Re: Debian/GNU Freebsd

[Joseph Carter <knghtbrd@debian.org>]

On Thu, Feb 18, 1999 at 09:10:29AM -0500, Michael Alan Dorman wrote:
> > The problem is that people that would otherwise be working on something
> > useful would have their time taken up with this.  If there's no value to it,
> > why should we spend energy on it?  FreeBSD is a dead-end path anyway.
> 
> Or, the other side of the coin, it will bring people to maintain
> Debian packages who otherwise wouldn't have, so there is value to it,
> so we should spend energy on it.

We can't expect massive converts from FreeBSD to Debian GNU/FreeBSD and
we can't expect massive converts the other direction.  It would serve a
unique audience coming some from FreeBSD, some from Linux, some from lots
of places.


> While I would have no interest in working on this system, if someone
> does, I don't think we should try and dissuade them from it: it might
> be beneficial in the future---additional portability, more diverse
> users, etc.

More users too.  =>


> Honestly, too, I don't see people abandoning or neglecting Debian
> GNU/Linux in favor of Debian GNU/FreeBSD in large numbers---or even
> small numbers---so how could it hurt us?

You could lose me to the BSD kernel if they ever get a sane console
driver.  More likely though, you're likely to get me to make GNU/Linux a
little better by playing with FreeBSD..

-- 
"There are 3 things to remember about being a Starship Captain: 
 Keep your shirt tucked in, go down with the ship, and never, 
 ever abandon a member of your crew."
                        -- Kathryn Janeway, Star Trek: Voyager