> 
> I am new to NetBSD, downloaded for a preview onto a hard disk which became
> inaccessible (not sure if it's that particular hard disk that went bad).  I
> notice Linux is far ahead of NetBSD for multiprocessor support, and Linux got

linux had multiprocessing long before netbsd. but how about it's quality?

> ELF long before NetBSD.  Linux has an anarchy of many distributions, some (like

> Red Hat) seeming to go out of their way to out-Windows MS-Windows with their
> GUI.

exactly. good there are people who see that.
 
new kernels developing (2.4.*) are much sponsored by redhat.
effects - easy to see (kernel bloat and bugs)