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{{Short description|Operating system}}
{{distinguish|text=[[BSD/OS|BSD/386]], the commercial Unix sold by BSDi}}
{{distinguish|text=[[BSD/OS|BSD/386]], the commercial Unix sold by BSDi}}
⚫
{{More footnotes|date=June 2021}}
{{Multiple issues|
⚫
{{More citations needed|date=June 2012}}
{{lead too short|date=December 2012}}
}}
{{Infobox OS
{{Infobox OS
| name = 386BSD
| name = 386BSD
| logo =
| logo = [[File:386BSD logo.png|130px]]
| screenshot = 386BSD installer screenshot.png
| screenshot = 386BSD installer screenshot.png
| caption = 386BSD Release 0.1 installer ("Tiny 386BSD")
| caption = 386BSD Release 0.1 installer ("Tiny 386BSD")
| developer = [[William Jolitz]]<br />[[Lynne Jolitz]]
| developer = [[William Jolitz]]<br />[[Lynne Jolitz]]
| family = [[Unix-like]] ([[Berkeley Software Distribution|BSD]])
| family = [[Unix]]
| released = 0.0<ref name="0.0-release">{{cite web|url=https://groups.google.com/forum/#!original/comp.unix.bsd/TZ-gIRRHiXA/eAe6xqiqiU0J|title=386BSD 0.0 Release Notes}}</ref> {{Release date and age|1992|03|12}}
| released = 0.0<ref name="0.0-release">{{cite web|url=https://groups.google.com/forum/#!original/comp.unix.bsd/TZ-gIRRHiXA/eAe6xqiqiU0J|title=386BSD 0.0 Release Notes}}</ref> {{Release date and age|1992|03|12}}
| language =
| language =
| ui =
| ui =
| license = [[BSD license]]
| license = [[BSD license]]
| succeeded by = [[FreeBSD]], [[NetBSD]]
| website = {{URL|www.386bsd.org}}
| website = {{url|386bsd.org}}
| source_model = [[Open-source software|Open source]]
| source_model = [[Open-source software|Open source]]
| latest_release_version = 2.0
| latest_release_version = 2.0
| latest_release_date = {{Start date and age|2016|8}}
| latest_release_date = {{Start date and age|2016|8}}
| latest_test_version =
| latest_test_version =
| latest_test_date =
| latest_test_date =
| marketing_target =
| marketing_target =
| kernel_type =
| kernel_type =
| working_state = Historical
| working_state = Historical
| supported_platforms = [[x86 architecture|x86]]
| supported_platforms = [[x86]]
}}
}}
'''386BSD''' (also known as "'''Jolix'''"<ref name="foldoc"/>) is a discontinued [[operating system]] based on the [[Berkeley Software Distribution]] (BSD) that was developed by couple [[Lynne Jolitz|Lynne]] and [[William Jolitz]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Chalmers |first=Rachel |date=2000-05-17 |title=The unknown hackers |url=https://www.salon.com/2000/05/17/386bsd/ |access-date=2023-11-24 |website=Salon |language=en}}</ref> Released on March 17, 1992, it was the first fully operational [[Unix]] operating system to be completely [[Free and open-source software|free and open source]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=The creators of open-source 386BSD mark 15 year anniversary |url=https://www.siliconvalleywatcher.com/the-creators-of-open-source-386bsd-mark-15-year-anniversary/ |access-date=2023-11-24 |website=The creators of open-source 386BSD mark 15 year anniversary |language=en-us}}</ref>


'''386BSD''', sometimes called "'''Jolix'''",<ref name="foldoc"/> is a discontinued [[Free software|free]] [[Unix-like]] [[operating system]] based on [[Berkeley Software Distribution|BSD]], first released in 1992. It ran on [[IBM PC compatible|PC-compatible]] computer systems based on the [[32-bit]] [[Intel 80386]] [[microprocessor]]. 386BSD innovations include [[role-based security]], [[ring buffer]]s, self-ordered configuration and [[Loadable kernel module|modular kernel]] design. The BSDs for PC descend from it.
386BSD ran on [[IBM PC compatible|PC-compatible]] computer systems based on the [[32-bit]] [[Intel 80386]] ("i386") [[microprocessor]], thus marking the first Unix on affordable home-class hardware.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bentson |first=Randolph |title=The Humble Beginnings of Linux |url=https://dl.acm.org/doi/fullHtml/10.5555/324785.324786 |access-date=2023-11-24 |website=dl.acm.org}}</ref> Its innovations included [[role-based security]], [[ring buffer]]s, self-ordered configuration and [[Loadable kernel module|modular kernel]] design. Although 386BSD was short-lived, it served as the base for [[FreeBSD]] and [[NetBSD]] which began shortly afterwards.


== History ==
== History ==
{{Further|History of the Berkeley Software Distribution}}
386BSD was written mainly by Berkeley alumni [[Lynne Jolitz]] and [[William Jolitz]]. William Jolitz had considerable experience with prior BSD releases while at the University of California at Berkeley (2.8 and 2.9BSD) and both contributed code developed at [[Symmetric Computer Systems]] during the 1980s, to Berkeley. Work on porting 4.3BSD-Reno and later 4.3BSD&nbsp;Net/2 to the Intel 80386 was done for the University of California by William Jolitz at Berkeley. 4.3BSD Net/2 was an incomplete non-operational release, with portions withheld by the University of California as ''encumbered'' (i.e. subject to an [[AT&T UNIX]] [[source code]] license). The 386BSD releases made to the public beginning in 1992 were based on portions of the 4.3BSD&nbsp;Net/2 release coupled with additional code (see "Missing Pieces I and II", ''[[Dr. Dobb's Journal]]'', May–June 1992) written by William and Lynne Jolitz to make a complete operational release.
386BSD was written mainly by Berkeley alumni [[Lynne Jolitz]] and [[William Jolitz]]. William had considerable experience with prior BSD releases while at the [[University of California, Berkeley]] (2.8 and 2.9BSD) and both contributed code developed at Symmetric Computer Systems during the 1980s, to Berkeley. William worked at Berkeley on porting 4.3BSD-Reno and later 4.3BSD&nbsp;Net/2 to the Intel 80386 for the university. 4.3BSD Net/2 was an incomplete non-operational release, with portions withheld by the University of California as ''encumbered'' (i.e. subject to an [[AT&T UNIX]] [[source code]] license).


The port began in 1989 and the first, incomplete traces of the port can be found in 4.3BSD&nbsp;Net/2 of 1991. The port was made possible as [[Keith Bostic]], partly influenced by [[Richard Stallman]], had started to remove proprietary AT&T out of BSD in 1988.<ref>Eric S. Raymond. 2003. [http://www.faqs.org/docs/artu/ch02s01.html Origins and History of Unix, 1969-1995] The Art of Unix Programming. Chapter 2. History.</ref> The port was first released in March 1992 (version 0.0<ref name="0.0-release" />) and in a much more usable version on July 14, 1992 (version 0.1<ref name="0.1-release">{{cite web|url=https://groups.google.com/forum/#!original/comp.unix.bsd/zA8Jl89HSRo/DqMzaUUZ7wYJ|title=386BSD 0.1 Release Notes}}</ref>). The porting process with code was extensively documented in an 18-part series written by Lynne Jolitz and William Jolitz in ''[[Dr. Dobb's Journal]]'' beginning in January 1991.
The port began in 1989 and the first, incomplete traces of the port can be found in 4.3BSD&nbsp;Net/2 of 1991. The port was made possible as [[Keith Bostic (software engineer)|Keith Bostic]], partly influenced by [[Richard Stallman]],<ref>Sam Williams, "Free as in Freedom", March 2002, O'Reilly [https://www.oreilly.com/openbook/freedom/ch09.html chapter 9] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220613160657/https://www.oreilly.com/openbook/freedom/ch09.html|date=2022-06-13}}</ref> had started to remove proprietary [[AT&T]] out of BSD in 1988.<ref>Eric S. Raymond. 2003. [http://www.faqs.org/docs/artu/ch02s01.html Origins and History of Unix, 1969-1995] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150610225448/http://www.faqs.org/docs/artu/ch02s01.html|date=2015-06-10}} The Art of Unix Programming. Chapter 2. History.</ref> The port was first released to the public in March 1992 (version 0.0<ref name="0.0-release" />) - based on portions of the 4.3BSD&nbsp;Net/2 release coupled with additional code (see "Missing Pieces I and II", ''[[Dr. Dobb's Journal]]'', May–June 1992) - and in a much more usable version on July 14, 1992 (version 0.1<ref name="0.1-release">{{cite web |title=386BSD 0.1 Release Notes |url=https://groups.google.com/forum/#!original/comp.unix.bsd/zA8Jl89HSRo/DqMzaUUZ7wYJ}}</ref>).

386BSD proved popular, with it receiving 250,000 downloads from the [[File Transfer Protocol|FTP]] server it was hosted on.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-10-20 |title=History of FreeBSD – Part 2: BSDi and USL Lawsuits |url=https://klarasystems.com/articles/history-of-freebsd-part-2-bsdi-and-usl-lawsuits/ |access-date=2023-11-24 |website=Klara Inc |language=en-US}}</ref> It was helped partly by the porting process with code being extensively documented in a 17-part series written by Lynne and William in ''[[Dr. Dobb's Journal]]'' beginning in January 1991.<ref>{{Cite web |title=386BSD |url=https://www.386bsd.org/releases/porting-unix-to-the-386-the-final-step-running-light-with-386bsd-article |access-date=2023-11-24 |website=www.386bsd.org}}</ref>


=== FreeBSD and NetBSD ===
=== FreeBSD and NetBSD ===
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=== Lawsuit ===
=== Lawsuit ===
Due to a lawsuit ([[Unix System Laboratories|USL]] v. Regents of the University of California), some potentially so-called ''encumbered'' source was agreed to have been distributed within the [[Berkeley Software Distribution]] Net/2 from the University of California, and a subsequent release (1993, 4.4BSD-Lite) was made by the University to correct this issue. However, 386BSD, ''[[Dr. Dobb's Journal]]'', and William Jolitz and Lynne Jolitz were never parties to these or subsequent lawsuits or settlements arising from this dispute with the University of California, and continued to publish and work on the 386BSD code base before, during, and after these lawsuits without limitation. There has never been any legal filings or claims from the University, USL, or other responsible parties with respect to 386BSD. Finally, no code developed for 386BSD done by William Jolitz and Lynne Jolitz was at issue in any of these lawsuits.
Due to a lawsuit (''[[UNIX System Laboratories, Inc. v. Berkeley Software Design, Inc.]]''), some potentially so-called ''encumbered'' source was agreed to have been distributed within the [[Berkeley Software Distribution]] Net/2 from the University of California, and a subsequent release (1993, 4.4BSD-Lite) was made by the university to correct this issue. However, 386BSD, ''[[Dr. Dobb's Journal]]'', and the Jolitzes were never parties to these or subsequent lawsuits or settlements arising from this dispute with the University of California, and continued to publish and work on the 386BSD code base before, during, and after these lawsuits without limitation. There has never been any legal filings or claims from the university, USL, or other responsible parties with respect to 386BSD. Finally, no code developed for 386BSD done by William Jolitz and Lynne Jolitz was at issue in any of these lawsuits.


== Release 1.0 ==
== Release 1.0 ==
In late 1994, a finished version 386BSD Release 1.0 was distributed by ''Dr. Dobb's Journal'' on CDROM only due to the immense size (600 [[megabyte|MB]]) of the release (the ''"386BSD Reference CD-ROM"'') and was a best-selling CDROM for three years (1994–1997). 386BSD Release 1.0 contained a completely new kernel design and implementation, and began the process to incorporate recommendations made by earlier Berkeley designers that had never been attempted in BSD.
In late 1994, a finished version 386BSD Release 1.0 was distributed by ''Dr. Dobb's Journal'' on [[CD-ROM]] only due to the immense size (600 [[megabyte|MB]]) of the release (the ''"386BSD Reference CD-ROM"'') and was a best-selling CDROM for three years (1994–1997). 386BSD Release 1.0 contained a completely new [[Kernel (operating system)|kernel]] design and implementation, and began the process to incorporate recommendations made by earlier Berkeley designers that had never been attempted in BSD.


== Release 2.0 ==
== Release 2.0 ==
On August 5, 2016 an update was pushed to the 386BSD [[GitHub|github]] by developer Ben Jolitz, named version 2.0.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://bsd.slashdot.org/story/16/10/09/0230203/after-22-years-386bsd-gets-an-update|title=After 22 Years, 386BSD Gets An Update - Slashdot|website=bsd.slashdot.org|language=en|access-date=2017-03-14}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://github.com/386bsd/386bsd|title=386bsd/386bsd|website=GitHub|language=en|access-date=2017-03-14}}</ref> Release 2.0 built upon the modular framework to create self-healing components. However, {{as of|2017|March|16|lc=y|df=US}}, almost all of the documentation remains the same as version 1.0, and a change log was not available.
On August 5, 2016, an update was pushed to the 386BSD [[GitHub|GitHub repository]] by developer Ben Jolitz, named version 2.0.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://bsd.slashdot.org/story/16/10/09/0230203/after-22-years-386bsd-gets-an-update|title=After 22 Years, 386BSD Gets An Update - Slashdot|website=bsd.slashdot.org|date=9 October 2016 |language=en|access-date=2017-03-14}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://github.com/386bsd/386bsd|title=386bsd/386bsd|website=GitHub|language=en|access-date=2017-03-14}}</ref> According to the official website, Release 2.0 "built upon the modular framework to create self-healing components."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://386bsd.org/about|title=386BSD Official website|access-date=2021-03-13}}</ref> However, {{as of|2017|March|16|lc=y|df=US}}, almost all of the documentation remains the same as version 1.0, and a [[changelog]] was not available.

⚫
== Copyright and use of the code ==
⚫
All rights with respect to 386BSD and JOLIX are now held exclusively by William and Lynne Jolitz.{{dubious|Ownership|date=February 2014}} 386BSD public releases ended in 1997 since code is now available from the many 386BSD-derived [[operating system]]s today, along with several derivatives thereof (such as [[FreeBSD]], [[NetBSD]] and [[OpenBSD]]). Portions of 386BSD may be found in other open systems such as [[OpenSolaris]].


== Relationship with BSD/386 ==
== Relationship with BSD/386 ==
386BSD is often confused with [[BSD/386]] which was a different project developed by [[Berkeley Software Design|BSDi]], a Berkeley [[Corporate spin-off|spinout]], starting in 1991. BSD/386 used the same 386BSD code contributed to the University of California on ''4.3BSD NET/2''. Although Jolitz worked briefly for [[UUNET]] (which later spun out BSDi) in 1991, the work he did for them diverged from that contributed to the University of California and did not appear in 386BSD. Instead, William Jolitz gave regular code updates to Donn Seeley of BSDi for packaging and testing, and returned all materials when William Jolitz left that company following fundamental disagreements on company direction and goals.
386BSD is often confused with [[BSD/386]] which was a different project developed by [[Berkeley Software Design|BSDi]], a Berkeley [[Corporate spin-off|spinout]], starting in 1991. BSD/386 used the same 386BSD code contributed to the University of California on ''4.3BSD NET/2''. Although Jolitz worked briefly for [[UUNET]] (which later spun out BSDi) in 1991, the work he did for them diverged from that contributed to the University of California and did not appear in 386BSD. Instead, William Jolitz gave regular code updates to Donn Seeley of BSDi for packaging and testing, and returned all materials when William left the company following fundamental disagreements on company direction and goals.

⚫
== Copyright and use of the code ==
⚫
All rights with respect to 386BSD and JOLIX are now held exclusively by William Jolitz and Lynne Jolitz.{{dubious|Ownership|date=February 2014}} 386BSD public releases ended in 1997 since code is now available from the many 386BSD-derived [[operating system]]s today, along with several derivatives thereof (such as [[Apple Computer|Apple]]'s [[Darwin (operating system)|Darwin]] and [[OpenBSD]]). Portions of 386BSD may be found in other open systems such as [[OpenSolaris]].


== Further reading ==
== Further reading ==
* Jolitz, William F. and Jolitz, Lynne Greer: Porting UNIX to the 386: A Practical Approach, 18-part series in ''Dr. Dobb's Journal'', January 1991 – July 1992:<ref name="DDJ-386BSD">{{cite web|url=https://groups.google.com/forum/#!original/comp.unix.bsd/uXJjzT4g7qI/mLMsO0hJsV4J|title=DDJ articles for 386BSD}}</ref><ref name="full_articles-DDJ-386BSD">{{cite web|url=https://www.386bsd.org/releases|title=Porting Unix to the 386}}</ref>
* Jolitz, William F. and Jolitz, Lynne Greer: Porting UNIX to the 386: A Practical Approach, 17-part series in ''[[Dr. Dobb's Journal]]'', January 1991 – July 1992:<ref name="DDJ-386BSD">{{cite web|url=https://groups.google.com/forum/#!original/comp.unix.bsd/uXJjzT4g7qI/mLMsO0hJsV4J|title=DDJ articles for 386BSD}}</ref><ref name="full_articles-DDJ-386BSD">{{cite web|url=https://www.386bsd.org/releases|title=Porting Unix to the 386}}</ref>
** Jan/1991: DDJ "Designing a Software Specification"

1/91: DDJ "Designing a Software Specification"
** Feb/1991: DDJ "Three Initial PC Utilities"
2/91: DDJ "Three Initial PC Utilities"
** Mar/1991: DDJ "The Standalone System"
3/91: DDJ "The Standalone System"
** Apr/1991: DDJ "Language Tools Cross-Support"
⚫
** May/1991: DDJ "The Initial Root Filesystem"
4/91: DDJ "Copyright, Copyleft, and Competitive Advantage"
⚫
** Jun/1991: DDJ "Research and the Commercial Sector: Where Does BSD Fit In?"
4/91: DDJ "Language Tools Cross-Support"
⚫
** Jul/1991: DDJ "A Stripped-Down Kernel"
⚫
5/91: DDJ "The Initial Root Filesystem"
⚫
** Aug/1991: DDJ "The Basic Kernel"
⚫
6/91: DDJ "Research and the Commercial Sector: Where Does BSD Fit In?"
⚫
** Sep/1991: DDJ "Multiprogramming and Multiprocessing, Part I"
⚫
7/91: DDJ "A Stripped-Down Kernel"
** Oct/1991: DDJ "Multiprogramming and Multiprocessing, Part II"
⚫
8/91: DDJ "The Basic Kernel"
** Nov/1991: DDJ "Device Autoconfiguration"
⚫
9/91: DDJ "Multiprogramming and Multiprocessing, Part I"
10/91: DDJ "Multiprogramming and Multiprocessing, Part II"
** Feb/1992: DDJ "UNIX Device Drivers, Part I"
11/91: DDJ "Device Autoconfiguration"
** Mar/1992: DDJ "UNIX Device Drivers, Part II"
2/92: DDJ "UNIX Device Drivers, Part I"
** Apr/1992: DDJ "UNIX Device Drivers, Part III"
3/92: DDJ "UNIX Device Drivers, Part II"
** May/1992: DDJ "Missing Pieces, Part I"
4/92: DDJ "UNIX Device Drivers, Part III"
** Jun/1992: DDJ "Missing Pieces, Part II"
⚫
** Jul/1992: DDJ "The Final Step: Running Light with 386BSD"
5/92: DDJ "Missing Pieces, Part I"
6/92: DDJ "Missing Pieces, Part II"
⚫
7/92: DDJ "The Final Step: Running Light with 386BSD"


* Jolitz, William F. and Jolitz, Lynne Greer: Operating System Source Code Secrets Vol 1 The Basic Kernel, 1996, {{ISBN|1-57398-026-9}}
* Jolitz, William F. and Jolitz, Lynne Greer: Operating System Source Code Secrets Vol 1 The Basic Kernel, 1996, {{ISBN|1-57398-026-9}}
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== References ==
== References ==
{{Portal|Free software}}
{{Portal|Free and open-source software}}


{{reflist|refs=
{{reflist|refs=
<ref name="foldoc">{{cite web|url=http://foldoc.org/jolix|title=386BSD|date=2006-06-08|work=[[Free On-line Dictionary of Computing]]|accessdate=2009-11-17}}</ref>
<ref name="foldoc">{{cite web|url=http://foldoc.org/jolix|title=386BSD|date=2006-06-08|work=[[Free On-line Dictionary of Computing]]|access-date=2009-11-17}}</ref>
<ref name="386bsd-faq">{{cite web|url=http://www.386bsd.org/faq|title=386BSD FAQ|date=2006–2011|work=William Jolitz, Lynne Jolitz|accessdate=12 January 2012}}</ref>
<ref name="386bsd-faq">{{cite web|url=http://www.386bsd.org/faq|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140113100115/http://www.386bsd.org/faq|url-status=dead|archive-date=2014-01-13|title=386BSD FAQ|date=2014-01-13|work=William Jolitz, Lynne Jolitz|access-date=13 January 2014}}</ref>
<ref name="Auto7E-1">[http://www.freebsd.org/doc/en_US.ISO8859-1/books/handbook/history.html About the FreeBSD Project<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
<ref name="Auto7E-1">[http://www.freebsd.org/doc/en_US.ISO8859-1/books/handbook/history.html About the FreeBSD Project<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
}}
}}
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== External links ==
== External links ==
* {{Official website|www.386bsd.org}}
* {{Official website|www.386bsd.org}}
* [https://386bsd.github.io William Jolitz's 386bsd Notebook]
* [http://www.jolix.com Jolix.com]
* [http://www.jolix.com Jolix.com]
* [http://porting-unix-to-the-386.jolix.com/ Porting UNIX to the 386: A Practical Approach]
* [http://porting-unix-to-the-386.jolix.com/ Porting UNIX to the 386: A Practical Approach]
* [http://jolitz.telemuse.net/2lgj/on386bsd Memories of 386BSD releases by Lynne Jolitz]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20180523112805/https://jolitz.telemuse.net/2lgj/on386bsd Memories of 386BSD releases by Lynne Jolitz]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060214060915/http://archive.salon.com/tech/feature/2000/05/17/386bsd/index.html The unknown hackers - Salon.com]
* [https://www.salon.com/2000/05/17/386bsd/ The unknown hackers - Salon.com]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20050305151340/http://minutepitch.valux.com/386bsddesign 386BSD Design Notes Professional Video Series]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20050305151340/http://minutepitch.valux.com/386bsddesign 386BSD Design Notes Professional Video Series]
* [http://www.386bsd.org/faq Frequently asked questions of 386BSD - active Q/A by authors]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20160914043458/http://www.386bsd.org/faq Frequently asked questions of 386BSD - active Q/A by authors]
* {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150205025251/http://cm.bell-labs.com/cm/cs/who/dmr/bsdi/bsdisuit.html |date=February 5, 2015 |title=Remarks and papers on USL v UC Berkeley by Dennis M. Ritchie.}}
* {{Cite web |url=http://cm.bell-labs.com/cm/cs/who/dmr/bsdi/bsdisuit.html |title=Remarks and papers on USL v UC Berkeley by Dennis M. Ritchie. |access-date=September 12, 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150205025251/http://cm.bell-labs.com/cm/cs/who/dmr/bsdi/bsdisuit.html |archive-date=February 5, 2015 |url-status=bot: unknown |df=mdy-all }}
* [http://www.theage.com.au/technology/itnews/yoursay/2003/05/22/#386bsd Remarks on the history of 386BSD by Lynne Jolitz]
* [https://www.theage.com.au/technology/raising-top-quality-rabble-20021226-gdg0tl.html Raising Top Quality Rabble; article mentioning 386BSD]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20041113015343/http://www.theage.com.au/technology/itnews/yoursay/2003/05/22/ Archived comment on "Raising Top Quality Rabble" with remarks on the history of 386BSD by Lynne Jolitz]
* [http://mail-index.netbsd.org/netbsd-advocacy/2001/01/18/0017.html Remarks on the history of 386BSD by Greg Lehey]
* [http://mail-index.netbsd.org/netbsd-advocacy/2001/01/18/0017.html Remarks on the history of 386BSD by Greg Lehey]
* [http://gunkies.org/wiki/386_BSD More information on the various releases of 386BSD]
* [http://gunkies.org/wiki/386_BSD More information on the various releases of 386BSD]
* [http://unix.superglobalmegacorp.com/386BSD-0.0/newsrc/ Browsable 386BSD kernel sources]
* [http://unix.superglobalmegacorp.com/386BSD-0.0/newsrc/ Browsable 386BSD kernel sources] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220606165501/https://unix.superglobalmegacorp.com/386BSD-0.0/newsrc/ |date=2022-06-06 }}


{{Berkeley Software Distribution}}
{{Berkeley Software Distribution}}
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[[Category:Discontinued operating systems]]
[[Category:Discontinued operating systems]]
[[Category:Free software operating systems]]
[[Category:Free software operating systems]]
[[Category:1992 software]]

Revision as of 04:55, 21 August 2024

Not to be confused with BSD/386, the commercial Unix sold by BSDi.
386BSD
386BSD Release 0.1 installer ("Tiny 386BSD")
DeveloperWilliam Jolitz
Lynne Jolitz
OS familyUnix
Working stateHistorical
Source modelOpen source
Initial release0.0[1] March 12, 1992; 32 years ago (1992-03-12)
Latest release2.0 / August 2016; 8 years ago (2016-08)
Repository
Platformsx86
LicenseBSD license
Succeeded byFreeBSD, NetBSD
Official website386bsd.org

386BSD (also known as "Jolix"[2]) is a discontinued operating system based on the Berkeley Software Distribution (BSD) that was developed by couple Lynne and William Jolitz.[3] Released on March 17, 1992, it was the first fully operational Unix operating system to be completely free and open source.[4]

386BSD ran on PC-compatible computer systems based on the 32-bit Intel 80386 ("i386") microprocessor, thus marking the first Unix on affordable home-class hardware.[5] Its innovations included role-based security, ring buffers, self-ordered configuration and modular kernel design. Although 386BSD was short-lived, it served as the base for FreeBSD and NetBSD which began shortly afterwards.

History

Further information: History of the Berkeley Software Distribution

386BSD was written mainly by Berkeley alumni Lynne Jolitz and William Jolitz. William had considerable experience with prior BSD releases while at the University of California, Berkeley (2.8 and 2.9BSD) and both contributed code developed at Symmetric Computer Systems during the 1980s, to Berkeley. William worked at Berkeley on porting 4.3BSD-Reno and later 4.3BSD Net/2 to the Intel 80386 for the university. 4.3BSD Net/2 was an incomplete non-operational release, with portions withheld by the University of California as encumbered (i.e. subject to an AT&T UNIX source code license).

The port began in 1989 and the first, incomplete traces of the port can be found in 4.3BSD Net/2 of 1991. The port was made possible as Keith Bostic, partly influenced by Richard Stallman,[6] had started to remove proprietary AT&T out of BSD in 1988.[7] The port was first released to the public in March 1992 (version 0.0[1]) - based on portions of the 4.3BSD Net/2 release coupled with additional code (see "Missing Pieces I and II", Dr. Dobb's Journal, May–June 1992) - and in a much more usable version on July 14, 1992 (version 0.1[8]).

386BSD proved popular, with it receiving 250,000 downloads from the FTP server it was hosted on.[9] It was helped partly by the porting process with code being extensively documented in a 17-part series written by Lynne and William in Dr. Dobb's Journal beginning in January 1991.[10]

FreeBSD and NetBSD

After the release of 386BSD 0.1,[8] a group of users began collecting bug fixes and enhancements, releasing them as an unofficial patchkit. Due to differences of opinion between the Jolitzes and the patchkit maintainers over the future direction and release schedule of 386BSD,[11] the maintainers of the patchkit founded the FreeBSD project in 1993 to continue their work.[12] Around the same time, the NetBSD project was founded by a different group of 386BSD users, with the aim of unifying 386BSD with other strands of BSD development into one multi-platform system. Both projects continue to this day.

Lawsuit

Due to a lawsuit (UNIX System Laboratories, Inc. v. Berkeley Software Design, Inc.), some potentially so-called encumbered source was agreed to have been distributed within the Berkeley Software Distribution Net/2 from the University of California, and a subsequent release (1993, 4.4BSD-Lite) was made by the university to correct this issue. However, 386BSD, Dr. Dobb's Journal, and the Jolitzes were never parties to these or subsequent lawsuits or settlements arising from this dispute with the University of California, and continued to publish and work on the 386BSD code base before, during, and after these lawsuits without limitation. There has never been any legal filings or claims from the university, USL, or other responsible parties with respect to 386BSD. Finally, no code developed for 386BSD done by William Jolitz and Lynne Jolitz was at issue in any of these lawsuits.

Release 1.0

In late 1994, a finished version 386BSD Release 1.0 was distributed by Dr. Dobb's Journal on CD-ROM only due to the immense size (600 MB) of the release (the "386BSD Reference CD-ROM") and was a best-selling CDROM for three years (1994–1997). 386BSD Release 1.0 contained a completely new kernel design and implementation, and began the process to incorporate recommendations made by earlier Berkeley designers that had never been attempted in BSD.

Release 2.0

On August 5, 2016, an update was pushed to the 386BSD GitHub repository by developer Ben Jolitz, named version 2.0.[13][14] According to the official website, Release 2.0 "built upon the modular framework to create self-healing components."[15] However, as of March 16, 2017, almost all of the documentation remains the same as version 1.0, and a changelog was not available.

All rights with respect to 386BSD and JOLIX are now held exclusively by William and Lynne Jolitz.[dubious – discuss] 386BSD public releases ended in 1997 since code is now available from the many 386BSD-derived operating systems today, along with several derivatives thereof (such as FreeBSD, NetBSD and OpenBSD). Portions of 386BSD may be found in other open systems such as OpenSolaris.

Relationship with BSD/386

386BSD is often confused with BSD/386 which was a different project developed by BSDi, a Berkeley spinout, starting in 1991. BSD/386 used the same 386BSD code contributed to the University of California on 4.3BSD NET/2. Although Jolitz worked briefly for UUNET (which later spun out BSDi) in 1991, the work he did for them diverged from that contributed to the University of California and did not appear in 386BSD. Instead, William Jolitz gave regular code updates to Donn Seeley of BSDi for packaging and testing, and returned all materials when William left the company following fundamental disagreements on company direction and goals.

Further reading

  • Jolitz, William F. and Jolitz, Lynne Greer: Porting UNIX to the 386: A Practical Approach, 17-part series in Dr. Dobb's Journal, January 1991 – July 1992:[16][17]
    • Jan/1991: DDJ "Designing a Software Specification"
    • Feb/1991: DDJ "Three Initial PC Utilities"
    • Mar/1991: DDJ "The Standalone System"
    • Apr/1991: DDJ "Language Tools Cross-Support"
    • May/1991: DDJ "The Initial Root Filesystem"
    • Jun/1991: DDJ "Research and the Commercial Sector: Where Does BSD Fit In?"
    • Jul/1991: DDJ "A Stripped-Down Kernel"
    • Aug/1991: DDJ "The Basic Kernel"
    • Sep/1991: DDJ "Multiprogramming and Multiprocessing, Part I"
    • Oct/1991: DDJ "Multiprogramming and Multiprocessing, Part II"
    • Nov/1991: DDJ "Device Autoconfiguration"
    • Feb/1992: DDJ "UNIX Device Drivers, Part I"
    • Mar/1992: DDJ "UNIX Device Drivers, Part II"
    • Apr/1992: DDJ "UNIX Device Drivers, Part III"
    • May/1992: DDJ "Missing Pieces, Part I"
    • Jun/1992: DDJ "Missing Pieces, Part II"
    • Jul/1992: DDJ "The Final Step: Running Light with 386BSD"
  • Jolitz, William F. and Jolitz, Lynne Greer: Operating System Source Code Secrets Vol 1 The Basic Kernel, 1996, ISBN 1-57398-026-9
  • Jolitz, William F. and Jolitz, Lynne Greer: Operating System Source Code Secrets Vol 2 Virtual Memory, 2000, ISBN 1-57398-027-7

References

  1. ^ a b "386BSD 0.0 Release Notes".
  2. ^ "386BSD". Free On-line Dictionary of Computing. 2006-06-08. Retrieved 2009-11-17.
  3. ^ Chalmers, Rachel (2000-05-17). "The unknown hackers". Salon. Retrieved 2023-11-24.
  4. ^ "The creators of open-source 386BSD mark 15 year anniversary". The creators of open-source 386BSD mark 15 year anniversary. Retrieved 2023-11-24.
  5. ^ Bentson, Randolph. "The Humble Beginnings of Linux". dl.acm.org. Retrieved 2023-11-24.
  6. ^ Sam Williams, "Free as in Freedom", March 2002, O'Reilly chapter 9 Archived 2022-06-13 at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ Eric S. Raymond. 2003. Origins and History of Unix, 1969-1995 Archived 2015-06-10 at the Wayback Machine The Art of Unix Programming. Chapter 2. History.
  8. ^ a b "386BSD 0.1 Release Notes".
  9. ^ "History of FreeBSD – Part 2: BSDi and USL Lawsuits". Klara Inc. 2020-10-20. Retrieved 2023-11-24.
  10. ^ "386BSD". www.386bsd.org. Retrieved 2023-11-24.
  11. ^ "386BSD FAQ". William Jolitz, Lynne Jolitz. 2014-01-13. Archived from the original on 2014-01-13. Retrieved 13 January 2014.
  12. ^ About the FreeBSD Project
  13. ^ "After 22 Years, 386BSD Gets An Update - Slashdot". bsd.slashdot.org. 9 October 2016. Retrieved 2017-03-14.
  14. ^ "386bsd/386bsd". GitHub. Retrieved 2017-03-14.
  15. ^ "386BSD Official website". Retrieved 2021-03-13.
  16. ^ "DDJ articles for 386BSD".
  17. ^ "Porting Unix to the 386".
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