[geeks] A Real OS? (was: Re: my capitalization.. etc.)

[Eric Dittman]

> > Since when is nVidia some "Joe Bob's Backwoods" video card?
> 
> have you looked at the list of video cards linux supports lately?

Not too many with the kernel video drivers, all of which
are well-known chips.  There are a lot of cards supported
under XFree86 by XFree86, but *BSD has them too, and again
the cards are, for the most part, using well-known chips.

> > And do you really think that having more vendors supply drivers
> > for their hardware would be bad for *BSD?
> 
> yes.

So the fewer users for *BSD the better, then, is what
you are saying.

> > I can't see where limited hardware support will help wider
> > acceptance of *BSD.  Look at what limited hardware support
> > has done to Solaris x86.
> 
> i wouldnt know anything about solaris x86. well, actually, i ran it on 
> my vaio for a little while. i wrote a driver for my pcmcia ethernet 
> card. that sucked, and i decided openbsd would be better.

So you prefer writing your own drivers for OpenBSD instead of
Solaris x86.

> > I really can't believe you want limited hardware support
> > in *BSD.
> 
> i really do. i like the openbsd project because it is limited, elitist, 
> and dedicated. perhaps im an arrogant prick, or perhaps i just like 
> having my os work.

So you run OpenBSD because you can boast that not many do?

> > If the drivers are well written and tested before inclusion
> > there wouldn't be a problem.
> 
> until there are so many drivers and so many authors and the hcl is so 
> long the project becomes unmanageable and begins to lose overall 
> quality. much like linux around, say, 2.2.

Only if you don't have a solid kernel with a well-documented
and enforced set of standards for drivers.
-- 
Eric Dittman
dittman at dittman.net
Check out the DEC Enthusiasts Club at http://www.dittman.net/