Date: Sat, 25 Jan 1997 14:34:17 +0100 (MEZ) From: "Hr.Ladavac" <lada@ws2301.gud.siemens.co.at> To: matra@diemme.it (matra) Cc: dwhite@resnet.uoregon.edu, freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Subject: Re: FreeBSD Newbie... Message-ID: <199701251334.AA104089257@ws2301.gud.siemens.co.at> In-Reply-To: <Pine.LNX.3.93.970122071911.180F-100000@bridget.devlab.org> from "matra" at Jan 22, 97 07:36:34 am
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E-mail message from matra contained: > > So i have to buy every WC's dists to stay "tuned" on FreeBSD!It is not a > money affair for me ;The fact is that i HATE "mirrors" of other systems > on my computer .I want to create my OWN dist. > > If u are right , i cannot do it . Let me try to explain the *BSD attitude as I understand it, from the CM point of view. Please note that I have absolutely no affiliation with the FreeBSD project, except of being a happy user. FreeBSD refers to the complete operating system. It is not just the kernel which is named FreeBSD. FreeBSD is the kernel plus all the (standard) utilities that come on the distribution. This has several advantages from the maintenance and Configuration Management standpoint. 1) When you say "I have a problem with foo on FreeBSD X.Y.Z-WHATEVER" everyone else knows exactly what version of foo you were using and they can actually help you, because they are also using the very same version of foo. 2) Releases being complete, it is possible to test the interplay and interdependencies of all components: if the new foo requires a new bar both will have been provided. As to your dislike of "mirrors" as you said it, you are free to replace any component of the system at your will. You are then even free to sell it without releasing sources of non-(L)GPL components if you will. You might even state that your system is based on FreeBSD (you would probably have to say that, I'm not certain how the copyright goes), you will have to say that it's being based on 4.4BSD-Lite, but you would be very strongly encouraged not to call this thing of yours FreeBSD X.Y.Z-WHATEVER because it would not be that. You might, however, be able to call it FreeBSD X.Y.Z-WHATEVER-matra's-own-dist, though (unless FreeBSD Inc. owns the trademark to the name--check with Mr. Jordan K. Hubbard). And, of course, we would still help you if you had problems, but you would have to say in which way matra's own dist differs from the standard one--otherwise we couldn't guess what version of foo you are using and whether bar needs to be present at all. Hope this answers your questions. /Marino >
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