# Is FreeBSD for me?



## daunted (Dec 10, 2013)

Hello there!

I have been running different Linux OS's for a few years now and still call myself a noob. But *I* have been thinking a lot about freeBSD FreeBSD and if it would be suitable for an old noob like myself. _I w_ould really appreciate any feedback. Thanks.


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## fonz (Dec 10, 2013)

That's a very broad question. You may want to elaborate on what it is you're looking for, then we can tell you whether FreeBSD is a/the right choice for that. For example:
are we talking desktop systems (and if so, what are typical applications) or servers (and if so, what kind of servers)?
Are you comfortable using the command line (terminal) or do you prefer a graphical environment?
Is there specific software you need to be able to run?
Are you using mainstream or exotic hardware and is it old or new?
Are there any things you don't like about Linux and hope FreeBSD can do better?
Etc. etc. Please be a bit more specific.


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## wblock@ (Dec 10, 2013)

You are really the only person who can answer that.  If you expect a command-line Unix, try FreeBSD.  If you expect a Linux-like X desktop after install, try PC-BSD: http://www.pcbsd.org/.


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## daunted (Dec 10, 2013)

I am comfortable and like using the command line, although definitely no expert. The laptop *I* am using has 8GB RAM and a 500 GB Hard Drive. I am currently trying to learn Python (from the command line) and constructing website(s) with HTML5 and CSS3. And *I* enjoy watching videos and playing my cd's. I have had no experience with servers. I hope this is enough info for now. See ya!


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## fonz (Dec 10, 2013)

daunted said:
			
		

> I am currently trying to learn Python (from the command line) and constructing website(s) with HTML5 and CSS3. And *I* enjoy watching videos and playing my cd's. I have had no experience with servers.


So essentially you're looking for a relatively simple desktop system with some multimedia capabilities, right? FreeBSD can do that, *but* FreeBSD doesn't come with any sort of graphical environment out of the box, you need to install and set it up manually from the console. And it's the same for multimedia applications like movie/audio players: you need to install those manually. Alternatively, you could try PC-BSD. It's essentially FreeBSD underneath, but it does come out of the box with graphical environments and a certain amount of third-party software on top.


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## CoTones (Dec 10, 2013)

To @daunted: NO.

To @fonz: I guess, you speaking to a troll from SmallSoft. Don't feed trolls.


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## fonz (Dec 10, 2013)

CoTones said:
			
		

> I guess, you speaking to a troll from SmallSoft. Don't feed trolls.


I'm inclined to give the OP the benefit of the doubt. It could be a sincere question deserving a proper answer. But if it turns out to be a troll after all, rest assured that I know how to deal with those quite swiftly  :h


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## daunted (Dec 10, 2013)

Hey @fonz, I just thought *I*'d let you know that it really was a genuine and sincere question and thanks for taking the time out to reply. As for @CoTones, ever thought of seeing a shrink?


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## phoenix (Dec 10, 2013)

Let's keep the discussion civil and skip the personal attacks.  This is the only warning before the thread is locked.


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## nslay (Dec 11, 2013)

daunted said:
			
		

> Hello there!
> 
> I have been running different Linux OS's for a few years now and still call myself a noob. But *I* have been thinking a lot about freeBSD FreeBSD and if it would be suitable for an old noob like myself. _I w_ould really appreciate any feedback. Thanks.



Just based on the first sentence: yes, it's for you.

For a typical end-user, there's just no practical reason to use any Linux distribution or BSD OS (OK, OS X, iOS, and Android being exceptions). But you're not typical because you've been running with different Linux OS's for a few years now.

My advice? Dive into FreeBSD. You'll learn a lot more about Unix-like systems from FreeBSD than you will on your _typical_ Linux distribution. Gentoo is another good way to learn, but I think FreeBSD's Handbook and man pages are higher quality.

I jumped directly from Windows XP to FreeBSD 4.x/5.x. FreeBSD is my first Unix-like system. If I could pick up FreeBSD with no prior Unix experience, then you definitely could with your newbie experience with Linux.


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## Deleted member 9563 (Dec 11, 2013)

As suggested, give it a try. I too was wondering about the transition from Linux to FreeBSD, and have now made it. I really enjoy the freedom. But as frequently said, freedom comes at a price. The command line is much more comfortable for me than a GUI, but nevertheless a desktop system doesn't run as smoothly out of the box as say, Ubuntu Server with a user-chosen desktop on it - which would be the Linux equivalent. I am however, running a very successful KDE, watching YouTube videos, have a large number of projects open across ten desktops - all that good desktop stuff. Generally, it's pretty good. In fact it's pretty amazing.

One thing about FreeBSD is this community right here - pure gold. There are quite a few very serious, skilled, and helpful members. That is extremely valuable. You won't get that with PC-BSD, where you also won't get the configurability. I think PC-BSD is aimed at people who would otherwise prefer MS Windows or perhaps those who have a lot of experience with MS. Go ahead and try it, but in my experience of working with it for a year, it's too much like a Linux distribution. KDE on FreeBSD is much more to my liking. That, of course, is just my opinion. 

One warning though. Installing software is not always as smooth as you may have gotten used to with the major Linux distributions. Adapting to that might require a fair number of four letter words and miscellaneous expletives - but that too will pass. There's just not as much manpower working on FreeBSD as on Linux. Remember too, that this is a server system. When it comes to a graphical environment there is less development. Like I say though, it works amazingly well. Come on in - the water's fine!


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## ShelLuser (Dec 11, 2013)

Now, before I continue let's start by stating the obvious: I'm biased   Even so I do try to come up with a fair response.

Having that out of the way I think the most important question here is if you're willing to get your hands "dirty". Being familiar on the commandline is a good sign because although there are plenty of "front end" programs available you'll get the most result by using the several available tools.

Another very important aspect (in my opinion) is that the available documentation for FreeBSD is in many ways superior to that of other Unix-like environments. That's not an opinion, it's a fact. Of course now I'm obliged to back up this claim with some proof. Let's say you're going to copy some files on your system, you know you need the cp command but require a little more information on the details.

If you then issue the `man cp` command on a CentOS system or FreeBSD system you'll quickly notice some differences. Some of those are in the details, but even so. Look at this:



			
				cp manualpage on CentOS said:
			
		

> COPYRIGHT
> Copyright © 2006 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
> This  is  free  software.   You may redistribute copies of it under the
> terms      of      the      GNU      General       Public       License
> ...



versus



			
				cp manualpage on FreeBSD said:
			
		

> COMPATIBILITY
> Historic versions of the cp utility had a -r option.  This implementation
> supports that option, however, its behavior is different from historical
> FreeBSD behavior.  Use of this option is strongly discouraged as the
> ...


Now, although I consider the latter example to be superior do keep in mind that superior doesn't imply perfection. It's not, you'll most likely also come across examples which aren't as great. Of course the main difference is that you can then share your issues (for example by filing a so called Problem Report) and chances are high that it will be looked at and dealt with.

Even so; in my opinion FreeBSD provides much more information to find your way around the commandline than some of the other systems do. As such; if you're capable to get your hands "dirty" and are also familiar with commands such as apropos and/or `man -k` then you should be well prepared, and FreeBSD could most certainly be something for you.

Although others already mentioned this one I think it can't be said enough: do take some time to go over the FreeBSD handbook. It's an invaluable source of information and will most certainly be able to help you out with any problems you might face. Best of all it might also help you to get a good impression of this "FreeBSD thing".

And finally, another item I'd like to point your attention to is this article on a comparison between FreeBSD and Linux. I strongly advise you to read it; this isn't about which of the two is "better" or the "best" (those are just nonsense comparisons best left for passionate fans (
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





) or worse ) but instead it tries to give a good balanced impression of the differences between the two systems.

Hope this can help as well.

PS: Although that small rant of this passionate fan is indeed a bit of a rant it might also give you some ideas on how others approach this whole "FreeBSD vs. Linux" thing.


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## nslay (Dec 11, 2013)

OJ said:
			
		

> As suggested, give it a try. I too was wondering about the transition from Linux to FreeBSD, and have now made it. I really enjoy the freedom. But as frequently said, freedom comes at a price. The command line is much more comfortable for me than a GUI, but nevertheless a desktop system doesn't run as smoothly out of the box as say, Ubuntu Server with a user-chosen desktop on it - which would be the Linux equivalent. I am however, running a very successful KDE, watching YouTube videos, have a large number of projects open across ten desktops - all that good desktop stuff. Generally, it's pretty good. In fact it's pretty amazing.
> 
> One thing about FreeBSD is this community right here - pure gold. There are quite a few very serious, skilled, and helpful members. That is extremely valuable. You won't get that with PC-BSD, where you also won't get the configurability. I think PC-BSD is aimed at people who would otherwise prefer MS Windows or perhaps those who have a lot of experience with MS. Go ahead and try it, but in my experience of working with it for a year, it's too much like a Linux distribution. KDE on FreeBSD is much more to my liking. That, of course, is just my opinion.
> 
> One warning though. Installing software is not always as smooth as you may have gotten used to with the major Linux distributions. Adapting to that might require a fair number of four letter words and miscellaneous expletives - but that too will pass. There's just not as much manpower working on FreeBSD as on Linux. Remember too, that this is a server system. When it comes to a graphical environment there is less development. Like I say though, it works amazingly well. Come on in - the water's fine!



Of course you get configurability in PC-BSD. It's FreeBSD. The same is true for Ubuntu which is just the same old Linux + GNU under the hood. PC-BSD and Ubuntu are just trying to be user friendly and more practical for those too strapped for time to read the Handbook.

While FreeBSD frequently finds usage as a server, it's no more a server OS than any other Unix-like OS. It's just that these Unix-like systems have a UI concept that predates the GUI. The exclusive use of the command line does not automatically imply that it's somehow exclusively for server use. This is just how computing was done before the days of the GUI.

More often than not, any compilation issues you have outside of ports should be blamed on the authors who most likely wrote the software for Linux rather than generic Unix-like systems.


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## Deleted member 9563 (Dec 12, 2013)

nslay said:
			
		

> Of course you get configurability in PC-BSD. It's FreeBSD. The same is true for Ubuntu which is just the same old Linux + GNU under the hood. PC-BSD and Ubuntu are just trying to be user friendly and more practical for those too strapped for time to read the Handbook.


Yes, the FreeBSD part of PC-BSD is the same, but the integration with KDE was a little difficult for me personally. You're probably a lot smarter, or have different needs.  I can tell you that putting KDE on FreeBSD has given me a very different system from PC-BSD. One that is much easier for me to deal with. I'm an old fart with no MS-Windows or Mac experience, so perhaps that makes a difference in how I view PC-BSD.



> While FreeBSD frequently finds usage as a server, it's no more a server OS than any other Unix-like OS. It's just that these Unix-like systems have a UI concept that predates the GUI. The exclusive use of the command line does not automatically imply that it's somehow exclusively for server use. This is just how computing was done before the days of the GUI.


I'm not entirely clear on why you would think of the command line as having anything to do with servers as such. I use DOS for many things on a daily basis because it is _easy_ and I can do it with my eyes closed (literally). The command line is not "how computing was done before", it is how many of us old folks do it now and likely more than a few younger people as well. I'm not alone in that regard. Not everybody automatically started using Windows when that came out. The thing that has changed over time is the need for more sophisticated processing. That is why I personally started using Linux when it first came out, and why I have now transitioned to FreeBSD. 



> More often than not, any compilation issues you have outside of ports should be blamed on the authors who most likely wrote the software for Linux rather than generic Unix-like systems.


I would tend to agree. There are sometimes problems with programs being Linux native and not completely bug free in the FreeBSD environment.

When starting FreeBSD I found that I made bad choices and errors in how I compiled and upgraded ports, and it caused hours of headaches to set right. Some errors were made out of ignorance, and others perhaps out of plain stupidity. I may be a slow learner, but in reading these forums I can see that others new to FreeBSD (likely younger and sharper) often have the same situation occurring. I haven't encountered those same kinds of problems with Linux- especially in the last six years. apt-get always worked better for me, and I think the reason is that there were many more hours of development going into integrating all the applications with the DE. I think of FreeBSD as primarily a server OS, not because of anything to do with the command line (I mean, really!), but because the primary effort of the developers goes toward that aspect of the OS and many considered it the most important. That may change with time. Certainly the next ten years will be fun to watch in that regard.


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