Why Are You Using FreeBSD?

[Matthew Seaman]

On 31/05/2012 09:58, David Chisnall wrote:

> http://wiki.freebsd.org/WhyUseFreeBSD

> I am currently looking at updating some of our advocacy material
> (which advertises exciting new features like SMP support), and before
> I do I'd like to get a better feel for why the rest of you are using
> FreeBSD.  If you had to list the three things you most like about
> FreeBSD, which would you pick?  Are they the same as when you first
> started using it?

Heh.  My original reason for ever trying out FreeBSD was that I could
install it by downloading only one floppy-disk image.  I'll bet that
dates me.

Anyhow, one point about the ports you don't mention but which I think is
a real win, and a real distinguishing feature is the marvellous
flexibility it allows.

For instance: ever tried to install memcached on various linuxen?  When
you specifically want memcached-1.4 with the repcached patches?  Not
easy.  It's just an OPTION setting in ports.  Easy.

I've seen it said by very competent admins that "if you're running
software package X as the primary engine of your business then you
really should be compiling it yourself from source with your own
configuration choices rather than relying on the packages supplied with
your distro."  Which is quite true.  Except, with the ports, you can not
only do that, but you don't have to give up on the benefits of using the
OS packaging system.

	Cheers,

	Matthew

-- 
Dr Matthew J Seaman MA, D.Phil.
PGP: http://www.infracaninophile.co.uk/pgpkey


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