I have found netbsd 1.4.x / sparc to be much more stable for me personally to
run than openbsd 2.6/sparc. I use it on a SparcStation2 and it handles shells
and quite a few other things, running with an average load of 1.x, it has yet
to crash, burn or anything else on me. :)

LeRoy

On 21-Apr-00 NetBSD Bob wrote:
> OK, folks, I am at a crossroads, and need some input from the crewe.
> 
> I have two 4c sparcs that I am currently running, one an IPX and one
> an SS1.  The IPX is at home, and the SS1 I moved into the office to
> replace an aging 486/33 web server.  They are about equivalent, but
> the monitor on the old sun makes it a better web machine for building
> and testing web pages, than the dusty, musty, rusty old PeeCee toy.
> 
> My problem is this.....
> 
> 1.  I use NetBSD on most everything, except sparcs, because the sparc
>     port has been less than optimal.  Currently, the 1.4.2 port, plus
>     a minor fix or two is about equivalent to the OpenBSD port, on the
>     sparc, which I have been using for several years, currently at 2.6+.
> 
> 2.  I need to keep a closer tab on the NetBSD current tree to keep my
>     Vaxen, alphas, Mipsboxes, and related machines happy.  I figure
>     I can make the web server carry that load, since it is on the net,
>     and run a script to roll current source tarballs nightly from the
>     current tree, to ferry via cd or tape to my home machines, as
>     needed.
> 
> 3.  I need a dependable web server that won't grumble too much, under
>     light load.  The machine is basically a small teaching web server
>     for handling class junk, and other than occasional backups and that
>     sort of thing, it just needs to run, and run, and run, carrying maybe
>     a gig of web stuff.  Apache has been working fine on the PeeCees and
>     on the OpenBSD SS1.  My gut feeling is that NetBSD-1.4.2 on the SS1
>     will probably be fine.  It is running fine, as of last night on
>     the IPX, in lieu of OpenBSD 2.6.  The NBSD/OBSD feel mostly the same,
>     compile rather much the same, and give me the impression that either
>     will do fine, for what I need the box to do.
> 
> So, my real question is....  Will NetBSD-1.4.2 sparc replace my OpenBSD
> 2.6 sparc, without presenting any gotchas or security issues that I
> might need to worry about?  
> 
> I sense it should, but I need to check for any gotchas ahead of time.
> I can't be playing the daily fix and patchup on the SS1 in the office.
> It has just gotta run, and run, and run.  I sense 1.4.2 is at the
> point where it will do that, now.
> 
> Any insights, horror stories, gotchas, etc..... appreciated.
> 
> Thanks
> 
> Bob

---

LeRoy C. Miller III
Network Administrator: ansic.net / darkphiber.org
Whois NIC: LM4772
Home Phone: 610-681-6504
Office Phone: 610-681-5894 Ext. 317
Email: qball@ansic.net / qball@darkphiber.org