Hello everybody, (this mail goes to the netbsd-bugs mailing list and to
Bruce Evans, who has recently discussed some things on a Linux mailing lis)

Some weeks ago, I have downloaded the NetBSD-current release and ported
all net programs to Linux. These new versions are much better than the
up to now used versions, which often disabled many things, since the
networking layer in the kernel wasn't too good.
The kernel net and terminal layer are now good enough to use all
possible features.

I have also found some bugs in the NetBSD release, which I want to report.

Since changes for Linux are sometimes as small as a new GNU-standard
"Makefile", it would be a good idea, if the NetBSD and the Linux people
would be working together more closely.

Right now, I keep the NetBSD versions unchanged and make only context diffs
for Linux. That way, only new (rather small) context diffs have to be
updated on the ftp-servers.

The comment from the automated subscribing-mail was a little bit irritating
for me. So here we go:

- Who can I send bug reports for the net programs?
- Is there a mailing list for net programs, I could join?
- How could be improve the cooperation of NetBSD and Linux people?
- If there is currently no separate mailing list for net programs, but
  only more general NetBSD mailing lists, what can we do?
        - Make a new mailing list for NetBSD *and* Linux people for
          bugs related to the net programs.
        - Let the Linux people join a more NetBSD-related mailing list,
          so they have to ignore all things not related to Linux.
          (Maybe you get bothered by a crowd of Linuxers, who knows...)
- How do the people from NetBSD cooperate with the FreeBSD people?
  Do bug fixes go also to the other distribution?
- Do the FreeBSD people have totally different net versions?
- Where can I find a copy of FreeBSD ?

I know, that the BSD and the Linux people like to fight against each other.
However, when I have looked at all bug fixes which were done for Linux, I
saw, that they were also done for NetBSD. I cannot say, who copied from who
and who actually did the bug fixes, but that isn't that important.
I just think, that cooperation would make things better for both sides.
Why not improve all things even faster?

Any comments (and not flames) are greatly appreciated,

Florian  La Roche


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