Skip site navigation (1)Skip section navigation (2)
Date:      Fri, 10 Apr 2020 03:09:30 -0400
From:      Mike Remski <mremski@comcast.net>
To:        <freebsd-hackers@freebsd.org>
Subject:   Re: Ars Technica article on FreeBSD new user experience
Message-ID:  <9bc85f04-ed38-4d5a-bec3-551079cdcb2b@comcast.net>
In-Reply-To: <QB1PR01MB3649C0BF47DD657D625BCB79DDC10@QB1PR01MB3649.CANPRD01.PROD.OUTLOOK.COM>
References:  <CAPyFy2AVfEzey0%2B9-b8ZS1uyn8ODOoNhCHY7fHp2uc9ASiw%2BnA@mail.gmail.com> <QB1PR01MB3649C0BF47DD657D625BCB79DDC10@QB1PR01MB3649.CANPRD01.PROD.OUTLOOK.COM>

next in thread | previous in thread | raw e-mail | index | archive | help
On Thursday, April 9, 2020 5:39:45 PM EDT, Rick Macklem wrote:
> Ed Maste <emaste@freebsd.org> wrote:
>> Jim Salter has an article in Ars Technica discussing his experience
>> with FreeBSD 12.1 as a desktop:
>> https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2020/04/not-actually-linux-distro-review-f=
reebsd-12-1-release/
>>=20
>> There are some points in there that might involve misunderstanding,
>> but there are also a number of real issues raised about the experience ...=

> Since this is a public mailing list, I'll repost here...
>
> One thought here that I'll throw out (I have no idea if others=20
> have suggested
> this before)=E2=80=A6
> What about creating a separate release for desktops/laptops that installs
> X Windows etc from a simple installer "out of the box"?
> --> To keep it simple, don't try to support all hardware, just=20
> stuff that is widely
>       available and already well supported by the drivers in FreeBSD.
>       Obviously amd64 only plus a few widely available display=20
> chip sets that work
>       well, etc and so on...
>
> If it doesn't support the hardware someone has, then they can go the regula=
r
> release/install route. (It would be nice to maintain an up to=20
> date list of what
> hardware it supports, but it might be easier to just have it=20
> start up live CD
> style and then see if the hardware it needs is there.
> --> Sorry, can't do this display chipset to that sound chip or...
>
> Just an idea, rick
> ps: I am not volunteering to help do this. I run FreeBSD on laptop/desktop
>       systems, but bare bones. No X Windows...

Something like what old PCBSD did?  How about FuryBSD as a starting point? =20=

Joe Maloney is layering either XFCE or KDE (2 different ISO/install media)=20=

on top of a FreeBSD install, so out of the box, the install gives you=20
FreeBSD with either XFCE or KDE.

Disclaimer:  I've been using FreeBSD with X as a daily driver for a long=20
time and honestly never found it that difficult to set up.  Hardest was=20
when everything started to need the drm-kmod bits, but once I understood=20
what I needed to do, it's not been an issue.




Want to link to this message? Use this URL: <https://mail-archive.FreeBSD.org/cgi/mid.cgi?9bc85f04-ed38-4d5a-bec3-551079cdcb2b>