GPL is the big edge of Linux over the BSDs [LWN.net]

GPL is the big edge of Linux over the BSDs

Posted Sep 1, 2006 2:31 UTC (Fri) by jhs (guest, #12429)
In reply to: GPL is the big edge of Linux over the BSDs by cventers
Parent article: The future of NetBSD

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the Solaris kernel has binary kernel module compatibility all the way back to version 2.6, which sounds like "don't move" stability. But there is still good engineering and new stuff going on in that kernel. This isn't a comment to say the Linux system is bad, but only to point out the smart engineering that went into Solaris, too.

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GPL is the big edge of Linux over the BSDs

Posted Sep 1, 2006 3:06 UTC (Fri) by cventers (subscriber, #31465) [Link]

Absolutely. Solaris has a good kernel. (I don't actually know enough
about its history to comment on the accuracy of what you are saying, but
I don't doubt it either).

One thing I would propose to consider then is the acceleration and
velocity of engineering, not just the presence of it. I think Linux has
gained more features, faster, than any other operating system kernel ever
has. It's brilliant precisely because it never forked another project;
rather, started out fresh making a UNIX clone. And the established
practices that discourage anything that gets in the way of change (such
as stable interfaces) has done it wonders.