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Date:      Mon, 22 Mar 1999 18:49:18 -0700
From:      Brett Glass <brett@lariat.org>
To:        Wes Peters <wes@softweyr.com>
Cc:        advocacy@FreeBSD.ORG
Subject:   Re: Netscape browser
Message-ID:  <4.2.0.32.19990322184253.03ec7590@localhost>
In-Reply-To: <36F6EC9A.99FCEB7C@softweyr.com>
References:  <4.1.19990321150512.03f85d40@localhost> <4.2.0.32.19990322132103.03f66150@localhost> <4.2.0.32.19990322154730.00ab0df0@localhost>

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At 06:21 PM 3/22/99 -0700, Wes Peters wrote:


>> "Compatibility?" Actually, they do claim some compatibility with Linux
>
>No, they don't.
>
>> They have published an ext2 file system
>> driver that lets them mount Linux disk volumes.
>
>No, they haven't.  One of their contributors has published an ext2 filesystem
>driver.  Others have published ports of many other GPL'd loadable drivers.
>The drivers that are shipped with BeOS aren't.

They tout it on their Web site as a compatibility feature; see

http://www.be.com/beware/Add-Ons/Linux%20Ext2%20Filesystem.html

and elsewhere. Also, I believe that this driver is part of their
R4 distribution. (I'm not sure whether it's in the R3 distribution.)

What's more, BeOS *can* load Linux device driver modules.

But again, I don't know why you're hung up on the issue of "compatibility."
I think you misunderstood my original message, in which I never used the
word.

>Funny, it seemed to me that he proposed BeOS pave the way for installation
>of other operating systems like Linux.  His real point was that *any* crack
>in the wall will cause the dam to burst, it doesn't matter who makes the
>crack.  That's what his challenge to PC manufacturers is all about - to put
>a crack in the wall.

Alas, he's missing something. Just because there's a crack in the wall does not
mean that his product is what's going to gush through. Linux is his mortal
enemy.

>If you think that, then you just don't understand either Linux or BeOS very
>well.

The fact that we do not agree on this point does not imply a lack of understanding
of either operating system.

>  Nor do you understand how hard it is to make an operating system,
>network box, or anything else that will keep up with video streams, regardless
>of how much CPU horsepower you throw at them.

I worked with Intel's DVI as far back as 1987. I'd say, offhand, that trying to
do digital video at that early stage gave me a very good appreciation for the
problem. But again, this is off topic.

--Brett



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