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Thinking back on all the breaking changes I've dealt with since 2010: 32-bit Linux distros discontinued, SMB incompatible between Windows versions (and samba versions) without tweaks, root encryption certificates added/removed, OpenSSL requiring all SSH keys manually updated: This NetBSD machine may have been running for all that time, but no way was it unmanaged. Some Morlock was turning the cranks and oiling the gears.

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>This NetBSD machine may have been running for all that time, but no way was it unmanaged. Some Morlock was turning the cranks and oiling the gears.

When I read the article, it said it went down once due to an earthquake 13 years ago. Depending on what it is used for, tweaks may not have been needed, also it may not have been connected directly to the internet, but behind a firewall in another router.

So I say this is true, NetBSD is very stable and it does not need all the sub-systems Linux needs just to be useful. Some of those things are in pkgssrc (like dbus), but if not needed, it is not used.

Whatever it did, and what I know about NetBSD, I would not be surprised other NetBSD systems are still active in some hidden place forgotten about, doing its job without any "thanks" :)

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