> Note, however, that the FreeBSD install procedure really frustrated
> me.  It's beautifully colorful, but very ambiguous and wouldn't give
> me a root shell.  I couldn't even get it to untar from my DAT tape, so
> finally I had to untar the tape under NetBSD, reboot FreeBSD, and
> finish the job.  NetBSD wins big for having the least ambiguous
> install procedure of any operating system I've ever seen.  Period.
> They even include more on the boot floppy so you can read the scripts!
> If you know what you're doing, you know what the NetBSD installation
> procedure is doing.

Well, the FreeBSD install has some definite rough-edges, but I think
it's a LOT easier to add "hacker features" to an install that covers
90% of what the "average user" wants than it is to do the opposite.
Trust me, trying to cover all the user configuration issues is a whole
mess-o-work, and in comparison a quick root shell is a walk in the
park.  In point of fact, you CAN get that root shell quite easily,
either by loading the root floppy from some media (at which point the
"emergency holographic shell" will appear on VTY4) or chosing the
"fixit" option and going to town your own way.

Perhaps this still abraids the more serious hacking types, and I'm
*always* open to suggestions for things to make them happier.  Like I
said, the major work was and is pleasing the greater part of the
unskilled populace.  Adding a few quick escapes and "wizard modes" for
the advanced user is gravy, assuming of course that they let me know
what they want!

> In general, I guess people don't really take a single-platform OS's
> seriously.  For a while Linux people were claiming Linux would be
> ported to the 68K someday, and then last summer there were rumors that
> Linus himself was doing an alpha port.  [These could quite well be

It's not just a rumor, you should talk to Linus (as I have) about it.
The ALPHA port exists, it's being *shipped by DEC* as an option (just
see DEC's advert in this month's BYTE) and two ALPHAs occupy positions
of pride right at the foot of Linus's bed.. :)

I bring this up because I think that it's dangerous hubris to assume
that Linux can't and won't whip our butts on ALL fronts, from
cross-platform support to end-user frills.  They have the manpower and
they have the will - you can bet on it (in fact, I'd be willing to put
some money on it for anyone foolish enough to do so).  That's why I
wasn't happy at seeing the OpenBSD split, and also pretty much when I
lost all faith that the BSD world really could save itself from
itself.  We don't need external competition (though it exists and has
very large teeth) when we do such a fine job of standing on eachothers
feet!

If we want to prove the sincerity of our desire for cooperation, why
not merge OpenBSD and NetBSD again first?  That split is obviously the
fresher one.

					Jordan