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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).

Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.

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NetBSD - thoughts? (sh.itjust.works)

submitted 9 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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What's the point of it?

OpenBSD = Security

FreeBSD = The main UNIX-like

NetBSD = ???

Based on the name of have assumed it's be used in things like network appliances but in 20 years I've never seen a single device use it.

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[–] [email protected] 43 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (2 children)

Yes, it is mostly appliances, but an (informal?) stated goal of NetBSD is too run on all computing hardware.

FreeBSD = user-friendly free Unix (plus ZFS and jails 😀)
OpenBSD = very secure free Unix (no ZFS 🙁 but has the VMM hypervisor 😀)
OpenIndiana = user-friendly free Unix that runs old Solaris software (plus ZFS and zones 😀)
NetBSD = runs on any computer chip ever built within the past 40 years (some ZFS support, but no zones, jails, or VMs 🙁)

Naturally, that makes NetBSD a good choice for appliances, especially ones that might only have limited memory.

(Here is a quick explainer on the difference between Jails, Zones, Containers, and VMs)

EDIT1: someone pointed out to me that ZFS is not supported on OpenBSD. Sorry about that everyone.

EDIT2: there is a ZFS driver for NetBSD

[–] [email protected] 4 points 9 months ago (1 children)

There’s no ZFS support in OpenBSD is there?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 9 months ago

Thanks, I had to double check that but you're right, ZFS isn't on OpenBSD. What a shame. Anyway I edited my above post.

[–] flying_gel 2 points 9 months ago (1 children)

But there is zfs support in netbsd... https://wiki.netbsd.org/zfs/

[–] [email protected] 1 points 9 months ago

According to the wiki, ZFS "works well" but doesn't seem to be as stable as in FreeBSD or OpenIndiana, and is not enabled by default so you have to update your rc.conf file to build the ZFS drivers.