At 8:27 AM +0100 11/30/99, Martin Horcicka wrote:
>Hi,
>
>the thing I've never understood is why you are developing three BSD
>systems separately - well, they are not too separate because if one
>system implements a thing the other two will probably port it.

When you say "you are developing", it sounds as if there is one
unified group which is sitting down and producing three different
operating systems (such as Microsoft producing Win98, WinNT, and
WinCE).  In fact, there are three different groups working on
three different open-source BSD-ish operating systems.  It's like
asking Ford and General Motors why they don't get together and
produce just one model of car.

The three groups have different priorities.  That's the great
thing about it.  Each group has enough people in it who have
the same general priorities that the group is able to keep
improving *their* operating system along *their* line of
priorities.

All three groups are interested in good ideas, and if one of
the groups implements something that the other groups like,
and it doesn't conflict with that group's priorities, then
they are very likely to pick it up.  Again, this is a good
thing.


---
Garance Alistair Drosehn           =   gad@eclipse.acs.rpi.edu
Senior Systems Programmer          or  drosih@rpi.edu
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute