# Author of a BSD expression



## ramon navaros (Oct 13, 2016)

Hi.
Do anyone know the origin of this expression :



> "BSD is what you get when a bunch of Unix hackers sit down to try to port a Unix system to the PC. Linux is what you get when a bunch of PC hackers sit down and try to write a Unix system for the PC."



Who is the author of this citation ?


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## cpm@ (Oct 13, 2016)

The author is Matthew D. Fuller

http://www.over-yonder.net/~fullermd/rants/bsd4linux/01


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## ramon navaros (Oct 13, 2016)

cpm@ said:


> The author is Matthew D. Fuller
> 
> http://www.over-yonder.net/~fullermd/rants/bsd4linux/01



Are you sure about that ?
Because Matthew D. Fuller, wrote in his blog




> There're a lot of philosophical disparity between the Linux world and the BSD world. And there are a lot of expressions about it out there. One I particularly like goes something like:
> 
> BSD is what you get when a bunch of Unix hackers sit down to try to port a Unix system to the PC. Linux is what you get when a bunch of PC hackers sit down and try to write a Unix system for the PC.
> 
> Now, I like that quip, not because it's some sort of absolute revealed truth, but because it gives a very good feel for some of the differences.



So that means he is using this expression but it's not from him. We still don't know where it's come from


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## cpm@ (Oct 13, 2016)

You can ask him via email if you aren't sure


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## SirDice (Oct 13, 2016)

I suspect the origins of the expression got lost in time. I think I've heard it since, at least, 10 years ago, so it's fairly old. It's also possible it's one of those expressions that really have no origin, like the infamous "640K ought to be enough for everyone" allegedly uttered by Bill Gates.


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## ramon navaros (Oct 13, 2016)

With google, you can filter you research with date.
It appears, that for google, the first mention of it come from:
http://weimann.us/quotes.html

And in this website, they have a link to
https://www.over-yonder.net/~fullermd/rants/bsd4linux/01
which is the website of Matthew D. Fuller ... so let's wait for his response. (I send him an email)


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## ShelLuser (Oct 14, 2016)

I wouldn't be surprised if this originated on an echomail group in FidoNet. That doesn't tell you much about the author but might give you a lead to search. Assuming there are archives, but I'm not too sure about that.

Do note that this is just a rough guess, as good as anyone elses, but yeah.


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## ramon navaros (Oct 14, 2016)

I suppose FidoNet archives should be accessible from google.

Well, for now the only thing I can say is that:
The oldest website still reachable today which reference this expression is dated on 1st February 2001.
(I also tried to change words while googling)
I will update this post if I get an answer from Matthew, but I wont investigate more than that.


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## fossette (Oct 16, 2016)

Or something that is said in computer club meetings and conventions, then spreads like fire because of its originality/creativity.

Dominique.


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## SirDice (Oct 19, 2016)

ramon navaros said:


> The oldest website still reachable today which reference this expression is dated on 1st February 2001.


You could try the Wayback Machine.


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