Hello Steven,

  SMB> 4.2bsd had network problems because the default
     > source address assigned to outgoing connections was
     > that of the "first" interface found.  (I believe the
     > change to the current scheme -- use the interface
     > associated with the route being used -- came with
     > 4.3bsd.)  

I had problems recently with a BSD that made assumptions
about what protocols I was going to use over a network
interface and the way that addresses, routes etc. were
assigned.  Nobody I asked (including the chap in charge of
that BSD) knew how to turn this behaviour off, so I threw
the install CD away.  Although some may be necessary to
produce a working system, I think assumptions should be eyed
with suspicion.

  SMB> Serial ports don't spontaneously appear; however,
     > hardware does get added and removed.

If I plug in a USB->RS232 adaptor (I haven't tried recently)
is that a case of hardware being added for which there is
already a device in /dev ?

- Andy Ball.