Open Resource Encouraging FreeBSD Driver Developme

Kelly Yancey writes "A new resource encouraging device driver development for FreeBSD just came on-line: the FreeBSD Driver Database. The idea of the database is to assist driver developers who may need hardware, documentation, or volunteer testers just find just that. Developers can list the drivers they are currently hacking together and anything they may need to help them to their goal. Similarly, sysadmins (or anyone else) with hardware they can lend to developers can post their hardware and it's availability.

The hope is to broaden the base of supported hardware for FreeBSD by providing a central point around which development can focus. People with hardware they would like to see supported can find developers to lend it to. And developers who need hardware (or volunteers) to test their drivers can indicate their needs on-line. "

Comments

Nice.

[D.A.Alderud]

It's nice, but why limit it to FreeBSD?
I have always considered *BSD to be ONE community.
FreeBSD would help it self by helping NetBSD and OpenBSD.
All of the above borrows from the others, this should include drivers too.
By having one database for developing *BSD drivers we would all benefit.

Just my $0.02.

Re:Nice.

[lomion]

good point, maybe the creators stick with what they knew at first?

Re:Nice.

[remcoscc]

You mean, like the BSD Applications database at bsdapps.org?

Remco.

I don't like this

[Anonymous Coward]

moving the freebsd news off to this section. it's not helping I don't think! If the main page reports on mostly useless crap (and you know it is), why can't useful news like this be put up on the main page. sad.

Re:I don't like this

[j1mmy]

The *bsd oses will grow in popularity soon enough and we'll have more stuff here. Linux is becoming so commercialized that I've heard it referred to as the "Windows of Unices" by some.

Re:I don't like this

[nikc]

AC wrote:

moving the freebsd news off to this section. it's not helping I don't think! If the main page reports on mostly useless crap (and you know it is), why can't useful news like this be put up on the main page. sad.

BSD stuff will (and is) still be posted to the front page. At the moment it's basically my call as to whether a story will appear on the front page, or whether it will just appear in the BSD section.

At the moment, I'm going on gut instinct. This will be refined over the coming weeks as we post more stories. Doubtless I'll get people saying "Why did that story make the front page? It should have only been posted to the BSD section!" as well.

For the time being, if you think I should have posted a story to the front page (or not, as the case may be) please tell me -- nik@slashdot.org.

N

Yes... AND SOME TIPS FOR NIK.

[D.A.Alderud]

Yes exactly.

BTW, I think it should show up on the mainpage that there are a new story in the BSD section,
other than just the date on the right(I think the date should be shown to the right or below each section title, as it is now it might be confusing for some people.).
I know there are alot of guys using BSD on Slashdot, but they can apperently can not find the BSD section, or simply doesn't know it's been updated.

Nik, how about a new segment(on the right on main page) that shows the most recent BSD news in this section? Just like the "Ask Slashdot"-segment.

Oh, and just a thought.

Why don't we use "Ask Slashdot"?
I think people might have some good ideas,
lets just hope there won't be any trolls.

Re:Yes... AND SOME TIPS FOR NIK.

[NovaX]

By request, there's two new side bar boxes, daemon daily news, and the BSD section (well,all sections have a box). So, just add them and you can check on the main page. The reason fewer people reply is not because they don't read it (look at DDN. Few replies, lots more article submissions). BSD users just don't seem as quick to chip in mass rants in the forums as quickly.

Oh, and the rest of the segments are the same way. The 'interesting' articles show on the main, and the sections have lots of others that are neglected. This is one reason I don't think BSD should be on just BSD OSes, but on all BSD (ie Apache) so there's more diversity, and its not ignored. Otherwise, its just an excuse by slashdot that they do show BSD news, but instead they manage it in a fashion so that no one ever sees it.

Good.

[D.A.Alderud]

By request, there's two new side bar boxes, daemon daily news, and the BSD section (well,all sections have a box). So, just add them and you can check on the main page.

Good.

The reason fewer people reply is not because they don't read it (look at DDN. Few replies, lots more article submissions).

Stupid me, didn't think of that :)

BSD users just don't seem as quick to chip in mass rants in the forums as quickly.

Yes, that generally seams to be the case.

Oh, and the rest of the segments are the same way.

Love it.

The 'interesting' articles show on the main, and the sections have lots of others that are neglected. This is one reason I don't think BSD should be on just BSD OSes, but on all BSD (ie Apache) so there's more diversity, and its not ignored. Otherwise, its just an excuse by slashdot that they do show BSD news, but instead they manage it in a fashion so that no one ever sees it.

I don't really know if I think that's a good or a bad thing, I'll guess I have to see it first.