# Advantages and disadvantages of using FreeBSD



## marcinnn (Sep 22, 2010)

Hi,

I'm a programmer and a bit administrator. I use Linux for everything on my laptop (programing (Java, C++, Python) using MySQL, Postgresql, Tomcat, Glassfish, Graphics (Gimp, Blender). I wan to migrate to FreeBSD to learn something new but I need to know if everything works on this system that I need (actually all stuff that works on Linux  ). Can anyone help me? I don't want to spend hours on fighting with FreeBSD to recognize that some important software that I didn't predict doesn't work.


Thanks in advance!


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## roddierod (Sep 22, 2010)

I don't know what Glassfish is but everything else you mention works on FreeBSD. Since FreeBSD is not a Linux not *ALL* things that run on Linux are going to work on FreeBSD, because a lot of that software will be Linux specific.


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## marcinnn (Sep 22, 2010)

Not all things? Maybe I'll ask like this: Are all programs that are platform independent or based or Sun Java or just working both on Linux and Windows will be also working on FreeBSD?


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## jb_fvwm2 (Sep 22, 2010)

C++ is native.
/usr/ports/graphics/gimp
/usr/ports/databases/postgresql84-server (etc)
/usr/ports/lang/python...
/usr/ports/java/...
MANY programs in most of those categories and
the others.
(lang, audio, graphics, sysutils, X11, 
converters, archivers, multimedia, ...)
see freshports.org maybe if you are unsure if you
could use a specific program.  Though for most
a vast number of alternatives are readily
available for install.  
...
And with tuning, setup, etc one never (practically
ever) gets a BSOD or shared library incompatibility
or equivalent.


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## marcinnn (Sep 22, 2010)

> see freshports.org maybe if you are unsure if you
> could use a specific program. Though for most
> a vast number of alternatives are readily
> available for install.



Yea, but what I'm asking it's not the matter of what software I'm using now. It's a matter of feeling free with using software, developing myself, learn new technologies, etc.


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## graudeejs (Sep 22, 2010)

Just try it, you should be OK
I'm using FreeBSD exclusively on my Desktop, Server and Laptop.


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## Pjoter (Sep 22, 2010)

Hi,

I would be aware about non-native programs like Java or other things- that can be some problem. Althgouh FreeBSD has native Java port (Blackdown or OpenJDK) their versions may  be not inline within the heading versions provided by Oracle/Sun.

I would suggest like killasmurf86 just to install on some spare hard drive/pen drive and see if you can manage to install and run all you need- otherwise stick to Linux.

As jb_fvwm2 said please go to 
	
	



```
http://www.freshports.org/
```
put the program name and see if the version is supported and if the program is supported.

Also laptops seem to be less supported- suspend/resume issues- Linux is better choice here.

Pjoter.


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## roddierod (Sep 22, 2010)

marcinnn said:
			
		

> Yea, but what I'm asking it's not the matter of what software I'm using now. It's a matter of feeling free with using software, developing myself, learn new technologies, etc.



When you said software, I took it to me "prepackaged" software. You can develop with any non platform specific API, language, toolkit etc. you feel like.

I used it to write cross-platform python, C#, object Pascal and PHP site that run on Windows/Apache and *BSD/Apache.


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## rjreynolds (Sep 25, 2010)

*java*



			
				Pjoter said:
			
		

> Hi,
> 
> I would be aware about non-native programs like Java or other things- that can be some problem. Althgouh FreeBSD has native Java port (Blackdown or OpenJDK) their versions may  be not inline within the heading versions provided by Oracle/Sun.
> 
> ...




I was under the impression that there was an agreement with SUN. check out this link


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