Linux.com: Buddying up to BSD: Part Three – Regrouping

“Then, I read and carefully considered every comment posted on
the message boards here on Linux.com, Daemon News, Linux Today,
Slashdot.org, and my e-mail. Many were flames, but there were
enough comments that told me I had reached the people I was writing
for. These articles aren’t for folks who have co-authored O’Reilly
books and who first explored BSD Unix in 1982. Buddying up to BSD
is meant to expose BSD to mid-level Linux users. This is something
I am qualified to write about. As a result of my review, several
readers have decided to install OpenBSD.”

“I also must admit to finding some delicious irony in the fact
that I was flamed by BSD advocates for advocating OpenBSD on
Linux.com. It took me awhile to calm down after the initial
barrage, but I learned something valuable from even the worst
flames. I realized that the BSD community looked at me in the
same way the Linux community has looked at Windows journalists that
have reviewed Linux. These flames gave me the rare opportunity to
experience a little bit of how these journalists must have
felt.“

“It took a lot of effort not to throw in the towel completely.
After all, this was Linux.com and I had put myself on the line to
try bringing in a bit of BSD. Certainly, Windows journalists must
have had similar feelings after being at the business end of the
extreme wing of the Linux community. Often, the vicious flaming
tends to drown out the voices of those who wrote thoughtful
non-antagonistic responses, and there were many of those.”

Complete
Story