Date: Mon, 26 Jan 2004 11:41:41 -0000 From: Philip Payne <philip.payne@uk.mci.com> To: Jeff Elkins <bsd@elkins.org>, freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Subject: RE: Why BSD? Message-ID: <A0A204EE2E51BC41BCDE3C1DD86D35EDBD457D@gblon1exch06.uk.mcilink.com>
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> This is not a troll. > > I've installed FreeBSD 5.2 on a spare SCSI drive and am > compiling kernels, > updating ports, etc,etc. Thus far, other than some minor > hassles, it's > equivilent to my Debian sid. > > I have to ask: Why FreeBSD rather than Linux? My personal experience. 4 years ago I had never installed a UNIX like OS, however I am an engineer so I read the manual first. I tried to find a coherent set of documentation in regards to Linux but because it is a huge munge of lots of different projects (Kernel, GNU, packages the distro has decided to add, everything else you actually need manually built by you) there is nothing coherent. I found a lot of arguments about licencing, source over binary, what should be in a distro and what shouldn't. Those arguments are still going on today. A friend pointed me a www.freebsd.org and loe-and-behold instructions on how to install and use the OS. Since then, I have never had to stray far from that site or this email list. - I have never experienced a failed system upgrade other than my own stupidity. - I have never experienced a system hang other than using alpha/beta software manually installed. - I have never been unable to install a port unless it was broken. - If that were'nt reason enough, I also can upgrade the whole thing once a month with NO pain. I guess this is a reflection of the managed, controlled environment under which system and ports are developed for FreeBSD. I guess what I'm saying is... it's dependable environment and I'm not just talking about the software. Phil.
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