Date: Wed, 6 Mar 1996 10:01:35 -0800 (PST) From: Jake Hamby <jehamby@lightside.com> To: "Jordan K. Hubbard" <jkh@time.cdrom.com> Cc: hackers@freebsd.org Subject: Re: Linux vs FreeBSD comparison - it's time, I think! Message-ID: <Pine.AUX.3.91.960306093850.14566A-100000@covina.lightside.com> In-Reply-To: <15186.826114396@time.cdrom.com>
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On Wed, 6 Mar 1996, Jordan K. Hubbard wrote: > So many people ask me for comparative data on the two operating > systems that I think it's time to give them what they want. > > As much as we generally dislike "taking positions" like that, I think > we're only hurting ourselves at this point by hiding our light under a > bushel, and the Linux advocates have never pulled their own punches > here. It's time to blow our own trumpets a bit! We deserve it. > > [snip] > > Jordan WTG, Jordan! You tend to be one of the most conservative of the bunch, in terms of being "most unlike a Linux fanatic", so it's good that you're taking a stand that we should toot our own horn once in a while or nobody will listen. Also, I agree we need to come up with positive testimonials and benchmarks for FreeBSD, rather than just bashing Linux, as Linux users tend to bash DOS/Windows. It's the week before finals at my university, but sometime next week, when I have time, I'd love to help on this project! Here are some results we should point to: 1) The Stanford comparison of Linux/FreeBSD/Solaris which showed FreeBSD had twice the networking performance (TCP, UDP, and NFS). Does anyone remember the URL (it was posted here before)? Other benchmark results, conducting in a scientific manner (as the Stanford study was) would be great, especially related to networking performance (where we have the biggest advantage). 2) We should not be afraid to make a Web page comparing features of FreeBSD and Linux. We should give it the "test of fire" by posting the URL to comp.os.linux.advocacy and see if anyone can find problems with it or give advantages of Linux vs. FreeBSD which we should post as well to make the table more objective. 3) Full description of ftp.cdrom.com as a "case study". Also, when people FTP to ftp.cdrom.com there should be a BIG banner, like: "Powered by: FFFFFF BBBBB SSSS DDDDDD F eee eee B B S D D FFF rrrr eeeee eeeee BBBBB SSSS D D F r e e B B S D D F r eeee eee BBBBB SSSSS DDDDDD 2.1.0-RELEASE 'Unleash the daemon in your PC!' (followed by some information about ftp.cdrom.com and FreeBSD)." 4) We should not be afraid to capitalize on Linux's name by calling ourselves "a better Linux than Linux" or "a better Unix than Linux". People will understand what FreeBSD is much better if they have heard about Linux before, and we can relate ourselves to that. 5) Print advertisement! I can't emphasize this enough. I was looking through an issue of Byte magazine, and near the back, I saw a small ad touting the benefits of "WGS Linux Pro". How good of an operating system it was, how you could learn about Linux, how half of all new ISP's used Linux (tis a shame, really :-( ), and how at $69, this CD set was such a bargain. Anyway, a few pages later was Walnut Creek's ad, and FreeBSD was just a two line description among other Walnut Creek CDROMs. The description itself wasn't too catchy, simply saying something like "FreeBSD: a rock solid version of BSD UNIX". Nothing about how much better it is than NT or Linux, nothing about using it as an Internet server! Walnut Creek should run ads specifically for FreeBSD, touting the same advantages as the Linux crowd does, perhaps with a line at the bottom "We have hundreds of other CD-ROMs available, check our Web page for a listing". 6) IRC support! I know this last one sounds silly, but I notice that there are always people in the #linux channel of IRC, and somebody suitably motivated (maybe myself, when my finals are over) can start manning the #FreeBSD channel, perhaps with the help of a "BSDBot". Lots of people go to IRC for instant technical support (that don't want to wait for mail or USENET), we could do the same. Anyway, I'll try to work on this some more when I have time, and get some preliminary Web pages, or maybe more suggestions. Again, let me emphasize that you are echoing the sentiments I've been feeling 100%. If we want to survive, we have to start SELLING our product, not taking the "If we build it, they will come" philosophy. ---Jake (who promises to give up on NT once he has time to install the latest 2.2-SNAP on his new SCSI hard drive this weekend :-)
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