Date: Sat, 08 May 1999 22:07:57 -0600 From: Wes Peters <wes@softweyr.com> To: Rahul Siddharthan <rsidd@physics.iisc.ernet.in> Cc: advocacy@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: desktop, was linus on BSD Message-ID: <37350A1D.F97B1864@softweyr.com> References: <Pine.LNX.4.05.9905090901550.390-100000@theory6.physics.iisc.ernet.in>
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Rahul Siddharthan wrote:
>
> > I think one of the big differentiators between "desktop"users of
> > FreeBSD and Linux is that many FreeBSD users never wanted a damned PC
> > in the first place. FreeBSD makes a pretty crufty PC, but a fine UNIX
> > workstation. For those looking for a workstation, installing XFree86
> > and {window manager of choice, WindowMaker for me} makes workstation
> > enough, especially so now that one or two competent word processors
> > and at least one usable spreadsheet are available for the typical
> > "productivity" applications.
>
> Who talked about a damned PC. The talk was on desktops, and a
> workstation (with Windowmaker, or whatever) *is* a desktop. In
> academia, at least, a lot of users like to get their work done on
> workstations without wanting to learn how to install everything
> themselves. They're not unix gurus but they can compile fortran/C
> programs, run matlab/octave/latex, check mail, etc from the
> command line and that's all they want to do. FreeBSD is fine for
> them if someone else sets up the system first. It would be even
> better if an easy-to-set-up desktop distro was rolled out.
> Desktop != PC.
My point exactly. Those who want or need a Windows PC should just
buy/requisition a PC and be happy with what they got. I pity them.
For people who want a workstation, who need to the networking and
applications that workstations are good at, FreeBSD is it. It's
better than Linux, better than NT by a long shot, and mostly better
than Solaris at a far less expensive price point.
--
"Where am I, and what am I doing in this handbasket?"
Wes Peters Softweyr LLC
http://www.softweyr.com/~softweyr wes@softweyr.com
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