Date: Mon, 22 Jan 2001 10:56:55 -0600 (CST) From: Mike Meyer <mwm@mired.org> To: Cliff Sarginson <cliff@raggedclown.net> Cc: questions@freebsd.org, jpham@mis.mc Subject: Re: FreeBSD versus Linux Message-ID: <14956.26199.300704.366757@guru.mired.org> In-Reply-To: <89584655@toto.iv>
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Cliff Sarginson <cliff@raggedclown.net> types: > Linux is strictly speaking just the O/S part and uses mostly GNU system > software .. GNU get pissed about people talking about Linux rather than > GNU/Linux (probably because Hurd, the O/S GNU is writing has been years > in arriving). What is irritating or wonderful (depending on your > point of view) is that Linux comes in a Heinz like variety of distributions... > dozens of them. So if you decide to try Linux first you will need to decide > which one (all I will say on this is do NOT try Redhat, the biggest selling > but worst Linux distribution on the planet). RedHat suffers a lot from the "Microsoft tint" that was mentioned elsewhere. The installation procedure makes lots of assumptions about the world that are probably true for the majority of the users, but a majort PITA for everyone else. Unless you use custom install, it installs its own boot system (just like MS), installs a GUI whether you want one or not (just like MS), and makes running other OS's a pain (just like MS). It also added aliases for all the shells that I found annoying, yet couldn't turn off without editing the system files; in other words, they assumed everyone would want things they way they set them up and not want to change them - which is a very MS thing. Of the Linux distributions I've installed (not many), TurboLinux was the one that made the fewest annoying assumptions. > Compatibility. Most Linux software runs fine under FreeBSD, some of it > runs reputedly better ! > > Can I find all kind of apps I can find on linux, on FreeBSD ? Such as office > > tools (such as staroffice), network and internet tools, and games ? > I don;t know if Staroffice is available under FreeBSD yet. But I see no reason > why it shouldn't run. The Linux version of StarOffice (running in compatability mode) is in the ports. There's a hiccup in the installation procedure that bites some people, but not others. Once you get over that, it runs fine - well, it runs as intended; I couldn't stand their GUI. Open Office (the name for the open sourced version of Star Office) is in the port tree but not yet finished. ApplixWare Office is available native, but costs money. I did a review of the word processing packages available late last year; you can read it at <URL: http://www.mired.org/home/mwm/reviews/FreeBSD-WP.html >. <mike -- Mike Meyer <mwm@mired.org> http://www.mired.org/home/mwm/ Independent WWW/Perforce/FreeBSD/Unix consultant, email for more information. To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-questions" in the body of the message
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