Why BSD?

[Philip Payne]

> This is not a troll. 
> 
> I've installed FreeBSD 5.2 on a spare SCSI drive and am 
> compiling kernels, 
> updating ports, etc,etc. Thus far, other than some minor 
> hassles, it's 
> equivilent to my Debian sid.
> 
> I have to ask: Why FreeBSD rather than Linux? 

My personal experience.

4 years ago I had never installed a UNIX like OS, however I am an engineer
so I read the manual first.

I tried to find a coherent set of documentation in regards to Linux but
because it is a huge munge of lots of different projects (Kernel, GNU,
packages the distro has decided to add, everything else you actually need
manually built by you) there is nothing coherent. I found a lot of arguments
about licencing, source over binary, what should be in a distro and what
shouldn't. Those arguments are still going on today.

A friend pointed me a www.freebsd.org and loe-and-behold instructions on how
to install and use the OS. Since then, I have never had to stray far from
that site or this email list. 

- I have never experienced a failed system upgrade other than my own
stupidity. 
- I have never experienced a system hang other than using alpha/beta
software manually installed. 
- I have never been unable to install a port unless it was broken.
- If that were'nt reason enough, I also can upgrade the whole thing once a
month with NO pain.

I guess this is a reflection of the managed, controlled environment under
which system and ports are developed for FreeBSD. 

I guess what I'm saying is... it's dependable environment and I'm not just
talking about the software.

Phil.