# The Unix Work Ethic

![Live Free or Die](/images/livefreeordie.jpg)

1. We follow the UNIX philosophy:

	1. Do one thing and do it well

	2. Use text as an interface

	3. Avoid feature creep

	4. Design the output of one program to be the input of another

	5. Avoid interactive input when not needed

2. We tightly integrate with [OpenBSD](https://openbsd.org):

	1. Choose languages native to OpenBSD: C, korn shell, perl

	2. Choose software that is written by OpenBSD developers

	3. Choose the [BCHS](https://learnbchs.org) web stack

	4. Choose permissive, 2-clause BSD or MIT license over the GPL

	5. Follow the [OpenBSD](https://man.openbsd.org/style) style guidelines

	6. Follow widely-used open Internet standards

3. We write our own code

	1. Prefer software with better documentation

	2. Prefer software that can be easily audited and forked

	3. Keep configuration simple and choose sensible defaults

	4. Avoid unnecessary, 3rd-party dependencies

	5. We eat our own [dog food](/debate/dogfooding)