Re: [Richard Stallman <rms@gnu.org>] Re: Debian & BSD concerns
> I fail to see how supporting FreeBSD is helpful in the least. If you
I see, and I thought others did, FreeBSD as a random starting point
for improving the portability of dpkg and the consistency of Debian as
system. Not as a primary release track, though there may be interest
from those who perceive *BSD as having specific advantages, and
possibly as bridging the communities some. (Some talks I've had with
TNF people who'd probably prefer not to be dragged in to this indicate
that this kind of release would be a good way to get the bulk of the
Linux community which *haven't* evaluated *BSD at all to take a closer
look at it - certainly made me find the "sabotage" angle rather
surprising.)
Linux is not the only kernel; it is not the best kernel. I'd like to
use the shelf of sun3/50's I have... thus, Debian GNU/NetBSD-68k
(though linux-sun3 is starting to make progress - perhaps Debian
GNU/NetBSD-DECmips is a better example, or VAX for that matter. Yes,
my apartment is one of the places old computers go to die :-) I'd like
to do things with a reliable realtime kernel: thus, Debian GNU/RTEMS
(Or even Debian GNU/MK7, but I think that might not be free enough.)
I don't particularly need the support of the Debian Hive to *produce*
these, but it would be a lot easier to do so if the rough edges of
linux-dependency had already be brushed against by Debian GNU/*BSD.
Consider that many Debian Packagers are here because Linux Is Fun, and
contributing lets them be part of that. I see our inertia alone
preventing Debian GNU/*BSD from being too much of a distraction (well,
anywhere but the mailing lists at least :-)
_Mark_ <eichin@thok.org>
The Herd of Kittens
Debian Package Maintainer
ps. This might inspire thoughts of a more abstract model of what
Debian's place in the world is. A picture of Debian GNU/Linux as a
Tux-The-Penguin riding on the back of a Galloping-Gnu needs something
to represent Debian as what puts them together. The saddle, perhaps?
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