New Kernel 2.4 Development Branch (-mjc)

Ivo writes: "kerneltrap is reporting: Michael Cohen announced to the lkml his intention to begin a new 2.4 development tree. The first release of his -mjc branch includes a number of performance enhancing patches, including Robert Love's preemptible kernel patch, Rick van Riel's reverse mapping patch and George Anzinger's real time scheduler patch. Michael says of this patch, "I feel that there's need for a rapidly developing '-ac [like]' tree, and so, here we go. Feel free to test it""

Comments

Re:Great, more fragmentation

[erat]

Sure, the free sound drivers could be better (remember, though, that OSS from 4-Front is available for FreeBSD, so this isn't a monumental issue), 3D support isn't fantastic, and quality SMP support isn't going to hit FreeBSD until probably version 5.0.

Regardless, your comment about FreeBSD being an inferior desktop OS is simply, undeniably, completely wrong. The same open source and free software available for Linux (with VERY few exceptions) is available for FreeBSD. If you're a gamer then 3D and sound may be an issue for you, but call a spade a spade, "desktop box" != "game box". When I think of desktop machines, I think of productivity, machines that help you get lots of important stuff done easily and quickly. When I think of game machines I think of Playstation 2s. Sorry, but I would rather spend $300 on a PS2 than dedicate my $2,000 PC to gaming (the PS2 would probably run better anyway).

Yes, I am another Linux --> FreeBSD convert. My machine does run better with FreeBSD, Mozilla actually works efficiently even with debugging stuff compiled in, and I get LOTS less zombie processes and frozen apps, etc. now that I've switched over. And yes, my Linux machine at work runs the exact same software and window manager as my machine at home (except for Mozilla, of course).

Both OSes have their plusses and minuses. Linux is more ubiquitous, but I still think FreeBSD has eeked ahead in some areas. Not all -- Linux will be in the lead for quite some time, I'm sure -- but some.

Rather than poo poo FreeBSD based on game stuff, why not try it as an actual desktop OS?

Re:this sounds really cool but

[sporty]

Well, I agree with you possibly. They need more time to become household names as well as good branding. After all, are you that confused that there's an OpenBSD, FreeBSD, NetBSD, and BSD/OS? It confused me at first, but it took 10 minutes of research to figure it all out. Not to mention one is at 3.0, another is at 4.4 (or is that 4.5) etc etc..

If there are different goals, not a bad choice for fragmenting.

Re:Great, more fragmentation

[Mark Bainter]

[snip] Just the other night I decided to dump Linux off my home machine all together and went with FreeBSD. [snip] I have absolutely no regrets.

Great! I'm glad you found an OS that makes you productive and happy. However, those things which you list do not make *BSD a better OS. They make it a different OS. *BSD appeals to a different type of user, imo. Ignoring the masses on both sides and looking at the core userbase that is. Some of us like having flexibility and choice, and we don't mind putting in the time to know all about our system. When that's the case little things like a lot of kernel versions just aren't a big deal.

Linux is not for everybody. Neither is *BSD. Each person has to decide for themselves which system fits their needs and then use it. All this OS bigotry is just ridiculous.

I'm all for proselytizing, and cheering the benefits. The problem (for me at least) comes in when people have this underlying tone of trying to declare one OS better than the other. Isn't it enough that you use it? (speaking generally here, not specifically to the previous poster) Or do you need the masses to agree with you before your choice can be validated?