BSD
Abbreviation with 3 meanings
| Stands for | Berkeley Software Distribution |
|---|---|
| Meanings | 3 |
| Categories | Technology & Computing, Religion |
BSD has three meanings. The most common are Berkeley Software Distribution (software) and BSD License (software); it can also stand for B'siyata Dishmaya (with the help of Heaven).
Meanings of BSD at a glance
| # | BSD stands for | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Berkeley Software Distribution | Technology & Computing › Software |
| 2 | BSD License | Technology & Computing › Software |
| 3 | B'siyata Dishmaya (with the help of Heaven) | Religion › Religious Term |
1. Berkeley Software Distribution
Technology & Computing · Software Abbreviations
Version of Unix developed at the University of California, Berkeley, from 1977 to 1995, and the family of operating systems descended from it, including FreeBSD, OpenBSD and NetBSD. BSD code also lives on in macOS and in PlayStation system software.
Example: The firewall appliance runs pfSense, which is built on FreeBSD, a direct descendant of Berkeley's BSD Unix.
BSD introduced lasting technologies such as the sockets networking API, the vi editor and the C shell. A legal fight with AT&T's Unix System Laboratories in the early 1990s slowed its adoption and helped Linux gain ground. Apple's Darwin, the core of macOS and iOS, includes FreeBSD components, and Sony's PlayStation 4 and 5 run FreeBSD-based systems.
2. BSD License
Technology & Computing · Software Abbreviations
Family of permissive open-source licenses from the University of California, Berkeley, that allow reuse in proprietary software with attribution. The common 2-clause and 3-clause versions differ only in whether the authors' names may be used to endorse derived products.
Example: The 3-clause BSD license lets us ship modified code in closed-source firmware, provided we keep the copyright notice.
The original 4-clause license included an "advertising clause" requiring credit to the university in promotional material; Berkeley dropped it in 1999. The 3-clause version is also called "New" or "Modified" BSD, and the 2-clause version "Simplified" or "FreeBSD" License. The Go language, Django and NumPy use BSD-style licenses.
3. B'siyata Dishmaya (with the help of Heaven)
Religion · Religious Term Abbreviations
Aramaic phrase, abbreviated BS"D in Hebrew letters, written at the top of letters, notes, schoolwork and documents by many observant Jews to acknowledge reliance on God. It serves the same purpose as B"H.
Example: His homework sheet had BSD written above the date.
The phrase uses "Heaven" as a respectful substitute for God's name. Some communities prefer BSD over B"H to avoid even abbreviating God's name. It is also commonly said aloud when undertaking a new project.
Related abbreviations
More software abbreviations
- AGPL – GNU Affero General Public License
- AOSP – Android Open Source Project
- APT – Advanced Package Tool
- ASF – Apache Software Foundation
- BSL – Business Source License
- BT – BitTorrent
- CAL – Client Access License
- CC – Creative Commons
See all 70 software abbreviations →