Linux kernel on FreeBSD

Loren M. Lang lorenl at alzatex.com
Sat Dec 11 15:46:19 PST 2004


On Fri, Dec 10, 2004 at 10:50:40AM -0500, Jerry McAllister wrote:
> > 
<snip>
> 
> Most people who run FreeBSD (the enlightened) are especially attracted by 
> the reliability as one of its main features.   Most people who complain 
> about FreeBSD (the unenlightened, of course...) are unhappy with its 
> userland features.   Given this, why would someone want a less reliable 
> kernel matched with a less feature-ful userland - eg. Linux kernel with 
> FreeBSD userland? 

Actually, I am fine with freebsd's userland and like it very much.  I
chose freebsd over linux for setting up a mail server for a customer
after using linux for 6 years and freebsd for only 3 months because I
liked the userland better.  Everything seemed so consistent and using
rc.conf to configure it was nice.  My biggest reasons for having all my
freebsd machines dual boot with linux is because of the kernel, drivers
that aren't supported under freebsd and a couple programs.  One machine
I boot into linux less than once a month, and it's only because it
supports my creative extigy remote control feature which is real nice
when using my laptop to watch dvd movies on my tv.

I do feal that freebsd 4.x has always been more reliable than linux
since I've been using, but 5.x seems a little less reliable than linux
2.4, but I'm sure that will change after a little while.  But, the
reliabity of linux is fine for my purposes, one of our linux server has 120
days uptime with no maintainence needed.

> 
> Driver support is mainly a matter of weight in the marketplace.
> Hardware vendors want to market to the (unwashed) masses because of 
> presumed volume of sales and don't give much attention to the relatively 
> small niche that is the (enlightened) FreeBSD user.    Of course the
> 1000 ton rabid gorilla in the market is MS.  Out of greed or terror, every 
> hardware vendor creates drivers themselves for MS first.  But Linux has 
> just enough weight to get most, but not all, of the hardware vendors to 
> give at least some support to making drivers for it - at least the specs.    
> Unfortunately, FreeBSD is thought to have low enough weight in the market 
> that many (unenlightened) hardware vendors will not provide any support for 
> driver development for FreeBSD and some will not even release information 
> that can be used by others to write drivers.   Some (enlightened) vendors do 
> give some about of support or at least release specs for driver development.
> So, make a point of buying from (enlightened) vendors whose hardware will 
> support FreeBSD and thus help support enlightenment in the digital community.

I would like to help enlighten hardware vendors, but I was suggesting
this as a temporary cruch until this happens.  I would ultimately prefer
to stick with a solid freebsd system, but it's a pain rebooting just to
sync my sony clie that was a $200 christmas present from my parents.

> 
> ////jerry
> 
> > -- 
> > I sense much NT in you.
> > NT leads to Bluescreen.
> > Bluescreen leads to downtime.
> > Downtime leads to suffering.
> > NT is the path to the darkside.
> > Powerful Unix is.
> > 
> > Public Key: ftp://ftp.tallye.com/pub/lorenl_pubkey.asc
> > Fingerprint: B3B9 D669 69C9 09EC 1BCD  835A FAF3 7A46 E4A3 280C
> >  
> > _______________________________________________
> > freebsd-questions at freebsd.org mailing list
> > http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-questions
> > To unsubscribe, send any mail to "freebsd-questions-unsubscribe at freebsd.org"
> > 

-- 
I sense much NT in you.
NT leads to Bluescreen.
Bluescreen leads to downtime.
Downtime leads to suffering.
NT is the path to the darkside.
Powerful Unix is.

Public Key: ftp://ftp.tallye.com/pub/lorenl_pubkey.asc
Fingerprint: B3B9 D669 69C9 09EC 1BCD  835A FAF3 7A46 E4A3 280C
 


More information about the freebsd-questions mailing list