On Tue, Nov 20, 2001 at 01:48:01AM -0600, Shea A Martin wrote:
> I would like a netBSD machine for development (cs assignments), and I am
> sick of telneting into the Universities over run machines. so:
> 
> I currently have a linux (debian) box dedicated to the following three
> tasks: firewall, ipmasqerading, ftp server (light use).  I would like to
> switch this machine over to NetBSD.  But first I have some questions.
> 
> 1.  How hard is it so set up a dhcp client (ie. my isp uses dhcp?).

Easy enough, just add the apporiate line in /etc/rc.conf (copy the
appropriate line from /etc/defaults/rc.conf and overrited it in the
/etc/ version).

> 2.  The school uses v. 1.4.2 on PII's,  and all assignments must be able
> run on the schools machines.  But at the same time it is nice to have
> the latest version.  What is the compatibility like b/n the two versions
> as far as C/C++ systems programming, and shell scripting.  (I oftern
> develop on my linux workstation, but find the portability to be hit and
> miss, ie.  commands output info is diff format for shell scripts, netbsd
> has a slightly different set of libs and c header files.)  Is it fairly
> safe to go with 1.5 or should I go with 1.4?

They should be more source compatible than Linux and NetBSD.  Most of
the system commands should produce the same output, mostly a newer
version might have a additional switch that the older version might not
have.

> 3.  Is there an iso image I can download for install purposes, or it is
> net install only?

www.linuxiso.org

Pardon the heresy. ;-)

> 4.  For post install prog/app installation,   what is the default
> method?  tar xvzf app.tar.gz; make; make install?  Or is there a fancy
> system like debian's apt-get, or rh's rpm?

NetBSD has an extensize pkg system, take a look at the NetBSD website.

> 5.  What is default filesystem for 1.5?  Can I choose during install?

FFS.  Only change from the default if you feel you know what you are
doing. =)

-- 
Michael Parson
mparson@bl.org