FreeBSD Device Drivers Book

(github.com)

52 points | by myth_drannon 6 hours ago

2 comments

  • inatreecrown2 3 hours ago
    This is a huge book! I would like to know if a LLM was involved in the writing process or if this is the product of a human.
    • AbbeFaria 19 minutes ago
      There is nothing wrong with using an LLM so long as a human takes ownership for the artefact (be that books, code etc).

      I would rather the author automate the mundane and focus on conveying their ideas clearly.

      As an aside, is there a Linux version for this ?

    • rvz 1 hour ago
      Even if it was, the author is not a random person and is part of the FreeBSD team and I'd rather trust them to write the book than someone else outside of the organization.

      So I would expect that they would thoroughly check the book for inaccuracies, errors and issues before releasing it after proof-reading, otherwise it would say a lot about how they use LLMs and not checking over it would hurt their own reputation.

    • esseph 3 hours ago
      "The English version is the original and authoritative version of the book. The Brazilian Portuguese and Spanish editions were translated using AI and have not yet undergone a full human technical review. They are published to make the material accessible to more readers, but they may contain translation mistakes, awkward wording, or technical inaccuracies introduced during translation.

      If something in a translated edition seems unclear, inconsistent, or technically questionable, please refer to the English version as the source of truth. Help with reviewing and improving the translations is very welcome (see Contributing below)."

      ---

      This doesn't directly answer your question though.

  • SilentM68 3 hours ago
    Never seen a book written that incorporates the programming language as part of the learning material.

    Awesome work!

    I await the Linux version :)

    • yjftsjthsd-h 2 hours ago
      Wow, that's amazing:

      > Do I need to know C before starting?

      > No. Chapters 4 and 5 teach C from the ground up, focusing on the parts of the language that matter for kernel work (pointers, structures, memory layout, the preprocessor, and calling conventions). If you already know C well, sidebars in those chapters tell you what to skim and what to read carefully.

      > Do I need to know UNIX or FreeBSD?

      > No. Chapter 2 walks you through installing FreeBSD in a VM or on bare metal, and Chapter 3 introduces the UNIX command line, filesystem, processes, permissions, and editors. By the end of Part 1 you will have a working lab and the vocabulary to use it.

      If you're trying to get more contributors to your project, that seems like an excellent way to do it:) You have any interest in working on the project? Great, here's everything to get you there!