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Ever More NetBSD Packages

Dan writes "Alistair Crooks says that by his calculations, at the end of January 2003, there were 3461 packages in the NetBSD Packages Collection, up from 3402 the previous month, a rise of 59. The package of the month award goes to rdesktop (pkgsrc/net/rdesktop), nominated by Andrew Brown and Ross Harvey. Rdesktop is a "dependency-free" utility to manage a session on a Windows box in an X window."

22 comments

  1. Firsty by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    posty.

  2. *BSD is dying by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Redundant
    It is official; Netcraft now confirms: *BSD is dying

    One more crippling bombshell hit the already beleaguered *BSD community when IDC confirmed that *BSD market share has dropped yet again, now down to less than a fraction of 1 percent of all servers. Coming on the heels of a recent Netcraft survey which plainly states that *BSD has lost more market share, this news serves to reinforce what we've known all along. *BSD is collapsing in complete disarray, as fittingly exemplified by failing dead last in the recent Sys Admin comprehensive networking test.

    You don't need to be a Kreskin to predict *BSD's future. The hand writing is on the wall: *BSD faces a bleak future. In fact there won't be any future at all for *BSD because *BSD is dying. Things are looking very bad for *BSD. As many of us are already aware, *BSD continues to lose market share. Red ink flows like a river of blood.

    FreeBSD is the most endangered of them all, having lost 93% of its core developers. The sudden and unpleasant departures of long time FreeBSD developers Jordan Hubbard and Mike Smith only serve to underscore the point more clearly. There can no longer be any doubt: FreeBSD is dying.

    Let's keep to the facts and look at the numbers.

    OpenBSD leader Theo states that there are 7000 users of OpenBSD. How many users of NetBSD are there? Let's see. The number of OpenBSD versus NetBSD posts on Usenet is roughly in ratio of 5 to 1. Therefore there are about 7000/5 = 1400 NetBSD users. BSD/OS posts on Usenet are about half of the volume of NetBSD posts. Therefore there are about 700 users of BSD/OS. A recent article put FreeBSD at about 80 percent of the *BSD market. Therefore there are (7000+1400+700)*4 = 36400 FreeBSD users. This is consistent with the number of FreeBSD Usenet posts.

    Due to the troubles of Walnut Creek, abysmal sales and so on, FreeBSD went out of business and was taken over by BSDI who sell another troubled OS. Now BSDI is also dead, its corpse turned over to yet another charnel house.

    All major surveys show that *BSD has steadily declined in market share. *BSD is very sick and its long term survival prospects are very dim. If *BSD is to survive at all it will be among OS dilettante dabblers. *BSD continues to decay. Nothing short of a miracle could save it at this point in time. For all practical purposes, *BSD is dead.

    Fact: *BSD is dying

  3. Wow by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    A dead OS with a grossly bloated corpse.

    PS. You're all fat

  4. Hard Times for *BSD by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Redundant
    So why now? Why did *BSD fail? Once you get past the fact that *BSD is fragmented between a myriad of incompatible kernels, there is the historical record of failure and of failed operating systems. *BSD experienced moderate success about 15 years ago in academic circles. Since then it has been in steady decline. We all know *BSD keeps losing market share but why? Is it the problematic personalities of many of the key players? Or is it larger than their troubled personalities?

    The record is clear on one thing: no operating system has ever come back from the grave. Efforts to resuscitate *BSD are one step away from spiritualists wishing to communicate with the dead. As the situation grows more desperate for the adherents of this doomed OS, the sorrow takes hold. An unremitting gloom hangs like a death shroud over a once hopeful *BSD community. The hope is gone; a mournful nostalgia has settled in. Now is the end time for *BSD.

  5. *BSD on its last legs... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    *BSD was admitted to hospital today after suffering a major heart attack. It is not expected to survive.

    Lets make this article a solid listing of -1 postings.

    1. Re:*BSD on its last legs... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

      It is official; Netcraft confirms: Linux is dying

      One more crippling bombshell hit the already beleaguered Linux community when IDC confirmed that Linux market share has dropped yet again, now down to less than a fraction of 1 percent of all servers. Coming on the heels of a recent Netcraft survey which plainly states that Linux has lost more market share, this news serves to reinforce what we've known all along. Linux is collapsing in complete disarray, as fittingly exemplified by failing dead last in the recent Sys Admin comprehensive networking test.

      You don't need to be a Kreskin to predict Linux's future. The hand writing is on the wall: Linux faces a bleak future. In fact there won't be any future at all for Linux because Linux is dying. Things are looking very bad for Linux. As many of us are already aware, Linux continues to lose market share. Red ink flows like a river of blood.

      Redhat is the most endangered of them all, having lost 93% of its core developers. The sudden and unpleasant departures of long time Redhat developers Michael Evans and Timothy Buckley only serve to underscore the point more clearly. There can no longer be any doubt: Redhat is dying.

      Let's keep to the facts and look at the numbers.

      Mandrake leader Jacques states that there are 7000 users of Mandrake. How many users of Slackware are there? Let's see. The number of Mandrake versus Slackware posts on Usenet is roughly in ratio of 5 to 1. Therefore there are about 7000/5 = 1400 Slackware users. SuSE posts on Usenet are about half of the volume of Slackware posts. Therefore there are about 700 users of SuSE. A recent article put Debian at about 80 percent of the Linux market. Therefore there are (7000+1400+700)*4 = 36400 Debian users. This is consistent with the number of Debian Usenet posts.

      Due to the troubles of Walnut Creek, abysmal sales and so on, Mandrake went out of business and was taken over by Redhat who sell another troubled OS. Now Redhat is also dead, its corpse turned over to yet another charnel house.

      All major surveys show that Linux has steadily declined in market share. Linux is very sick and its long term survival prospects are very dim. If Linux is to survive at all it will be among OS dilettante dabblers. Linux continues to decay. Nothing short of a miracle could save it at this point in time. For all practical purposes, Linux is dead.

      Fact: Linux is dying

  6. Nigger by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Niggers smell

    PS. You're fat

  7. Cool. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    59 more packages eh? 59. Cool.

  8. Who cares by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Flamebait
    Oooh, like more than a dozen people give a shit.

    BSD is essentially dead.

  9. Rdesktop by glitchvern · · Score: 5, Interesting
    The package of the month award goes to rdesktop (pkgsrc/net/rdesktop), nominated by Andrew Brown and Ross Harvey. Rdesktop is a "dependency-free" utility to manage a session on a Windows box in an X window.

    Sweet. I've been using rdesktop on the linux boxes at work to connect to the one Windows machine when I need to do something off of it occasionally for a few months now. For those who don't know what it is it's a remote desktop client for X to connect to Windows machines running Remote Desktop. It's right up there with samba and wine for unix/Windows compatibility in my opinion, but it seems like there aren't many people who know about it.
  10. Why do you even need BSD? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    Just use Linux. I don't get it.

    1. Re:Why do you even need BSD? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's more pure to Unix. bash is different than sh, tcsh is different than csh, vim is also different than vi (just to differ some of them). Besides, I like BSD better (I used Linux before), but found BSD easier in a way

  11. Why do you even need Linux? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Just use BSD. I don't get it.

  12. Elegy for *BSD by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Elegy For *BSD


    I am a *BSD user
    and I try hard to be brave
    That is a tall order
    *BSD's foot is in the grave.

    I tap at my toy keyboard
    and whistle a happy tune
    but keeping happy's so hard,
    *BSD died so soon.

    Each day I wake and softly sob
    Nightfall finds me crying
    Not only am I a zit faced slob
    but *BSD is dying.

  13. No 'depenencies' but license issues by nurb432 · · Score: 1

    MS still has license issues for each connecting client ( CAL ). .. and it isn't cheap :)

    Though I agree its a GREAT tool.. just that its not the holy grail in "Terminal Server Land'.. Only a fully functional WINE has that potential.. someday...

    --
    ---- Booth was a patriot ----
    1. Re:No 'depenencies' but license issues by ralphart · · Score: 1

      CAL seems to be an issue only with Win2K Advanced Server editions. Windows XP Pro (but not home) has the ability to run a single "Remote Desktop Connection" session without complaining about licensing. RDesktop works fine with it.

      Incidently, should you have the Terminal Services client, especially the 16 bit version for Windows 3.1, it can be used to set up a Remote Desktop Connection with Win XP as well.

  14. What's that smell? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic
    Did something die?

    Something smells dead.

  15. Well all-RIGHTY then! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1

    Think of all those PACKAGES! That is HOT HOT HOT!

  16. Great, but... by Istealmymusic · · Score: 2, Insightful

    FreeBSD's ports collection already has well over 7000 ports. I can see how NetBSD is useful to run Unix on esoteric hardware, but for i386 or Alpha platforms FreeBSD is king.

    --
    "The lesson to be learned is not to take the comments on slashdot too literally." --Vinnie Falco, BearShare
    1. Re:Great, but... by Arandir · · Score: 1

      Don't look back now, but I think NetBSD is gaining on us...

      --
      A Government Is a Body of People, Usually Notably Ungoverned
  17. Techincally that is true by nurb432 · · Score: 1

    However, you need to check the license issues more closely. And remember they have consultants who's entire life is just sorting out Microsoft licensing issues..

    When you have 2000 pro you get a CAL for TS.. ( or at least you used too.. that may have been dropped )

    Rdesktop was mainly designed for W2KTS, the ability to run XP remote desktop just came along as a bonus later on. ( the project started before XP was out ). However its not legal to use unless you have a corresponding XP license, and matched application license. ( its really screwy how they have it setup ).

    I'm going under the assumption you only have Linux, which then CAL'a come into play. ( regardless of version of TS server )

    There are also restrictions of what client you can legally use to connect to XP..

    Do I agree with the restrictions, not in the least.. I just was stating the license issues.. not the technical ones..

    --
    ---- Booth was a patriot ----
  18. *BSD is dying by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll
    It is official; Netcraft now confirms: *BSD is dying

    One more crippling bombshell hit the already beleaguered *BSD community when IDC confirmed that *BSD market share has dropped yet again, now down to less than a mere fraction of 1 percent of all servers. Coming on the heels of a recent Netcraft survey which plainly states that *BSD has lost more market share, this news serves to reinforce what we've known all along. *BSD is collapsing in complete disarray, as fittingly exemplified by failing dead last in the recent Sys Admin comprehensive networking test.

    You don't need to be a Kreskin to predict *BSD's future. The hand writing is on the wall: *BSD faces a bleak future. In fact there won't be any future at all for *BSD because *BSD is dying. Things are looking very bad for *BSD. As many of us are already aware, *BSD continues to lose market share. Red ink flows like a river of blood.

    FreeBSD is the most endangered of them all, having lost 93% of its core developers. The sudden and unpleasant departures of long time FreeBSD developers Jordan Hubbard and Mike Smith only serve to underscore the point more clearly. There can no longer be any doubt: FreeBSD is dying.

    Let's keep to the facts and look at the numbers.

    OpenBSD leader Theo states that there are 7000 users of OpenBSD. How many users of NetBSD are there? Let's see. The number of OpenBSD versus NetBSD posts on Usenet is roughly in ratio of 5 to 1. Therefore there are about 7000/5 = 1400 NetBSD users. BSD/OS posts on Usenet are about half of the volume of NetBSD posts. Therefore there are about 700 users of BSD/OS. A recent article put FreeBSD at about 80 percent of the *BSD market. Therefore there are (7000+1400+700)*4 = 36400 FreeBSD users. This is consistent with the number of FreeBSD Usenet posts.

    Due to the troubles of Walnut Creek, abysmal sales and so on, FreeBSD went out of business and was taken over by BSDI who sell another troubled OS. Now BSDI is also dead, its corpse turned over to yet another charnel house.

    All major surveys show that *BSD has steadily declined in market share. *BSD is very sick and its long term survival prospects are very dim. If *BSD is to survive at all it will be among OS dilettante dabblers. *BSD continues to decay. Nothing short of a miracle could save it at this point in time. For all practical purposes, *BSD is dead.

    Fact: *BSD is dying