Re: Please forgive a blatant plug: I reviewed v10 for the Reg

[Riccardo Mottola <riccardo.mottola%libero.it@localhost>]

Hi Liam.

Liam Proven wrote:
> I thought this might interest folks here...

Nice share and thanks for taking the time to write it.

> NetBSD 10 proves old tech can still kick apps and take names three decades later
>
> Proper old-school Unix, not like those lazy, decadent Linux types
>
> https://www.theregister.com/2024/04/17/30yo_netbsd_releases_v10/
>
> Comments and feedback welcomed!

I mostly agree with the article, the citations, it gives the mood back. 
Then it shares some personal opinions about experience.

Some considerations:

* About "size" and "performance". NetBSD runs well on a lot of software, 
in my experience the core OS is very comparable to OpenBSD, but a litte 
bit easier since it doesn't have the relink stuff, and base Linux. 
However recent linux with systemd are definitely worse. However still 
there is "imported userland" and then "pkgsrc". Except for raw speed in 
system calls, kernel management, if you install package X it will about 
be similar in size on different operating systems. So for sure since 
XFCE has gotten fatty, you get the same fat on NetBSD. Same goes for  
GCC which gets fatter and slower with each release :) Of course, new 
features are added. You start to see the size of packages installed more 
than the OS itself

* installation experience. I like the menu-driven installer, it has the 
classic semi-GUI with windows and arrows, but still very usable on a 
serial console (handy if you install on a server!). The rough edges in 
my opinion are in the partitioning. I am myself bitten right now by an 
upgrade on a "standard x86-64 laptop". Resizing partitions, selecting, 
labels... that part. Of course it is complicated by all the many 
differences in BIOS, UEFI... OpenFirmware on mac, etc etc
However, when things go smooth, e.g. on a classic BIOS-based PC where 
you take over the whole disk, it is very fine and convenient.

Riccardo