BSDanywhere Announces First Release

The call of ktulu writes "Good things come to those who wait. After eight months of work the relatively new project BSDanywhere has announced its first final release 4.3. BSDanywhere is a bootable Live-CD image based on OpenBSD. It consists of the entire OpenBSD base system (without compiler) plus enlightenment desktop, an unrepresentative collection of software, automatic hardware detection and support for many graphics cards, sound cards, SCSI and USB devices as well as other peripherals. Give it a spin."

Comments

BSD?

[stim]

BSD? Whats that, some type of lunix?

Re:BSD?

[Windows_NT]

BSD is a type of oral Sex, geez dont you watch any porno?
j/k ... It think this is great, because OpenBSD is a great OS and is worth downloading an ISO of a live version.
What i dont understand is why you would make it live? this software cant be something you would use for surfing the web or something. More for breaking and entering i would think. thats what im going to use it for ... System repairs, although im not sure is BSD supports NTFS? Some quick googling shows that NTFS is not enabled by default and requires a custom kernel .. So did they include it? and do i get a copy of rainbowCrack with it?

Re:BSD?

[stim]

Yeah, i can't really fathom why one would need a livecd for BSD other than ease of install... Unless they are gunning for desktop use, which BSD isn't exactly famous for, unless you count OS X (which I don't).

Re:BSD?

[jcgf]

Nope, while they are both Unix-like operating systems, OpenBSD is the one that is secure: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenBSD_security_features and linux is the one that is for bitches: http://linuxisforbitches.com/

Re:BSD?

[Chemisor]

Nah, it stands for Blue Screen of Death.

Re:BSD?

[DaVince21]

Rather just "Blue Screen Death" - the action of causing and displaying a BSOD. :P

no compiler?

[X0563511]

No compiler? What, why?

Re:no compiler?

[morgan_greywolf]

Because CDs can only hold what -- 700 MB? Compilers take space. The purpose of the LiveCD is attract new users into the fold, not to preach to the choir.

Re:no compiler?

[mi]

No compiler? What, why?

Why would you want a compiler on a read-only system? A text-editor may be useful to craft an e-mail (in /tmp), but results of compilation are typically expected to survive a reboot or two...

Re:no compiler?

[X0563511]

Shame. Who would use OpenBSD beyond system admins and developers I can't really see. And as another post noted below, you still have to roll your own install media or fork over money.

(oh, and the instructions on making your media are not very clear. Basically says "look at the files here, and have fun)

Re:no compiler?

[Piranhaa]

It's not a big deal. You can simply extract comp43.tgz from any OpenBSD mirror.. Just for the record, it's 75MB gzip COMPRESSED. But ya, why would you need a compiler for a bootable CD?

Found here: http://sunsite.ualberta.ca/pub/OpenBSD/4.3/i386/comp43.tgz

Re:no compiler?

[bhima]

It's just a rescue CD anyway...

I am trying think of a time I needed a compiler on a box I was using a rescue CD on and I'm pretty sure I've forced the experience from my memory. I have a pretty low tolerance for that sort of thing anyway. So usually I just go in grab the data and config files, then reinstall current. But I haven't done that recently either. Knock on wood...

Also I am not sure of the utility of having an "unrepresentative collection of software" on a rescue CD. I guess this must be significant to someone...

Re:no compiler?

[Piranhaa]

Sorry, you are mistaken:
http://sunsite.ualberta.ca/pub/OpenBSD/4.3/i386/install43.iso (203M)

They've had a bootable CD ISO for quite some time, but would be required to do a net install. It's not a big deal since the whole download is just over 100MB. If you couldn't do that you, would need to supply another CD or USB with the install files on it. In the last 2-3 releases, the OpenBSD started created a pre-compiled bootable ISO with all the files included.

Re:no compiler?

[OrangeCowHide]

I did fork over the money for a OpenBSD 4.3 CD, and I installed it on one machine. A few months later I was going to install it a second time, and the CD was nowhere to be found. I suspect they send out Daemons to sneak into your house and steal copies of your CDs so you have to buy it again (note: yes I am aware that they have downloadable ISOs now, that doesn't stop me from wanting to contribute to a good project).

Re:no compiler?

[Just Some Guy]

Who would use OpenBSD beyond system admins and developers I can't really see.

What's wrong with OpenBSD? The latest release comes with a lot of software, including a recent(-ish) version of KDE. While it's not my first choice for a desktop, I wouldn't cry if someone told me I had to use it.

Re:no compiler?

[BPPG]

Shame. Who would use OpenBSD beyond system admins and developers I can't really see.

Think kids. As in smart, curious kids. Yes, they still make those.

Re:no compiler?

[Anonymous Coward]

I actually ran into this situation yesterday: I'm testing a Fedora Live CD on my XO. I need to download something before I bring up X, but I don't have a way to give NetworkManager my WPA creds without the applet. I find a tarball of something that will work, copy it over on a USB stick, but the installer requires Make.

And who would ever need Make on a livecd? Aaargh.

Of course it's a rare enough thing that I do agree with your point.

Re:no compiler?

[Sponge Bath]

What about something like a student lab. The system boots to an always clean environment, you do some programming exercises including compilation and save the results to a USB flash drive. Next student reboots so nothing nasty is left over from previous users (except filth sneezed onto the keyboard).

Re:no compiler?

[Spit]

OpenBSD has distrbuted the full install iso online for a few releases now. But if you're not a jerk you'll support the project by buying the official package.

Re:no compiler?

[Anonymous Coward]

What about something like a student lab. The system boots to an always clean environment, you do some programming exercises including compilation and save the results to a USB flash drive. Next student reboots so nothing nasty is left over from previous users (except filth sneezed onto the keyboard).

Just mount the directory that the compiler lives in over NFS (along with the student's homedir).

Re:no compiler?

[cl0s]

Aye, I contribute by testing.

Re:no compiler?

[mi]

Student labs tend to be administered by professional admins. Those people neither need nor will accept a one-size-fits all solution made by someone else. And they can devise a read-only boot-from-the-network solution, that works better, is easier to maintain, and is otherwise superior to a pre-made CD.

But yes, there may be cases, where a compiler could come handy even on a read-only system. Yet, when deciding, what to throw out to save space, the compiler toolchain is the obvious first candidate — right after the UUCP subsystem (if OpenBSD still includes that even in the full distribution — FreeBSD no longer does, for example).

Re:no compiler?

[Anonymous Coward]

"Who would use OpenBSD beyond system admins and developers I can't really see."

I agree, you are certainly limited in your thinking and shortsighted. I didn't expect you to be so clear about your lackings. I applaud you for coming out on /. and openly admitting it. It's rare to see such honesty of one's ignorance.

I do have to say though, that if your're indeed happy with your selection of an OS or kernal, fine, but that doesn't mean your way is the only way.

For example, OpenBSD users tend to be those...

...people who believe in consistent standards.

...who believe in not just good code, but excellent code.

...who want to use a system that has seeded good projects to nearly every other OS out there, including Linux.

...who care about a more free licensing scheme.

...who frankly are sick of everyone on the Linux bandwagon and slowing it down.

...who don't want to be owned/hacked/spied on.

Look much beyond what is in front you to explore other options are there. But admitting that you lack the time, effort, and intelligence to do so is really admirable.

heh

[Anonymous Coward]

Just 15 minutes ago I received my CDs of OpenBSD 4.4

Re:heh

[X0563511]

Can you pleasepleasepleaseplease post some ISOs somewhere?

Re:heh

[bhima]

They've been up on a variety of torrent sites for a while and you can get them from the OpenBSD website. I've been using it off and on for years and I think it's worth ponying up for the install disks. I keep coming back so I guess they're doing something right.

They also have a rather small CD image you could download and then do the rest of the install via FTP.

Re:heh

[Anonymous Coward]

ISO on the fridge

ISO on the cabinet

ISO on the window sill, need anymore?

Re:heh

[Anonymous Coward]

Here you go. (It's 4.3; 4.4 isn't out on ftp yet).

Re:heh

[grub]

I received 3x copies of 4.4 today as well (we order a few at work). November 1 they'll have the ISOs up (they do that now).

Just IMHO, though, if you're a *nix weenie and don't use OpenBSD it's almost a certainty that you use OpenSSH. It's a good gesture to toss them a few bucks for an ISO set or donate.

A LiveCD ...

[upside]

... of a dead OS? (Netcraft etc.)

Re:A LiveCD ...

[Piranhaa]

OpenBSD is far from dead, buddy. PF, OpenSSH, OpenCVS.. all being widely adopted and ported across OS'. Hell, even windows uses OpenBSD code BSD Licensed code in its OS (traceroute anyone?). The code is solid and highly audited before AND after release. There's a reason there have only been a couple of remote holes in over 10 years. There are NO binary blobs in source and drivers are reverse engineered if necessary to add to the OS. And on another note, the BSD license is a very easy license to follow if needing to reuse the code. There are 3 clauses, and the last one is optional by the author(s) of the code:

* Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
* Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the documentation and/or other materials provided with the distribution.
* Neither the name of the nor the names of its contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived from this software without specific prior written permission.

After having used OpenBSD now for 7 or 8 years, I REFUSE to put anything else facing my internet connection. It just doesn't make sense.

Re:A LiveCD ...

[stim]

WOOSH!

Re:A LiveCD ...

[JustOK]

you must be new here.

Re:A LiveCD ...

[The Moof]

The name should've been ZomBSD.

Re:A LiveCD ...

[Wraithlyn]

"Netcraft confirms it, BSD [or other] is dying" is kind've a running joke around here (which is why OP is modded "funny").

It's pretty much a rubber-stamp troll post designed to elicit responses like... well exactly like your post. ;)

Read more about common Slashdot memes. And yes, you must memorize every single one before posting another byte to the hallowed halls of /. ;)

Re:A LiveCD ...

[Anonymous Coward]

We're safe unless it figures out how to open doors...

Re:A LiveCD ...

[BobNET]

The name should've been ZomBSD.

I agree, it is undeadly...

Re:A LiveCD ...

[grub]

I don't know about the OS being dead, I've used it for many years.

But there's another side to OpenBSD most geeks don't realize, I'll relate my experiences here.

Many years around the early 2.x releases I read until my eyes were bleeding about OpenBSD. The ferocity towards 'noob' questions on the lists was legendary, even back then. I bought a copy of the CDs and installed it a Pentium I had.

The next morning when I woke up I felt something odd around my nether-regions.

My penis had grown at least 10 cm (4") overnight, and that was just in girth. I was hung like a stallion.

Staggering to the bathroom for a shower I saw in the mirror that my facial features looked more chiselled, for lack of a better word. My jaw was prominent. Then I realized I lost all my geek belly fat.

I hadn't looked that good since I was 20.

Hoping into the shower I was lathering up and I smelled mint coming from somewhere. Wasn't the soap, wasn't the shampoo. What the hell? I realized then that the smell was coming from under my nose.

OpenBSD even made my breath minty fresh. Permanently. I threw away my toothbrush several days later.

I don't need to tell you about what happened with my Holmesian nether-regions but a few hints: peanut butter, latex gloves, cloven hooves.

OpenBSD made me what I am today.

Re:A LiveCD ...

[Raenex]

OpenBSD made me what I am today.

A dork?

Re:A LiveCD ...

[Anonymous Coward]

I applaud those who disregard the in-jokes and tired memes, and respond with a straight face. Keep it coming! Eventually, the "you must be new here" and "woooosh" remarks will get old and annoying, and the annoyance will rub off on the memes.

Memes are viruses of the mind. They don't need or deserve eternal life.

Re:A LiveCD ...

[fm6]

I think this confirms it: Netcraft is dying!

Fun, but not installable from this CD

[gardyloo]

Many live CD systems now have taken to being installable from those same CDs. According to the release announcement, one still has to acquire an OpenBSD release set to install to hdd. Too bad.

Re:Fun, but not installable from this CD

[Anonymous Coward]

It's supposed to encourage users to purchase the real set from the project.

Re:Fun, but not installable from this CD

[X0563511]

Lower the price and I might consider. At that price and the hassle it is to deal without forking cash over, I'll give OpenBSD a pass.

Re:Fun, but not installable from this CD

[Anonymous Coward]

You can download OpenBSD now. Since release 4.2, a year ago, actually. In a few months you will be able to download 4.4. If you do download it, you will notice how it is UNIX done right, if that is even possible and will want to have more money to buy the CD sets and all the merchandising you can get.
They ask you to give money to the project because they cannot give more without starving to death. Because OpenBSD is really that good.

Re:Fun, but not installable from this CD

[Richard_at_work]

Uhm, huh? Firstly I think this post just perfectly symbolises the 'any price is too expensive for me' mindset that some Slashdotters seem to have, and secondly, downloading a prepackaged ISO is too much 'hassle'? How do you manage to get out of bed in a morning?

Re:Fun, but not installable from this CD

[couchslug]

Full-featured live CD/DVDs with installers are very handy.

It's nice to surf for more information while you install, especially if you run into problems. Dual-use install media are a great convenience for Linux users. It is reasonable to expect other OS to be offered that way if their proponents are serious about market penetration. It works for Ubuntu/Kubuntu/other 'buntus.

Re:Fun, but not installable from this CD

[eudaemon]

OpenBSD -- It's what is on my firewall and should be on yours. My only complaint about OpenBSD?
I can't afford to contribute enough $$ to get listed in the liner notes anymore.

Re:Fun, but not installable from this CD

[BobNET]

How do you manage to get out of bed in a morning?

Morning routine:

1. Wake up
2. Start BSDanywhere download
3. Get out from under the covers

Laptops are weird.

Re:Fun, but not installable from this CD

[e9th]

Don't worry about the liner notes - they stopped including the list of donors after 3.6, referring you here instead.

Re:Fun, but not installable from this CD

[X0563511]

Last I checked, a prebuilt ISO was not available.

$40 is too much for me. $20 is my psychological turning-point with software.

Re:Fun, but not installable from this CD

[ir]

Maybe they'll accept food stamps, just for you.

Re:Fun, but not installable from this CD

[wdef]

With a bit of fiddling it should be possible to hack this cd to copy the system onto a hard drive and get a boot loader set up. Though I'm not familiar with the initial stages of BSD boot, it can't be that hard to unravel? But you're right - it should have an install script to do that for you. Plus a knoppix-based live cd like Damnsmalllinux can run all from ramdisk (fast!), or can do a "frugal" install in addition to a conventional hd install. All automated. What options does this provide?

Re:Fun, but not installable from this CD

[Richard_at_work]

You must have 'last checked' quite a while ago, prebuilt ISOs have been available for at least the last two releases -

http://www.mirrorservice.org/sites/ftp.openbsd.org/pub/OpenBSD/4.3/i386/install43.iso

http://www.mirrorservice.org/sites/ftp.openbsd.org/pub/OpenBSD/4.2/i386/install42.iso

Re:Fun, but not installable from this CD

[X0563511]

Yes.. it's been a while.

Firewire Support?

[TheNecromancer]

Yeah, but does it have FireWire support?

http://apple.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/10/17/1331229

Re:Firewire Support?

[Windows_NT]

Cmon now, BSD isnt some flakey OS you put on a MacBook

Re:Firewire Support?

[Anonymous Coward]

Yeah, but can it run Doom?

Re:Firewire Support?

[Anonymous Coward]

Yes, now go away.

Re:Firewire Support?

[BobNET]

Thanks, I hadn't seen that port yet. Looks like the same guy has created ports for several editing tools as well as PrBoom-plus, but none of them have been included in the ports tree yet. (Too close to 4.4 release time, maybe...)

First release version 4.3??

[Anonymous Coward]

Looks like this story was a precursor to this one.

-1, redundant

[Anonymous Coward]

They already covered this on Saturday Night Live: Weekend Update. -1 redundant.

What exactly about the software...

[TheModelEskimo]

...is it that makes it "unrepresentative?" Is this like those people who hand you their resume and say, "actually this doesn't really represent me so please feel free to call if you have any questions?"

Re:Joe The Plumber, +3, PatRIOTic

[X0563511]

If you think any of that will get read, your on crack. Don't you have something else to do?

Your assertion

[Anonymous Coward]

has been falsified.

Booo

[Thelasko]

I'm interested in running BSD, but let me know when they make a version that's as easy to install as Ubuntu and doesn't use KDE. I'm not a KDE fan, and it seems that with BSD you have an option of KDE or CLI and that's it.

There are plenty of LiveCD versions of BSD, but you can't install any of them! Honesty, I really like FreeSBIE. I just wish they would make it capable of installing itself on a hard disk.

IMHO BSDanywhere is completely pointless.

Re:Booo

[dragonmantank]

Gnome is in packages and there are lots of other Window Managers ported to OpenBSD...

Re:Booo

[Anonymous Coward]

If you're too stupid to install to install Gnome from ports, you're too stupid to care what Window Manager you're using.

Re:Booo

[Thelasko]

If you're too stupid to install to install Gnome from ports, you're too stupid to care what Window Manager you're using.

Ladies and Gentlemen, the reason BSD is dying is because people are too stupid!

Re:Booo

[BPPG]

Try out PCBSD, based of FreeBSD, aiming to be a alternative to Ubuntu.

If you are really that interested, you should be able to stomach installing GNOME on your own. Heck, google around, maybe somebody has already made a PCBSD remix with gnome as default.

Re:Booo

[Anonymous Coward]

Next you'll be want an install process that shakes your dick for you after going to the bathroom. OpenBSD It is easy to install even without their purchased disks. How spoiled and lazy can you be?

Re:Booo

[Anonymous Coward]

cause it ... ehm .. doesn't use KDE?

cd Enilightenment-dr0.13

[Jeremiah Cornelius]

mkxmf

make enlightenment

(hmmnn. I've got 15 minutes. I wonder what's on "Chips'N'Dips"?)

Who is Dany where

[Anonymous Coward]

and why is he or she selling their BS?

Great initiative

[chrysalis]

Nowadays, anyone who wants to discover a new operating system wants to try a live CD first.

Although there were other live OpenBSD CDs (like OliveBSD), yet another one, especially based upon something original like Enlightenment, is a great thing.

OpenBSD is often described as a server-only (or network-stuff-only) operating system. Actually, it can also be a decent desktop OS.

I'm using OpenBSD on my primary workstation for 7 years and I'm quite happy with it. The only thing I *really* miss, especially as a web developper, is the lack of Flash support (except crappy support with Opera). nspluginwrapper + linux emulation is still as stable as nitroglycerine.

Re:Great initiative

[nawcom]

Nowadays, anyone who wants to discover a new operating system wants to try a live CD first.

Although there were other live OpenBSD CDs (like OliveBSD), yet another one, especially based upon something original like Enlightenment, is a great thing.

OpenBSD is often described as a server-only (or network-stuff-only) operating system. Actually, it can also be a decent desktop OS.

I'm using OpenBSD on my primary workstation for 7 years and I'm quite happy with it. The only thing I *really* miss, especially as a web developper, is the lack of Flash support (except crappy support with Opera). nspluginwrapper + linux emulation is still as stable as nitroglycerine.

Not to be an OSS whore, but check out the latest development sources for gnash. If definitely improved since the last time I've used it. I've also heard that some flash 9 apps are starting to load just fine, but what do I know.

bzr branch http://bzr.savannah.gnu.org/r/gnash/trunk

If you can try it out tonight, reply to this because i'm curious on how it works out on OpenBSD

Re:Great initiative

[fgaliegue]

While I've never contested the fact that any *BSD can be a decent desktop OS given enough time to fiddle with it, I'm downloading it for yet another reason: I've never tried any *BSD OS.

I'm a man of old habits and have been using Linux for 12 years now. Time to discover what's "out there" ;)

In fact, I've been looking into OpenBSD at some time, but was rebuked by its user community, which I found quite unhelpul (an OpenBSD IRC channel which I went on to gather information about the OS likened me to a "Gentoo ricer", since yes, I use Gentoo).

Hey, somehow like... You know... When a Windows user goes and asks for help on quite a few Linux IRC channels around the world...

Anyway, that's good news, and will certainly help spread the word.

Downloading the ISO now

[ducomputergeek]

I was waiting for this as we have a need for a few digital signage/internet kiosk application and I can't think of a better OS that OpenBSD on the default security side. Now to see if I can get it to boot off a Compact Flash card.

Re:Downloading the ISO now

[Lincolnshire Poacher]

> Now to see if I can get it to boot off a Compact Flash card.

Posting this from OBSD 4.3 booting from a Toshiba 1GB CF for the system and a 4GB generic CF for writable partitions. With the CFs in an IDE adapter ( or even a Cardbus adapter ) the OBSD installer just treats the CFs as IDE disks.

Re:Downloading the ISO now

[peacefinder]

I dunno about this repackaging, but I've been booting OpenBSD off of CF cards since 3.5 or so.

'Course, the latest one hasn't shut down and rebooted in 600-ish days, so I guess I haven't been testing that very well. :-)

Re:Frost 4ifst

[Anonymous Coward]

Somebody is working on his candidate for the next "Turing test" contest. How cute! And impressive, it is likely more intelligent than its creator.

CD Thumbdrive

[Anonymous Coward]

I for one am glad our new overloads decided the CD is still better than the thumbdrive.

Huh?

[Anonymous Coward]

Who is Dany, why does he spell his name with only one "n" and why is it BS wherever he is?

Get the Beta 3 and earlier.

[sethstorm]

The final version removed some of the stuff that's needed, just grab the betas.

theo

[Anonymous Coward]

just hope you don't have any problems with it, because theo and co. won't be of any help at all.

Installs removed - - Was: Re:no compiler?

[MrZaius]

Actually, it looks like the last prerelease beta's big "feature" was that it stripped away an already extant installation routine.

There's a reason I don't bother with source-based Linux distributions anymore, and I've never seen one that made installation anywhere near the level of sheer PITA that you see in OpenBSD. User friendly LiveCDs like this are built to pitch an OS as a desktop OS, not a server OS. To strip away a user-friendly installation routine and call it a "feature" seems like a joke to me.

It's intentionally thumbing your nose like this to users that drives them away. I'm at an absolute loss as to why this is supposed to be a decent alternative to a modern BSD and Linux based LiveCD with fully functional installation routines, limiting your level of hassle to one download or purchase. Again, PITA/not going to bother, although I would in a heartbeat if properly packaged ala an Ubuntu LiveCD.

4.3 as 1.0?

[DaVince21]

First version: 4.3? Something weird's going on with the versioning here...

Re:4.3 as 1.0?

[kace]

Not weird. It's just a live-CD version OpenBSD, so it's following their versions. Definitely the best way to do it. PC-BSD (based on FreeBSD) is doing that now, too.

Oh, and RTFA. :-P

Honest question

[sbillard]

Need to wipe and reload my primary home computer. I've been thinking about permanently booting from CD and then launching virtual OS, OS, OS,... from there. I like the idea of a read-only OS. Virtual instances are much easier to backup/deploy.

I'm going to take a performance hit. Other than that, what sort of problems am I going to have? Why is this a good/bad idea?

Thanks, SB

Re:Honest question

[kace]

It's a good idea because OS's may need to change and you can easily keep all of your data on the HD (on a widely supported file system, on its own primary DOS partition) across OS changes.

It's a bad idea because of performance (as you note). On a live-CD system I'm familiar with, FreeSBIE, the files are compressed to save space so access is slowed by both the CD drive and decompression (first access of each file, at least).

It's also a bad idea because you lack the flexibility of easily updating the OS and third-party SW, and adding third-party SW. It's doable, of course, by using the hard drive, but then you're kind of defeating the purpose of CD-based OS's in the first place and adding a small management headache.

A good way, given enough HD space, might be to have a data partition plus one or two OS partitions. You could still run live-CD OS's, too.

Re:Honest question

[sbillard]

Thank you for the thoughtful reply. You're right, I would lack the flexibility of updating the OS. But then again, so do the "bad guys" . I'm currently running XP and I think I've been rooted and so there is the source of my paranoia and desire to boot WORM. Happy to say no more windows for me after this. I think I'll go with your last statement. Works out nice since I have an 80 GB IDE and 400 GB SATA.

The jggimi OpenBSD LiveCD / LiveDVD

[Sunnz]

jggimi's OpenBSD is quite good as well, you can choose between Gnome KFD Xfce or FluxBox; and they come up usually one week after the official release rather than waiting for months. http://jggimi.homeip.net/livecd/downloads.html