NetBSD 11.0 Released

NetBSD 11.0 has finally arrived, but the real spectacle isn’t just the release — it’s the comment section, where people instantly split into two camps: the romantics and the skeptics. One person asked the big everyday question: can this old-school operating system actually work as a daily driver? Another went full poetry mode, describing NetBSD as an “ancient relic” built for monks, secret databases, and military missions — which is either a roast, a love letter, or somehow both.

Then came the unexpected star of the drama: CD-ROMs. Yes, really. NetBSD’s release notes mention separate disc images small enough to fit on old CDs, and that sent readers spiraling into a retro-tech fever dream. One commenter was stunned that CD-RW discs are still sold at all, while also asking the obvious modern question: why are we still doing this when USB sticks exist? Suddenly, a software update became a debate about whether the 1990s ever truly ended.

Meanwhile, another thread of reaction focused on the project’s unusually honest tone. NetBSD openly admitted it still has some known security issues and said delaying forever wasn’t realistic. Instead of outrage, the mood was almost impressed: commenters noticed how weirdly apologetic and transparent the announcement felt compared with the usual corporate chest-thumping. And in the middle of all that drama, one calm veteran casually dropped in to say their upgrade was smooth and stable — the digital equivalent of someone sipping tea while everyone else argues about floppy-era survival gear.