Date: Sat, 10 Feb 2001 10:42:52 -0500 From: hawk <hawk@fac13.ds.psu.edu> To: Alex Charalabidis <alex@wnm.net> Cc: DanSV@aol.com, freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: Linux vs FreeBSD Message-ID: <200102101542.f1AFgqA00439@fac13.ds.psu.edu> In-Reply-To: Your message of "Fri, 09 Feb 2001 23:08:57 CST." <Pine.BSF.4.32.0102092241200.34382-100000@earth.wnm.net>
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alex added > On Fri, 9 Feb 2001 DanSV@aol.com wrote: > > I run Debian Linux. > > I want another os, but come on ... windows? I used debian extensively for years, and still have it on a home machine and a laptop. I've gone over to FreeBSD in frustration twice. This machine had Debian on it until a few days ago because the disk is so small (1.6Mb; you get to play the shell game a lot). > I figure others will answer what I can't. > > My Questions: > > 1. Apt-get. Anything similiar in FreeBSD? > > I loved being able to apt-get upgrade. > Ports. Apt-get is sweet but the ports system is pure saccharin. That, and "make world" is about as cool as you can get :) You can cvsup to get the latest version of kernel and support, rather than the extended waits you get with debian. > > 3. Memory. Can one program ever crash the system? > Haven't seen it happen. I managed to crash it once about three years ago (3.2?). I clicked on a bunch of image links at once, launching new instances of xv and netscape with each one. It was reporducible. But Linux is easier to crash that way--load a file larger than total memory into a binary editor (as a user!) and it rolls over and dies. > > 4. Ease of use: > > General? > I find it more usable than most Linux distros, Debian being the closest in > approach to FreeBSD. It beats every OS I've used hands down for ease of > maintenance. Easier to maintain, a little more of a learning curve. Debian used to have better and more detailed configuration files (e.g.: vim set up for mulitple undoes by default, fvwm2 set up ready to use rather than defaulting to unmovable windows, etc.), but the changes in how the packages run due to the current whims of the maintainers is one of my large sources of frustration (I lost a could of years of tinkering with the system fvwmrc file when it just plain overwrote without asking.) > > Setup? > 90% trivial, 5% total bitch, 5% doesn't work at all. In the latter case, > you'll probably find out when you try to boot from the boot floppies. > General disclaimer regarding X11 setup applies. Kernel recompile necessary > for sound support, advisable anyway. Much, much, easier than debian. The automation largely works (though debian has gotten *much* better about this). It's really a painless install; it's what debian's trying to be in that regard--select what you want, and come back when it's ready. > > 6. What is the stability of the system like in general? > > compared to linux? > Rock solid. I've had X go down in flames, hardware crash and burn but > never the OS itself. Well, it's happened but those instances were wetware > issues. :) Again, I've had that one crash, but that was a long time ago. I've had about 4 with linux. And as for X itself, I won't tell :) > > 8. How do I install it? I have a T1 connection though my school. > I recommend getting the boot floppies and FTP'ing the latest -STABLE from > releng4.freebsd.org. I believe STABLE is the same as Debian's "current." > Note that FreeBSD uses CURRENT for the development branch (unstable), > don't be confused. You want STABLE. Debian's "testing" is closer to STABLE (they don't have a "current"). However, it's just a two-week lag of unstable, with any show-stoppers removed--at least the ones that got caught. Missing a dependency led to my last round of frustration. > > 11. If When I take this comp home, and it is no longer hooked up in any > > way to the internet, how could I install new stuff? Just as easy? (ie > > are there packages?) > Ports (see #1) and packages. Yep, just redefine your network connection, and keep doing the same things. > > 12. How clean/easy is uninstalling a program? > If properly installed to begin with, it's usually clean as a whistle. > Overall, if you want up from Debian, you're probably looking at FreeBSD. > If you want down, well, you have a zillion Linux distros, none of which > I'd regard as superior or even equal to Debian. Debian fans like to call it the "final" distribution that people go to after using the others. After that, they go to FreeBSD :) hawk To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-questions" in the body of the message
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