NetBSD for the FreeBSD User: Building a NetBSD kernel

Building a kernel is considered a rite of passage in the open-source Unix world. What nobody mentions, though, is that each new Unix you encounter has its own tricks and methods. What’s normal behavior for one Unix can be strange and unusual for another. In short, a Unix administrator gets to have one rite of passage after another. Don’t you feel lucky?

Having said that, building a NetBSD kernel isn’t that different from building a FreeBSD kernel. The bumps and gotchas are just enough to keep you on your toes, not enough to actually stop you.