Re: [External] Re: Is GNOME on FreeBSD a good idea? Asking for a friend

 

    On Friday, October 3, 2025 at 04:13:42 PM EDT, Frank Leonhardt <freebsd-doc@fjl.co.uk> wrote:  
 
 On 03/10/2025 13:58, Dag-Erling Smørgrav wrote:
> Frank Leonhardt <freebsd-doc@fjl.co.uk> writes:
>> Someone (not me, honest), really, really wants to run GNOME on FreeBSD
>> and was complaining to me that it won't run the latest version because
>> of systemd.
> I'm sorry to see that your question seems to have brought out an
> larger-than-usual contingent of kooks.  Please ignore them.
>
> We tend to lag a little behind, but GNOME 47 has been available on
> FreeBSD since June, and I assume GNOME 48 is in progress.  GNOME 49 only
> just came out, so it's a little early to expect it on FreeBSD.
>
> cc: to Olivier who is probably the best person to answer what's
> currently in progress or right around the corner.
>
> DES

Thanks for all the answers everyone, and I will pass them on to my 
friend. He's real, his name is Stefan and he lives in Mexico.

Stefan's a Linux aficionado and I suggested he might like to try the 
"real thing". His first comment after installing it was "Wow - how come 
this is so fast?" His next was, "Ugh - I can't seem to get GNOME running."

I'm afraid my experience is limited to sshd and possibly a VGA monitor 
and keyboard on a trolley when things go pear shaped, so I appreciate 
you guys helping me out. He may pop up on this list later. I might also 
try FreeBSD as a desktop as a result, but he's probably got a better 
chance than I have with this "front end" stuff.

Thanks, Frank.


Frank,
You may want to try GhostBSD for a solid desktop/system.  I've put my gf and her 80yo mother on it.No issues for over 10 years.  (Goodbye MS viruses and such.)  The desktop is MATE (the fork from GNOME).
Paul