FreeBSDCon Quickies

There've been a bunch of FreeBSD Con submissions since the Conference started. kken notes that sendmail.net have an early report from the conference. Upside also talk about the conference, concentrating on FreeBSD's position re: Linux (thanks to wozz for that). On the pictures front, we have pics from Bill Fumerola and Gianmarco Giovannelli (here's a much faster mirror for those). Enjoy.

Comments

Advocating *nix in schools.

[Dast]

"FreeBSD needs your help," Hubbard intoned. "Even if you're a user who hasn't touched a line of C code in your life, you can still help out, writing articles, passing out CDs, talking to schools. Whatever it takes."

First off, I'm a Linux guy myself, but I'm very happy to see any *nix group pulling together to try to attract new blood. As much as the Linux and the BSD crowd squable over things, either side gaining new ground is a Good Thing(tm). It is a win for *nix in general, especially on the school front.

The college I attent, like many others, started almost totaly *nix, but has been making more and more of a push into total windows*. I think you aren't even required to use unix until the end of your sophomore year/ beginning of your junior year.

While our LUG has been making more and more converts, the CS dept is requiring new CS majors to buy a laptop, which must run WinNT. (Blah. No choice at all. I'm glad I got there long before that rule.) It gets harder and harder to convince all but the most jaded to run a *nix platform when the CS dept requires that they run WinNT as well.

So to the BSD crowd: I hope you make it around to my school. I would personaly be proud to have you all there. ;) (We will, of course, be right behind you with Linux disks.)

This kind of competition and recognition can only benefit all.

Re:Bleah

[NovaX]

hmm.. the BSD community wasn't quoted by saying that. Its the UNIX community, the article was saying consider Linux a "bastard OS." That's pretty true. Sun hasn't 'seen the light' and dumped its decrepit (hah!) OS in terms to Linux, neither has IBM. Those UNIXes are qutie good, and its a bit sad many people view UNIX dead, and only Linux (and BSD) as server OSs of choice. Sun, SCO, etc are only now starting to have some Linux support. How old and well creditted is FreeBSD Linux support? So, umm.. your wrong.

Re:Why so anti-Linux?

[NovaX]

Its always a bit disturbing when almost every article on BSD gets Linux thrown in, whether just to say "its like linux" (which gets extremely annoying..), or comparisions. The reason for Linux's mentioning was alright, and that was to say Jordon and others want enough word out so BSD can follow, safely, behind the Linux trend. They don't want BSD to be overshadowed, or to become extreme.

I agree, though, its pretty bad few people recognize Linux and BSD as all open source. That's not a BSD side problem, its both. With the larger userbase for Linux, there's an idea that seems to float around that open source = GPL = 'free' software.. and the rest are just annoyances that 'ride' along with Linux. It should be a joint thrust, Linux people should advocate Linux, but not condem but even advocate BSD. Same with BSD people. All it takes is education, and the will to admit we're friends with simiar ideology. Friends can always disagree on a few points.. but still friends.