了解NetBSD

NetBSD runs on more hardware platforms than any other UNIX® derivative due to smart design decisions and a commitment to portable code. Whether you're porting an operating system to a proprietary embedded system or looking for stability and compatibility across hardware platforms in the lab, NetBSD and its open license is a compelling alternative to Linux® and the GNU Public License (GPL).

NetBSD比任何一种Unix变种的操作系统所能允许运行的平台都要多。这主要是由它灵活的设计决策和对可移植代码的不懈追求所决定的。无论你是将它移植到专有嵌入式设备中，或者是将它安装在对稳定性和兼容性都要求非常高的实验室机器上，NetBSD都会满足你的要求。NetBSD及其开源授权协议，比起Linux®和GNU协议一点都不差。

One feature listed on the NetBSD Web site is that the operating system is hype free. I can do without hype, but generating some buzz for this operating system that is often overlooked certainly wouldn't hurt.

NetBSD has an interesting architecture, which is often taken for granted and rarely commented on outside Berkeley Software Distribution (BSD) circles. The system's well thought-out design allows for wide hardware support, a small footprint, stability, and security. NetBSD's unique features include a new paradigm for handling device drivers and other interesting innovations.

These design decisions and commitment to source code, which not only works but works right, have helped NetBSD lay claim to being the most portable UNIX® derivative in existence. It particularly excels in embedded systems, but you should also consider it as a compelling alternative to more mainstream servers, desktops, and laptop operating systems.

An introduction to BSD

Three major BSD-derived operating systems are freely available: NetBSD, FreeBSD, and OpenBSD. All three systems are related to the original BSD distribution of UNIX, which dates back to the 1970s. In the early 1990s, at about the same time Linux® was coming together as a legitimate competitor to UNIX, a separate track was being forged to create a free UNIX-like operating system based on BSD. All three BSD versions have strong points, with FreeBSD leading the way in user base, OpenBSD leading in security, and NetBSD leading in portability.

Of course it runs on NetBSD

You can port NetBSD to run on just about anything with a processor -- hence the motto, "Of course it runs on NetBSD." NetBSD supports more than 50 platforms, ranging from old 68K and million instructions per second (MIPS) systems to the newest x86_64 processors from Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (AMD) and Intel®. Furthermore -- and possibly more importantly -- NetBSD has been ported for use on a massive number of embedded systems.

Embedded systems

Embedded systems are huge part of everyday life in the 21st century, far outselling traditional computing devices such as desktops, laptops, and servers. From mobile phones to automobiles to cable boxes, you're more than likely using a computer in some aspect of your life. The operating system and software that sit inside these devices is often as important as the traditional engineering decisions that go into their design.

Examples of NetBSD embedded systems range from the useful (routers and switches) to the bizarre (a NetBSD toaster). The variety of architectures commonly used in embedded systems far exceeds common choices for traditional computers, so portability is vital.

NetBSD's small footprint, ease of portability, and BSD license make it a perfect choice for embedded systems. The small footprint is extremely important, as most embedded systems have a small amount of memory. Therefore, the operating system must be as thin as possible. Ease of portability significantly cuts development time to bring new products to market, which is key to staying ahead of competitors. The BSD license allows companies to build commercial products based on NetBSD and sell them for a profit while keeping the source code proprietary.

The BSD license

The BSD license is a big factor in corporate decision making when an organization is choosing NetBSD (or other BSD variants) over Linux for commercial products. The Linux kernel and most Linux software is released under the General Public License (GPL), which requires the release of the source for all modified codes. In contrast, the BSD license allows companies to modify and sell NetBSD code without releasing the modified source, thereby allowing companies to keep intellectual property close to the vest while leveraging open source software for the base of their product.