Strategic Thinking (was: Re: Speculative: Rust for base system components)

[Cy Schubert]

In message <F4A2607D-BB3E-4D00-B8D9-C633DB7C0102 at gmail.com>, Enji 
Cooper writes
:
> 
>
> > On Jan 3, 2019, at 14:51, Alan Somers <asomers at freebsd.org> wrote:
> > 
> >> On Thu, Jan 3, 2019 at 3:29 PM Cy Schubert <Cy.Schubert at cschubert.com> wro
> te:
> >> 
> >> In message <alpine.BSF.2.20.1901032030260.40635 at puchar.net>, Wojciech
> >> Puchar wr
> >> ites:
> >>>>> That's precisely how ideas that most people disagree with get *pushed*
> >>>>> through by evangelists with confirmation bias! Like someone said
> >>>>> earlier in the discussion: does Rust add anything? The answer is a
> >>>>> resounding NO, save for bloat.
> >>>> 
> >>>> And this is why one reason people say “FreeBSD is dying†.
> >>>> 
> >>> dying for whom?
> >> 
> >> Not to answer this question but to think strategically:
> >> 
> >> I come from the corporate/government environment, having spent most of
> >> my time there. Large datacentres (Canadian spelling), large machines,
> >> large networks of machines, large networks. In this environment, today,
> >> virtualization in all forms are the platforms of business. Migrations
> >> from physical platforms running AIX, Solaris and Linux to either Linux
> >> on VMware or Linux containers is where they are putting 100% of their
> >> effort. The language of choice is mostly Java. Much of the Java is
> >> canned too. What used to be implemented on LAMP stacks is now being
> >> implemented using microservices. The platform of choice for
> >> microservices is Linux. Stripped down Linux primarily capable of
> >> supporting microservices. And now at $JOB we're talking about running
> >> microservices on Linux VMs -- virtualization on virtualization, on a
> >> virtual network (NSX). My customers are working on microservices and
> >> containers that can be migrated from their private cloud to the public
> >> cloud and back again easily.
> >> 
> >> Even Microsoft is working on a container strategy. The future is
> >> containers. The desktop platform isn't nearly as important any more.
> >> And, the physical server, its location, what it runs on and who runs it
> >> are also less important. What is important is the speed and cost
> >> effectiveness of standing up applications.
> >> 
> >> IMO we have strengths that can immediately be capitalized on, like the
> >> Linuxulator. If anything could be in base it might be go, the language
> >> Kubernetes is written in -- don't get me wrong, I'm not advocating
> >> importing go into base. Having said that, transforming FreeBSD into a
> >> PaaS platform, tying it all together using Kubernetes would position
> >> FreeBSD for the future to come. Maybe I'm talking myself into go and
> >> Kubernetes in base but maybe this could just as easily be done in ports.
> >> 
> >> Think about this: Kubernetes in base or ports, using the Linuxulator
> >> and jails (or an implementation of cgroups and namespaces constructs in
> >> addition to jails). Bhyve and jails provide the enterprise with other
> >> virtualization options such that a FreeBSD host could host Linux or
> >> FreeBSD containers, Windows or other VMs, and FreeBSD jails, all on one
> >> or a cluster of FreeBSD hosts, possibly part of a heterogeneous cluster.
> >> 
> >> This IMO would position FreeBSD for the future.
> >> 
> >> Maybe go and Kubernetes? Let's not be left behind.
> >> 
> >> 
> >> --
> >> Cheers,
> >> Cy Schubert <Cy.Schubert at cschubert.com>
> >> FreeBSD UNIX:  <cy at FreeBSD.org>   Web:  http://www.FreeBSD.org
> >> 
> >>        The need of the many outweighs the greed of the few.
> > 
> > FreeBSD support in Kubernetes would be great, but I don't think
> > there's any reason to put it into base.
>
> +1. Kubernetes should remain as a port, given the development process that Fa
> cebook and Google use being out of step with the BSDs (backwards compatibilit
> y to the degree that BSD wants is generally a lower priority item).

It's not a port yet but it will be. I prefer a smaller base relying on 
ports instead.


-- 
Cheers,
Cy Schubert <Cy.Schubert at cschubert.com>
FreeBSD UNIX:  <cy at FreeBSD.org>   Web:  http://www.FreeBSD.org

	The need of the many outweighs the greed of the few.