FreeBSD Essay.

[Alex de Kruijff]

On Wed, Nov 12, 2003 at 07:01:36PM +0000, Lewis Thompson wrote:
> Hey guys,
> 
> I'm a first year CS student at Manchester and I've been given the task
> of writing a 1,000 word essay on something computer-related.  It can be
> pretty much anything I want (I think).  I've decided FreeBSD is
> interesting, the OS I advocate and that I shall write about this.
> 
>   I am planning to write a brief history of the four BSDs, going way
> back in time (probably a few words on Ritchie, etc.) but then
> concentrate on FreeBSD.

My advise would be to pick one subject and stick with that. Don't go
into the history in general if you for something detailed about FreeBSD
and if you go for the hirstory don't write about something detailed.
You'll proberbly find that you have lots to write about.

I have two subjects you may like:
1. The history starting from 1978 until now. Perhaps something about the
feutere of BSD (dead), BSDi (could be dead), FreeBSD, NetBSD and OpenBSD.
2. FreeBSD 5 (History of FreeBSD 5, feutes, compersent betwain 4 and 5
and 5 and linux. If you have space over one detailed subject.)

The history in it self should be larg enove and intersating on its own.
You could start with the outcomming of Unix and go on to the univeristy
of Berkley. Then go to the outcomming of FreeBSD, NetBSD and BSDi.
Followed by the lawsute betain Unix and BSDi & BSD. Then OpenBSD came
out in 1995. Recently Apple followed with Darwin (based on NetBSD and
FreeBSD). As altenative there are two CD versions (NetBox and FreeBIE)
and a small version (PicoBSD) wich are based on FreeBSD. Ending with a
compersent betwain all versions.

>   I'm really asking if anybody can suggest any particularly interesting
> topics that I can go away and research and then include in my essay.  I
> guess since it's only a short essay I can't have /too/ much detail and I
> didn't particularly want to try and explain something /very/ complicated
> (although please suggest just the same ;).

Another subject would be the outcomming of FreeBSD 5. If you go this way
skip the general history!! Only go for the relevent history for this
version. Then coninue on the new and cool feutures of FreeBSD 5. Maybe
talk about one or two in more detail. And a compersent betwain FreeBSD 4
and 5.

-- 
Alex

Articles based on solutions that I use:
http://www.kruijff.org/alex/index.php?dir=docs/FreeBSD/