>NOTE: please CC a copy of your reponse to me at jgoerzen@complete.org 
>I am looking at switching over to NetBSD because it has DOSEMU.  I have a 
>few questions before I do, though.

Actually, NetBSD has also gotten the BSDI DOS emulator which is
supposed to be much better.  I've never run either one, though.

> - How easy is it to install NetBSD?

It isn't as nice or pretty as FreeBSD.  It's more of a hands-on manual
task.  It's not "hard" if you print out the docs and read them
carefully.  But it's not as automatic.

> - Does the DOSEMU program work over non-console terminals?

Dunno.

> - Will NetBSD read my FreeBSD filesystems?  (FreeBSD uses ufs, I believe)

I've heard it is supposed to, but I've never tried it.  I don't
believe there is any reason it shouldn't work.

> - How good is NetBSD's Linux emulation?  (Even though I don't run it 
>   personally, a good test is how well it runs Linux doom or Netscape)

Actually, FreeBSD's Linux emulation came from NetBSD, so it's as good
or slightly better.  That is unless FreeBSD has started adding
features that the NetBSD version doesn't have.

> - Does it have sound capabilities for the Pro Audio Studio/Spectrum
>   sound card?

I think someone is working on this, but I don't know how complete it
is.  I'm pretty sure there is no support for the newer Linux mmapped
sound driver.

> - How about PPP?  How good is it?

It's PPP.  The same stuff everyone else uses (at least the kernel
implementation).  As far as I know, nobody has integrated a user-land
PPP implementation like the alternate one in FreeBSD (forgive me if I
don't quite understand the difference between the FreeBSD user versus
kernel implementations of PPP -- I've never run the user-land
version).

> - Security and networking are also things I need to know about.

It's Unix.  It's as secure or unsecure as any Unix system.  There's
nothing inherantly more or less secure specifically about NetBSD.

> - Support?  How do I get it and how good is it.  I have been very impressed
>   with FreeBSD -- have even spoken to the project president a few times.
>   They are very helpful.

Hmmm....  I'm going to say this on a public list, and hope I don't
start a big flame war.

NetBSD tends to be used by people who know Unix well and can help
themselves fairly capably.  This isn't to say that beginners don't run
NetBSD.  But rather, beginners usually go to FreeBSD or Linux instead.
Some of the NetBSD people have been trying to shun this "elitist"
image, but sometimes it rears its ugly head.

FreeBSD has been trying very hard to attract a broader range of users.
And, it appears, they are succeeding.  This means there are a lot more
novice to medium users on the FreeBSD lists who can't answer
high-level technical questions, but can possibly share experiences
about similar problems you might be facing.  This isn't to say that
there are no Unix "experts" on the FreeBSD lists.  On the contrary,
there are many capable people there, as well.

What does this mean as far as help?  You'll have to decide that for
yourself.  I'll only say that there are more people, meaning more
potential sources of help, but also more noise, on the FreeBSD lists.

> - Installation methods.  Can I install it from a PPP connection or
>   CDROM?

PPP: Yes.  But there isn't an automatic PPP installation.  As I said,
you will have to do the steps manually.

CD: Yes.  But there aren't as many "odd" CD-ROMs supported.  I don't
think there is much if any IDE CD-ROM support yet in NetBSD.  On the
other hand, if you have a SCSI CD-ROM (on an acceptable controller),
you're in great shape.

But there isn't a big CD-ROM company behind NetBSD like there is with
FreeBSD.  Walnut Creek does make a NetBSD disc, though, if I'm not
mistaken, as does InfoMagic.

> - Binary-level compatibility.  Will it run FreeBSD binaries without
>   recompilation?  I know FreeBSD has a NetBSD emulator; does NetBSD
>   have a FreeBSD emulator?

Yes, NetBSD has FreeBSD emulation.  I believe most of the emulation
code for Linux, iBCS, and SVR4 (not to mention Ultrix on the PMAX,
OSF/1 on DEC Alphas, SunOS on Suns, HP/UX on HPs, etc.) started out on
NetBSD.

> - Where can I get a NetBSD CD-ROM?

See above.  It won't be a very current one, though.  I believe most
companies make NetBSD CD-ROMs of only major release versions.  1.1
came out about 9(?) months ago.  1.2 is getting ready to release soon.
1.1 doesn't have support for Linux compat and DOS emulation, but is a
solid release in its own right.  You would need to upgrade to 1.2, or
NetBSD-current, to get the latest emulation and compatibility code.

See http://www.netbsd.org/ for more info and places to look...

(Note: when I say various cool things in FreeBSD came from NetBSD, I
don't mean to imply that NetBSD is where everything originates.  There
have been several things that have gone the other direction, also.)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Michael L. VanLoon                                 michaelv@HeadCandy.com
        --<  Free your mind and your machine -- NetBSD free un*x  >--
    NetBSD working ports: 386+PC, Mac 68k, Amiga, Atari 68k, HP300, Sun3,
        Sun4/4c/4m, DEC MIPS, DEC Alpha, PC532, VAX, MVME68k, arm32...
    NetBSD ports in progress: PICA, others...

   Roll your own Internet access -- Seattle People's Internet cooperative.
                  If you're in the Seattle area, ask me how.
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