From: urlichs@smurf.sub.org (Matthias Urlichs) Subject: Re: [Q] Working version Date: 29 Mar 1993 02:31:19 +0200
In comp.os.linux, article <C4Ix3n.I6F@cck.coventry.ac.uk>,
ccx004@rowan.coventry.ac.uk (Colin Bruce) writes:
>
> Can anyone tell me if there is a reasonably stable version of
> linux which could be said to work on reasonably standard hardware
> most of the time.
I upgraded to 0.99.7a, libc 4.3.2, and the poeigl login yesterday.
Everything works, including the wd8013 clone in my system (after I
remembered to change its interrupt, which on my card is hardwired
to 3 -- changeable only with some obscure DOS driver (brrr)).
> I see a lot of discussion about the merits of NeXTStep and 386bsd
> compared to Linux. I use NeXTstep a lot and it is vastly better
> than anything else I have ever seen although it does cost money
> and a comparison with Linux is just not fair. However, there seem
> to be so many problems with Linux that I suppose 386bsd must be
> better if for no other reason than it apparently works!
>
386bsd has its own problems. Some strengths, some weaknesses, just
like Linux. Installing it was a drag because said wd8013 clone needed
a kernel recompile and the standard BSD distribution is one big compressed
cpio file, instead of (with SLS) lots of convenient little gzipped tar
files.
> I shall spend another day on linux then if I cannot make any headway
> it goes to /dev/null and 386bsd gets installed instead. It has been
> fun though just the same although it's now just getting frustrating.
>
I have both on my disk, along with a SCO development system (don't ask).
So far, my preference is on the Linux side.
BTW: Booting all three of these is a snap with the newest LILO installed in
the master boot record, with appropriate entries in /etc/lilo/config.
Just remember to set the SCO partition active because, unlike 386BSD and
Linux, SCO gets mortally confused otherwise. (Which partition actually boots
by default is controlled by the first entry in /etc/lilo/config.)
BTW^2: 386bsd's partition type is 0xA5.
-- Tuesday After Lunch is the cosmic time of the week. -- Matthias Urlichs -- urlichs@smurf.sub.org -- urlichs@smurf.ira.uka.de /(o\ Humboldtstrasse 7 -- 7500 Karlsruhe 1 -- Germany -- +49-721-9612521 \o)/