Is OpenBSD UNIX, Unix, unix, unix-like, or ham sandwich on rye? ECHO Echo echo (echo-like)...
In response to that, one person answered the question with a question. "Does it matter?" If answering a question with a question, it'd help to provide a thought-provoking (worthwhile) question in response. One could say, yes, of course it matters; or, it doesn't matter at all. To each there's a solid argument or counter, but "does it matter?" is a bit dry if you're going to just leave it at that. Reflect on it, please, else don't bother responding. I'm surprised that someone else found my question on UNIX and unix-like/etc. terminology disambiguation to be "the first" they've heard of it. The only distinction I refer to is that of UNIX and everything else (which includes, but is not limited to, terms like "unix-like"). Jon R.'s reply, including the tess2.uspto.gov link, was very helpful. I wasn't aware of U.S. Trademark law details and that was basically what my curiosity all narrowed down to. I suppose there is a truth in any potential confusion between Unix (etc.) and UNIX not being a concern of one random person (me) on this planet but others as well. In truth, it doesn't matter. In truth, it does matter. It's how each person chooses to see it. Right? Hmm... Well, the "however" bit is: it's also how the creators of one particular OS see it, and in this case - my question regards OpenBSD creator's thoughts. I would appreciate hearing from Theo de Raadt (albeit this is a trivial topic) his take on this subject. UNIX or unix-like or simply Unix (etc., it goes on), or just, "I don't give a shit, just call it what you want, as long as you call it OpenBSD"... That's my take on it, personally - so long as we give the respect of BSD and of course *Open*BSD. All of this play on names can be exhausting but we have to remember that there is a lot of meaning behind a name and potentially a lot of power in something so "simple" as "just a name". I found Doug T.'s reply most helpful (thank you Doug)... Jon R.'s reply was very helpful too, I appreciate it. My intent was to seek enlightenment on proper UNIX association. Taking something like the name of a system like this and trying to narrow down an explanation, put in significant rhyme and reason behind it, and compress it down to a brief or concise message is, perhaps, nigh impossible. The explanation provided was quite helpful - notably the reference to RadioShack. The best answer I've seen, yet, was in Doug's mention of OpenBSD and "UNIX": "a direct descendant but it can't legally call itself UNIX; and calling itself UNIX would be seen (IMHO) as a branding issue infringing on Trade Mark." So are all the users going to call it this or that? Who cares right? Well, somebody cares. ;) Me? I don't lol... I'm simply curious as to some disambiguation between the two (UNIX and "unix-like"/etc.). I suppose the people that might really care would be those who have directly and personally experienced the side-effects of the lawsuit(s). I don't know (I don't care, simply because any such lawsuit has not directly altered my perspective), I'm just curious to know and to learn about these things. ;) Regarding the comment on chest-thumping over the "best" OS... I completely agree. If not for the ugly competition amongst the different systems, perhaps the leaders of the systems would have the capacity (or heart) to work together, even to a minimal degree, with a collaborative effort towards producing a non-prejudiced presentation looking at each system/service and how an end-user might put use to it. We know there's a blatant counter-argument, though despite it "not being worth their time" it would certainly be worth the time of the end-user to see the results of such a presentation. Take 4.2's cover art - the race of OSs - OpenBSD appears to be the tortoise/turtle rather than the hare/rabbit. "Slow but steady wins the race." It seems to me like OpenBSD isn't even in the race but, rather, is taking Frost's road less traveled while the other systems get all finangled in a rat race. That's where you begin to see qualitative difference between what might be UNIX and "unix-like" - in one perspective - if bothering with looking at it in some way beyond "just a name". It's clearly not just a name, and yet a distinction can be made by just that... the name. Use a Kleenex or a tissue, as long as it gets the job done, right? :) Or as long as you're happy with it. I use OpenBSD. I say it's Unix. I'm happy with it. Though that's not all that matters... being informed of disambiguations in something so supposedly trivial as proper titles is enlightening even if only to a small extent. Thank you for enlightening me :-p (to those who kindly provide it). The rude prigs, well, they can go on with their antics, in the mean time others will be considering how even the simple things in life can be fulfilling. -Sean -- Public Key: http://mpec.net/gsd.asc
