[cravuhaw2C]

Originally Posted by jggimi

The goals of the Project are to meet the needs of its members, the developers themselves.

Thanks for introducing the social culture of OpenBSD to me.

Originally Posted by jggimi

We users come along for the ride. If we like what is offered, we are free to use it. If we don't like it, we are free to look elsewhere for systems, services and tools. However...there is some balance: if the Project's software does not meet users' needs, Project revenues (CD sales, donations) will decline.

From what I read and understood, based on the articles available via Google Search, OpenBSD aims to be the most secure *nix OS on the planet. Does OpenBSD aim to be the most popular *nix OS?

Life is getting harder as we speak. Unemployment rears its ugly head from time to time. Recession cycles are getting shorter: big recessions occur once every 5 to 6 years in our lifetimes compared to the 1930s to 1990s.

OpenBSD developers have lofty ideals but putting food on the table is the overarching primary concern. Maslow's hierarchy of needs applies to each and every one of us.

I read on the internet that last year OpenBSD threatened to stop development of its project because it was running out of funds. Subsequently it received about $150,000, only for this year, I think? What about next year and the years following it?

Debian, Ubuntu and Redhat do not have funding issues. OpenBSD should ask themselves why.

IMHO aspiring to be the most secure OS does not contradict with being the most popular *nix OS.

What do you think?

Originally Posted by jggimi

The installation script that you find so offputting is liked by all of the Project members, and by most of us users.

I apologize if I came across as finding the installation script offputting.

I was OK with it till the part where I have to partition my SSD for a multi-boot environment. I'm stumped by all the talk about cylinders, heads, sectors and sector geometry. Debian and Ubuntu took care of that for us who are technically or mathematically challenged. Why can't OpenBSD do the same for us?

I was a bit shocked by the advisory in the official FAQ in which first time users are discouraged from installing OpenBSD in a multi-boot environment. No such advisory exists for Gentoo, ArchLinux, Mandriva, Debian and Ubuntu. I now understand why. It's because users are required to have good math skills to be able to calculate C/H/S or LBA sector values.

If OpenBSD is to gain a wider acceptance among the public, it has to find ways to make the installation routine more user-friendly, or should I say, more novice user-friendly.

Note: by "wider acceptance among the public", I'm thinking along the lines of "having sufficient funds to keep the OpenBSD going for a few more years".