Ok, so Im still new in the world of linux (in other words your a noob! ), but I just want to ask whats this FreeBSD OS about. I know its not linux, but also based on UNIX code, so why do people that use it claim its better than linux?

If it is, would you recomend that I drop the linux thing and start using/learning FreeBSD?

well, from personal experience, FreeBSD is a rock solid Operating System. I told bergie the other day that if i had to put the difference between linux and FreeBSD into a picture, linux would be a mud brick and FreeBSD would be a Cinder Block!

FreeBSD is more of a server platform, even though i successfully use it as a desktop system. Linux is more forgiving in the sense that games run better on it. Games run on freebsd too, but you need to install linux compatibility stuffs and whatnot. If you wanna play games dont install FreeBSD.

It's still good to know though. i love it.

And guess who's back on the forums after a year break ... anyway, maybe I should add my opinnion up in here too.

Perhaps not being a gaming platform is good thing - look what Linux has turned into. Trying to statisfy the point&click users and making it friendly for dorks who are too lazy to read documentation turns the OS to shit - Linux being the example.

FreeBSD is the perfect server/workstation OS from my point of view - stability, ease of maintenance and software installation/upgrading (GOD DAMN YOU MUST LOVE PORTS).

Another major MAJOR difference between Linux and FreeBSD is the fact that FreeBSD is an OS itself. While Linux is just the kernel provided by Linus and friends, FreeBSD is an entire operating system (kernel, utilities and documentation all in one). It makes me feel a lot better about installing something where I know that the teams who write the kernel and the software for it actually communicate between each other.

Anyway I could probably write all night about good things (FreeBSD) and bad things (Linux) but I much rather go Linux bashing in the Linux threads Where more people could flame me

I agree, FreeBSD is a compleat package from a single group unlike linux. There is a very good and comprehensive manual, everything has a manpage etc. The userland structure is also very well set out and organised, not all messed up like Linux's.

Best thing, it works. And the configuration (rc.) isnt a mess like it is in some distro's like RedHat. Another thing would be the boot loader, grub is fine and all but I found a disturbing lack of good documentation about installing grub (all the docs just seemed to assume you would use the boot loader on your first primary drive). FreeBSD BTX loader on the other hand works. it just works! And i've yet to find a configuration it doesnt work in with an absolute minimum of configuration.

Slices mean you dont need hundreds of partitions like you do in linux. FreeBSD uses a single partition and then you can break the partition into slices, one for swap, one for /usr etc. No more problems with milions of partitions in multi boot systems. (Like IIRC linux swap file has to be before cyl 1024? Actualy so does LILO have to be before that point...).

The kernel is like 100000000000000000000000 times more sane to configure and compile than Linux's. You just go through a file, hash out the devices you dont need and compile it.. Linux kernel compile is dreadfull in comparison and much more messy.

Network configuration is way easy, the generic kernel is already fully ipv6 enabled. FreeBSD's Xfree86 setup tool is also a hell of alot better than the ones for linux imho.

This has been fixed ages ago tho...

no.

*sigh* yes!

look in lilo.conf.
there's an option lba32.
go read what it does.

do you even understand how lilo works?

-- Edit :
even found a link for you. get educated, ok?

This post has been edited by aquadog: Jul 6 2003, 10:09 AM

ya aquadog....

Why BSD is better than linux


That url will answer it

Lets look at stability and uptimes

Theres a list of the top 50 servers, note , not a single linux server appears on that list

Ouch! Now thats a slap in the face for any linux user!

Ok, so I am convinced about the server side, but what do you guys mean by a workstation? Office work, graphix rendering, coding etc?

Or, how do you people actually use your FreeBSD to help you in your work/job?

well I'm running koffice now and will pay with it
and who knows ? if itproves to be worthwhile I'll use it all the time

I rate its actually a very sweet os

Ian will tell you the same, its a VERY replaceable os for a desktop machine if youre running X and something like KDE

I'm no linux guru or anything like that, but, I have used Mandrake and Redhat.

And this is why I think FreeBSD is better.

On both of the Linux o/s I used KDE desktop that i'm using on FBSD. BSD will run the same desktops twice as fast..Can't say that about 'all linux distros' but I can say that about redhat and mandrake. FBSD is lean.....Mandake and redhat seem slugish/bloated.

It's easy to rebuild your kernel.

What about the ports? Thousands of programs! anything you could want. No more tarballs or hunting down dependancies.......

I love it........

haven't tried out freebsd yet, downloaded 4.6.2 a while back but it had to be installed to a primary partition and i didn't have a free one. (this was when i first started experimenting with different OSs besides win)

just thought i'd see what was being said about fbsd here. here's my 2¢ on linux.

grub is not very good. lilo is the way to go, never had a problem with it that i didn't inflict on myself. installed it to the mbr and it ran from an extended partition just fine.

recently (finished this morning in fact) installed a gentoo linux system. ports for linux.

red hat and mandrake (based on red hat) are bloated. not my choice at all either. i don't want any OS that wants to use >1gb for a default install. (i have lots of space, but why do hundreds of packages i'll never use sit on my HD?)

is a stable fbsd 5 out? i resolved to try it once 5 came out instead of going for 4.7. all your arguments (not bloated, kde/gnome running quicker, easier kernel compiling, etc) make me really want to try it out. as soon as i find an OS i feel really comfortable with i'm going to get rid of win once and for all. so far gentoo has my vote... you guys really think fbsd has it beat?

Not on the desktop no, see freebsd is great for servers, but for the desktop, gentoo pretty much takes it, because freebsd lacks anything remotely multimedia.

is it possible to run media software using the linux compatibility tools? from what everyone says i was under the impression anything that runs on *nix will run on freebsd, mostly.

i am quite pleased with gentoo so far. apart from it being quick (working on an optimal kernel config, it's somewhat new to me still) i haven't had to manually compile or install any programs yet.