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Diff for /wikisrc/users/jruoho/Attic/doc.mdwn between versions 1.5 and 1.6

version 1.5, 2010/04/05 06:48:02 version 1.6, 2010/04/05 07:04:35
Line 11  The conventions used for markup transiti Line 11  The conventions used for markup transiti
 Problems:  Problems:
   
 * All documents must be HTML ready (the eternal <, >, &, etc.).  * All documents must be HTML ready (the eternal <, >, &, etc.).
 * There seems to be no easy way to define custom macros.  * There seems to be no easy way to define custom macros (cf. &os;, etc.).
   * Only the H1-headers are enumerated in the table of conents.
   * Headers are not enumerated in the body text.
   
 # Part I. About NetBSD  Benefits:
   
   * Much, much clearer syntax compared to XML. The *Markdown* almost resembles
     plain text. This should be a big benefit in lowering the barriers of entry
     to documentation.
   
   # About NetBSD
   
 [[!toc]]  [[!toc]]
   
Line 48  The full source to the NetBSD kernel and Line 56  The full source to the NetBSD kernel and
 supported platforms; please see the details on the official site of the  supported platforms; please see the details on the official site of the
 [NetBSD Project](http://www.NetBSD.org/ "NetBSD").  [NetBSD Project](http://www.NetBSD.org/ "NetBSD").
   
 The basic features of NetBSD are:  * Code quality and correctness
   * Portability to a wide range of hardware
   * Secure defaults
   * Adherence to industry standards
   * Research and innovation
   
   These characteristics bring also indirect advantages. For example, if you work
   on just one platform you could think that you're not interested in portability.
   But portability is tied to code quality; without a well written and well
   organized code base it would be impossible to support a large number of
   platforms. And code quality is the base of any good and solid software system,
   though surprisingly few people seem to understand it.
   
   One of the key characteristics of NetBSD is that its developers are not
   satisfied with partial implementations. Some systems seem to have the
   philosophy of *if it works, it's right*. In that light NetBSD's philosophy
   could be described as *it doesn't work unless it's right*. Think about how
   many overgrown programs are collapsing under their own weight and "features"
   and you'll understand why NetBSD tries to avoid this situation at all costs.
   
     <itemizedlist>  ### Supported platforms
       <listitem>  
         <para>Code quality and correctness</para>  
       </listitem>  
   
       <listitem>  
         <para>Portability to a wide range of hardware</para>  
       </listitem>  
   
       <listitem>  
         <para>Secure defaults</para>  
       </listitem>  
   
       <listitem>  
         <para>Adherence to industry standards</para>  
       </listitem>  
   
       <listitem>  
         <para>Research and innovation</para>  
       </listitem>  
     </itemizedlist>  
   
     <para>These characteristics bring also indirect advantages.  
       For example, if you work on just one platform you could think that  
       you're not interested in portability.  
       But portability is tied to code quality; without a well written and  
       well organized code base it would be impossible to support a large  
       number of platforms.  
       And code quality is the base of any good and solid software system,  
       though surprisingly few people seem to understand it.</para>  
   
   NetBSD supports many platforms, including the popular PC platform (i386 and
   amd64), SPARC and UltraSPARC, Alpha, Amiga, Atari, and m68k and PowerPC
   based Apple Macintosh machines. Technical details for all of them can be
   found on [the NetBSD site](http://www.NetBSD.org/ports "NetBSD Ports").
   
 ### Supported platforms  
 ### NetBSD's target users  ### NetBSD's target users
   
   The NetBSD site states that: *the NetBSD Project provides a freely available
   and redistributable system that professionals, hobbyists, and researchers
   can use in whatever manner they wish*. It is also an ideal system if you
   want to learn Unix, mainly because of its adherence to standards (one of the
   project goals) and because it works equally well on the latest PC hardware
   as well as on hardware which is considered obsolete by many other operating
   systems. To learn and use Unix you don't need to buy expensive hardware; you
   can use that old PC or Mac in your attic. It is important to note that
   although NetBSD runs on old hardware, modern hardware is well supported and
   care has been taken to ensure that supporting old machines does not inhibit
   performance on modern hardware.  In addition, if you need a Unix system
   which runs consistently on a variety of platforms, NetBSD is probably your
   best choice.
   
 ### Applications for NetBSD  ### Applications for NetBSD
   
   Aside from the standard Unix productivity tools, editors, formatters, C/C++
   compilers and debuggers and so on that are included with the base system,
   there is a huge collection of packages (currently over 8,000) that can be
   installed both from source and in pre-compiled form. All the packages that
   you expect to find on a well configured system are available for NetBSD for
   free.  The framework that makes this possible, pkgsrc, also includes a
   number of commercial applications.  In addition, NetBSD provides binary
   emulation for various other *nix operating systems, allowing you to run
   non-native applications.  Linux emulation is probably the most relevant
   example.  You can run the Linux versions of
   
   * Firefox
   * the Adobe Flash player plugin
   * Acrobat Reader
   * many other programs
   
 ### How to get NetBSD  ### How to get NetBSD
   
   NetBSD is an Open Source operating system, and as such it is freely
   available for download from [ftp.NetBSD.org](ftp://ftp.NetBSD.org
   "ftp.NetBSD.org") and its [mirrors](http://www.NetBSD.org/mirrors/
   "NetBSD mirrors").
   
   There is no "official" supplier of NetBSD CD-ROMs but there are various
   resellers.  You can find the most up to date list on the relevant
   [page](http://www.NetBSD.org/sites/cdroms.html "CD-ROMs") on the NetBSD
   site.
   
Removed from v.1.5  
changed lines
  Added in v.1.6

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