Copyright © 1999 Chris Coleman
I like to think of BSD as a set of tools, like a ratchet set or
a set of screwdrivers. Each tool is part of the same set, yet has a
different and unique role to play. If you are planning on using BSD
in the near future, it helps to have an understanding of which BSD
to choose to get your job done.
If we take a broad look at the BSD toolbox, we will find that
there are five BSDs. In alphabetical order, they are: BSDI,
FreeBSD, NetBSD, OpenBSD, and PicoBSD. Even though they all have
the same heritage, stemming from the University California Berkeley
4.4BSD and 386BSD source code, they have diverged and
specialized.
Read What every Linux
user needs to know about BSD.