From the NetBSD -annouce mailing list: "Frank van der Linden (frank@wins.uva.nl) has brought Kirk McKusick's trickle sync + FFS soft update code into the main tree." For the uninitiated, softupdates is an extension to FFS which collects and orders writes to the filesystem, removing unnecessary metadata writes, and carrying out necessary metadata writes asynchronously. All the speed of Linux's default filesystem configuration, with all the safety of UFS. More information at the NetBSD news page, and Kirk McKusick's softupdates page. Softupdates has been in FreeBSD for a while, it's great to see NetBSD getting it as well.

Several people submitted this, but Nate Williams was first. In his own words: "As head of the current FreeBSD/JDK porting development team it's been difficult to finish our JDK2 efforts due to lack of help from Sun. In order to try and make JDK2 on FreeBSD a reality, we are lobbying Sun using a RFE (Request For Enhancement) on the Java Developer network to demonstrate to them the number of people interested in seeing FreeBSD as a supported Java platform.". Read on if you're interested in seeing more complete Java support on FreeBSD.

eboy writes "Gnatbox is floppy only FreeBSD based distribution. It does NAT and some pretty comprehensive firewalling. To me it looks like what LRP would like to be. Too bad the buy-in is $995!"

Scott Brady writes "In an announcement to customers November 11, Virtual Server provider iServer announced plans to migrate from BSDi to the more open FreeBSD on ''...[n]ew Virtual Server accounts provisioned after November 23, 1999". They went on to say that "...we anticipate that all Virtual Servers will eventually be migrated to the new FreeBSD Virtual Server platform.'' Look for an official announcement to be forthcoming. "

logictype asks: "How would you configure a FreeBSD NAT box so it will work with netmeeting or my webcam? Here is a page thatdescribes the ports needed. I am not familiar with FreeBSD so all help is appreciated."

Bob Frankenberg was CEO of Novell in the early nineties, when Novell were marketing DR-DOS as a replacement for MS-DOS (DR-DOS is now the subject of a law suit between Caldera and Microsoft). In part of this CBS interview he explains why his new company, Encanto, is not using Microsoft software, and why they chose FreeBSD. Read on for a few notes.

nicedream writes "Linux.com is running a feature on BSD, and the latest installment profiles one guy's experience with OpenBSD. Haven't read a thorough review of OpenBSD ever, so it was nice to check this out.

wozz writes "Walnut Creek will be bundling Applixware with their FreeBSD Power Desktop " Good news - wonder if there are any other similar deals in the works.

wozz writes "The new edition of DaemonNews is up. Features on setting up a FreeBSD lab, Commercial use of BSD/Linux as well as Newbies Corner, Adventures in BSD, Answerman, Darby, and the Daemon's Advocate."

wozz (a frequent contributor of BSD news) writes "There's nice summary of FreeBSD Con in this LinuxWorld article." This is not the first FreeBSD-friendly article LinuxWorld have run, and I'm sure it won't be the last.

wozz writes "Kurt Seifried, author of the Linux Administrator's Security Guide, has written good article which discusses OpenBSD and demonstrates how to set up a simple NAT/IPF gateway box."

Poodle Fang asks: "After using Linux for a few years, I am now interested in trying out the free x86 BSDs. I have been reading that OpenBSD is focused on security and FreeBSD on performance, but is there really much of a difference in security and performance among the BSDs? Do any of the BSDs have any features that sets it apart from the others (for example, does one work better on laptops than the others?) How well do the Linux emulation libraries work? I am more concerned in the performance, stability and security than packaging or an easy install process. Any insights would be appreciated! "

Pedro Vazquez wrote in point out that Compaq's test drive programme now supports FreeBSD on Alpha and x86 platforms. The Alpha server is a 500MHz EV5.6 (21164) system, the x86 server is a Dual 450MHz box (no mention of processor, probably a PII). You have to register for an account, and then you can go and play. Compaq x86 boxes used to be particularly hostile when installing FreeBSD, so this is a very welcome development.

Mr. Mot writes (from LWN) "OpenSSH: an Open Source Secure Shell program has been integrated into the OpenBSD operating system."

phatlipmojo writes "'The FreeBSD Driver Database, a resource to encourage driver development, has been expanded to encompass all open-source BSD operating systems. The site has been renamed to the BSD Driver Database to reflect this change. The BSD Driver Database is designed to help device driver developers who need hardware or volunteers to test their drivers, find people willing to donate equipment and/or their time. The goal being to increase the base of supported hardware for all of the BSD-derived open source operating systems.'

Tim Behrendsen writes "TechWeb is running an article claiming that Hotmail is not filtering all known viruses. Microsoft claims in return that the problem lies with running under FreeBSD. Bad publicity for Free Software? IMO, it's a bit unfair to call it a MS security problem, since normal ISP e-mail servers don't filter viruses, either."

bifrost writes "OpenBSD Explained article Four is now out. This is a new e-zine dedicated to OpenBSD and happenings within that. This issue covers routing, running a Lan on $0 a day, and using CVSup. "

EDmaster wrote in mentioning a new review of FreeBSD at ServerWatch. It's very positive (if a little non-technical). (Nik: Moved to the BSD section, where it should have been. Mea culpa)

Kelly Yancey writes "A new resource encouraging device driver development for FreeBSD just came on-line: the FreeBSD Driver Database. The idea of the database is to assist driver developers who may need hardware, documentation, or volunteer testers just find just that. Developers can list the drivers they are currently hacking together and anything they may need to help them to their goal. Similarly, sysadmins (or anyone else) with hardware they can lend to developers can post their hardware and it's availability.

The hope is to broaden the base of supported hardware for FreeBSD by providing a central point around which development can focus. People with hardware they would like to see supported can find developers to lend it to. And developers who need hardware (or volunteers) to test their drivers can indicate their needs on-line. "

There've been a bunch of FreeBSD Con submissions since the Conference started. kken notes that sendmail.net have an early report from the conference. Upside also talk about the conference, concentrating on FreeBSD's position re: Linux (thanks to wozz for that). On the pictures front, we have pics from Bill Fumerola and Gianmarco Giovannelli (here's a much faster mirror for those). Enjoy.