Will FreeBSD merge with other BSDs?

IMO there are too many differences between FreeBSD and OpenBSD, but I believe OpenBSD could merge with NetBSD. They both take portability and clean code very seriously, and after all, OpenBSD was forked from NetBSD.
 
Developers occasionally move from one project to another. As far as a merge, it's hard to imagine how that would -- or could -- work.
 
I would suggest reading up on the reasons why they forked in the first place.
 
fonz said:
pkubaj said:
I believe OpenBSD could merge with NetBSD.
[snip]
after all, OpenBSD was forked from NetBSD.
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Do you remember why that happened in the first place?
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It's merging the code, not the development teams. Merging the teams back together would be very "interesting".

And it's sad to see that such an effort like OpenBSD would curl up because of the bills.
 
Crivens said:
It's merging the code, not the development teams.
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Not going to happen. Remember that OpenBSD took five years to audit their code. It's not very likely they're going to merge the code and spend another five years auditing the result.
 
Well, even if OpenBSD would go the way of the dodo, the source would still be available. It's open source after all. All it needs then is a group of developers willing and able to continue. It's not like the code would suddenly disappear.
 
If they can't secure funding, it's because no one is using it and cares to support it. OpenBSD may in fact be a better mouse trap, but with lack of interest, it's lights out. In this case, that is both metaphorical and literal.

Death is part of the cycle. If you don't like it, help out. If you don't want to help out, then it's because you don't care. I personally will not be helping out because I do not use it and don't intend to.

EDIT: I just read that email fully. $20k in electrical bills? Sounds more like a grow-op than a build cluster.
 
I only have (limited) experience with FreeBSD, but I hope it remains distinct from the other BSDs. I do have an interest in OpenBSD due to its reputation as the most secure and stable OS, I will experiment with it when I have a spare box. Though I have never used OpenBSD, I hope it receives the needed funding to continue development.

Despite not using the OpenBSD operating system, I felt obliged to make a donation as I use OpenBSD developed technology (for free) frequently; like many others, I presume. In fact, I would go so far as to say my operations depend on said technology. Its influence and developments are integral and inherent in most (if not all) UNIX and psuedo-UNIX derived operating systems, which makes the current situation all the more upsetting. Some surprising remarks and reactions to their current predicament too; the spirit of FOSS isn't often reflected in its userbase.
 
I certainly don't want to see OpenBSD disappear because it's still the upstream source for the FreeBSD implementation of the PF firewall, the piece of software that keeps me using the BSD operating systems because there's just nothing like it in the Linux world. In my opinion the biggest weakness (based on how I've understood the OpenBSD project works) of OpenBSD is that the infrastructure for the development is centered on what Theo has put together over the years in his own basement and outside that there's not a whole lot but FTP/CVS mirrors.
 
Picard_as_Locutus.jpg


It's really up to DeRaadt as to what he wants to do with it.
 
Pushrod said:
Death is part of the cycle. If you don't like it, help out. If you don't want to help out, then it's because you don't care. I personally will not be helping out because I do not use it and don't intend to.
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I like and run both FreeBSD and OpenBSD. However, up until last Thursday I used OpenBSD without paying for it (I bought a CD and a T-shirt). I do care if OpenBSD goes the way of the dodo.
 
hitest said:
I do care if OpenBSD goes the way of the dodo.
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So do I. While I don't currently use it I have used it in the past(*) and I quite like their approach.

Ad (*): I had an HP workstation (university surplus) that would only run the original HP-UX (yuck :x) or OpenBSD (so no, at that time not even NetBSD).
 
I wouldn't worry too much about the fate of OpenSSH or PF, or the couple of other things that have come from the OpenBSD project. Those things will live on because so many people use them. But the OS, and these ridiculous power bills will likely falter, and so be it.

I've never met Mr. De Raadt, nor have I so much as exchanged an email, but if we take his reputation to be true, then maybe the end of the project will teach him that getting along with people has some value. They need a friend, a friend that will help out with this problem, but it seems that they don't have any.
 
Does anyone know what the relative use rates are between/among all the BSD's? That is to say, what percentage of people use FreeBSD vs. OpenBSD vs. theotherBSDs?
 
trh411 said:
Anyone know what the relative use rates are between/among all the BSD's? That is to say, what percentage of people use FreeBSD vs. OpenBSD vs. theotherBSDs?
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison ... ng_systems The image on wikipedia is from an survey from 2005: http://www.bsdcertification.org/downloa ... n.pdf/view In computer terms, 2005 is like, nine years ago ;) :beergrin I think DragonFlyBSD probably has a few more users now.

Pushrod said:
I've never met Mr. De Raadt, nor have I so much as exchanged an email, but if we take his reputation to be true, then maybe the end of the project will teach him that getting along with people has some value. They need a friend, a friend that will help out with this problem, but it seems that they don't have any.
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I think he needs a better font for his presentations, and a PR manager, so he can focus on the project itself. I'm not a people-person myself, and when I get a lot of inane questions (doing helpdesk work) I get cynical very quickly. He needs somebody like my boss, who knows my cynical attitude, and prepares clients/suppliers for it.
 
Pushrod said:
if we take his reputation to be true, then maybe the end of the project will teach him that getting along with people has some value.
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For what it's worth, I've gotten the impression that Theo is actually more pleasant to deal with than Linus Torvalds. Yet Linus' attitude doesn't appear to hinder the development of Linux.
 
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