# Why FreeBSD



## alie (Dec 18, 2008)

hi,

can someone answer my question. Why FreeBSD ? is it good for desktop use ? is there any link can answer my question? sorry for asking this question, i am newbie in UNIX/BSD/Linux.

-Alie


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## sverreh (Dec 18, 2008)

The answer depends on what you want to use your desktop for. If you want to play games, then there are better alternatives. If you are looking for a stable and secure system, you have found it!  

Personally I use it for everything except playing games, (I'm too old to find PC-games entertaining :O): Playing music, watching movies, burning CD's, surfing the web, editing pictures, maintaining my music on IPod, handling E-mail and online banking. The only drawback for desktop use is a not too good support for Flash, but hopefully that may change.

This link shows what people are using FreeBSD for:

http://forums.freebsd.org/showthread.php?t=544&highlight=freebsd&page=1


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## alie (Dec 18, 2008)

thanks for ur reply, really appreaciate it, but why other OS seems faster and stable for desktop usage? what kind of stable u mean ? i think its depends on desktop environment rite ? CMIIW

-Alie


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## ISPserver (Dec 18, 2008)

IMHO FreeBSD is not excelent choice for desktop. FreeBSD doesn't have a lot of sound or 3D-display driver. And support for all modern device.

  But for server it's better system. 

For my desktop I use Linux. In my opinion it more friendly for desktop user.


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## vermaden (Dec 18, 2008)

My reasons:
http://www.over-yonder.net/~fullermd/rants/bsd4linux
http://daemonforums.org/showpost.php?p=1659&postcount=14


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## sverreh (Dec 18, 2008)

alie said:
			
		

> why other OS seems faster and stable for desktop usage? what kind of stable u mean ?



Don't know what other OS you see as faster and stable. By stable I mean running and running and running and ... for months. Does not slow down because of disc fragmentation, does not crash, no problem with viruses. Faster? Well, I watch movies and listen to music at normal speed, no problem there. Surfing depends on the bandwith of your line: I have 25 Mb/s optical fiber network, no delays!

As ISPserver says, Linux may have better support for the newest devices, which is good, but as far as I know (I'm not running Linux) at the cost of some stability.

Another advantage of FreeBSD: Very nice, friendly and helpful forum! :e


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## alie (Dec 18, 2008)

> y stable I mean running and running and running and ... for months



wow, i just noticed your answer is correct!!! thanks... now i know why FreeBSD is better!


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## Anonymous (Dec 18, 2008)

alie said:
			
		

> thanks for ur reply, really appreaciate it, but why other OS seems faster and stable for desktop usage? what kind of stable u mean ? i think its depends on desktop environment rite ? CMIIW
> 
> -Alie



My computer is 5 years old. I use OpenOffice, Lix, GIMP almost every day and I never have a problem with the speed and security. I use KDE destop and for surfing Opera or Konqueror and there are no problem with security. Okay, pf running on the system, too. Problem is if we stay without electric  and I am buying ups still ).


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## tangram (Dec 18, 2008)

Alie you should just install the OS and a desktop environment / window manager and decide for yourself.

Opinions are just that... opinions.

In my opinion it has the best available documentation, true Unix descendant, presents hands down approach, customizable, uses source and binary package installation, directory hierarchy makes sense, separates system from userland and above all I find it great fun.

Still the characteristic that attracted me the most was the documentation.


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## lme@ (Dec 19, 2008)

@alie: see here.


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## syadnom (Dec 26, 2008)

freebsd:
fast,  very little overhead.
clean,  clear structure, organized development
fast,  yeah, I said it again.  very efficient on slight hardware
easy,  yep, freebsd is easy.  read the handbook and be an expert.
small,  build production servers that fit on compact flash cards.

I personally use ubuntu for my desktop as linux support for desktop style hardware is better, but I prefer freebsd for basic servers.  

You can make comparisons to linux all day.  They are both great. What sets freebsd apart is the developers and process.  There is only 1 freebsd and because of that, it is clean and elegant in a way that linux can never be.  Now, to be fair, I am of the opinion that there are only 1.5 linuxes out there which are debian and ubuntu so I am a bit skewed!


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## hydra (Jan 4, 2009)

The thing I like about FreeBSD is the separation - system and the ports. Just take a look at Linux, you update a single application and you cannot boot. Of course, Linux has better support, some applications are made solely for Linux, so ...


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