I use it because it’s truly a “complete system” in a way that Linux and even the BSDs are not—every program is an example in itself and it comes with a ton of various scratch-built utilities that you don’t usually find as part of a typical Linux distro. Stuff like a basic torrent or IRC client just sort of fall out of the way Plan 9 is organized and implemented.

It also provides me with a distraction-free environment and a set of tools that I enjoy using, even if some aspects of Plan 9 as, say, a laptop daily driver are inconvenient or awkward. It really is better suited for networked computing.

I was pretty much sold from first contact because Plan 9 is the way that I feel best matches what I’ve always wanted from my machines: a simple grid of networked appliances where I can route the various resources and hardware in whatever way I require.

I already do.

There are dozens of us! Dozens!

I think it really is as simple as our dorks from the Labs liking Ed Wood.

Same reason the mascot is named Glenda.

Perhaps just PNU?

That would be the port of NetSurf.

On this machine I have everything except for Bluetooth and the fingerprint reader, neither of which I ever use anyway.

Oh sure, lots of things are “inconvenient” on Plan 9.

Of note for most would-be users: if you rely on a modern web browser like Firefox/Chrome, forget about it. Never going to happen.

It’s important to remember that Plan 9 is fundamentally a research operating system; it’s not really a “typical” environment by any stretch, and that stems largely from it being entirely network-based and distributed. A single Plan 9 system in isolation can only be so interesting. Using it on a laptop like this can be an entirely different set of problems.

If you’d like some examples of things you may face:

• booting can be slow

• can be intimidating to set up for some of the more important features – factotum(4) and secstore(1), new users and directories under /, etc.

• cwfs is slow

• hjfs is really slow

• no multi-monitor support

• only recently did we get a filesystem that specifically aims to be crash-safe

• poor documentation, though it’s been getting better

• reading research papers is basically a requirement for understanding the system

• security is not a priority

For me, though? I genuinely don’t need much more than what’s available in the base system.

I have an RPi4 and a 0W that run 9front as diskless terminals thanks to that effort. It works really well!

Richard Miller is one of the OGs; he did the first port of UNIX, and if you look into Plan 9 more you’ll see exactly how much of a connection to history it really is.

Nothing at all.

It’s purely for my own needs — what worked for Rob Pike’s eyes in the '90s doesn’t really work for mine when it comes to actually using it every day, so I figured I’d have fun with it while I was changing the colors for the various programs.

I use it for all of my day-to-day computing tasks. Writing, email, browsing, programming, drawing, games… the works.

Anything I can’t do directly in 9 is covered by a combination of ssh(1), vt(1), and vnc(1) — with just a touch of vmx(1) if I’m feeling dangerous.

Plan 9 is a research operating system developed by Bell Labs as a successor to UNIX.

I would suggest starting somewhere like here to get an idea of what it’s about, as well as checking out this video from one of 9front’s core contributors.

Very much and very actively.

There are new commits every week and the latest release was April 28th.

All? I just use it like any other computer, honestly.

Are there any specific questions you have? I can try my best to explain.

Indeed.

9front comes with two browsers out of the box: abaco and mothra. There is also a port of NetSurf as well as both gopher and gemini browsers.

It uses /dev/draw.

See draw(3) and rio(4) for details.

It’s an email indicator. See faces(1) for details.

But of course! Real hardware or bust.

This particular machine has been my daily driver for months now, so I would say it is faring quite well.

• machine: ThinkPad T420

• os: ⑨front

  • auth+cpu+file on encrypted cwfs

• wm: rio + riow

• programs:

  • aux/statusmsg

  • bar

  • clock

  • faces

  • stats

  • zuke

• wallpaper

For those interested in learning more about Plan 9 and trying it out in a public environment: SDF Public Access UNIX System is hosting their seasonal Plan 9 Boot Camp starting June 20th. Feel free to drop into com and say hello!

It sounds like Gentoo is literally exactly what you want.

I am currently not using gentoo, and because the packages in its default repos are only updated when necessary, and the break-my-gentoo repo is more of a joke than an actual replacement for arch.

I’m sorry, but I am genuinely confused here.

Gentoo can be both stable and bleeding edge and allows you to mix and match on a per-package basis.

Does setting ACCEPT_KEYWORDS="~amd64" globally not make things bleeding edge enough for you? Grab *-9999 packages instead.