can't help the feeling that the projects resources could be
used wiser than for a thread like this nor indeed if the instigator
of this particular nitpicking has an agenda different from the
advancement of FreeBSD.

If we really should enforce the proposed level of "truth in
advertising" then no operating system since Brink-Hansens RC4000
monitor could ever dare use the word "stable" about themselves since
they have not been stringently proven to be free from deadlocks.

Or how about the word "complete" ?

We cannot possibly call FreeBSD "complete" when it doesn't support
X.400 email exchange over X.75 transport on X.21 connection based
service can we ?

And there is no bolted on browser, something the US courts have
ruled is a legitimate and necessary part of an operating system.

And are we really "an operating system" if we look through the
due diligence microscope ?

Don't we run the risk of deceiving the unsuspecting user when we
ship with /usr/games ?

That is not really part of an operating system, that is part of an
home entertainment system, isn't it ?

I guess need to make the description somewhat like this:

	FreeBSD is the best[1] damn[2] UNIX[3] on the planet[4].[5][6][7].

	[1] Your perception may be different if it is different from ours.
	[2] Void where prohibited.
	[3] Only we can't pay for the protection money to call ourselves that.
	[4] Nothing in this statement should be read or construed to mean that
	    FreeBSD is not also superior outside this biosphere of the third
	    planet from the star "Sol".
	[5] This statement contains forward and backward looking projections
	    and we can't be bothered to state that this obviously means that
	    it may not be true everywhere and forever.
	[6] The use of the word "planet" should not be seen as a position in
	    fiercely heated argument about the flat vs. round Earth theories.
	[7] God[8] This is silly, isn't it ?
	[8] Pick one, anyone, or none, we don't care.

-- 
Poul-Henning Kamp       | UNIX since Zilog Zeus 3.20
phk at FreeBSD.ORG         | TCP/IP since RFC 956
FreeBSD committer       | BSD since 4.3-tahoe    
Never attribute to malice what can adequately be explained by incompetence.


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