Why Are You NOT Using FreeBSD?

[Erich Dollansky]

Hi,

On 03 June 2012 PM 7:54:46 Janketh Jay wrote:
> >> 
> > a person who operated Windows for some years does not see
> > him/herself as a newcomer but still fails on FreeBSD. The word goes
> > around then that FreeBSD is bad.
> > 
> 	This is fine, actually. As mentioned, it's not intended for
> individuals that want everything handed to them on a silver platter.
> Anyone who labels FreeBSD as "bad" because they aren't familiar with
> it is an idiot, IMO. This isn't Microsoft, no matter how much people
> might want it to be. And, it never will be. Use this list if you have
> questions about ports. Is that really so difficult for people to do?
> If so, no big deal. The FreeBSD developers, contributors and
> maintainers are not here to hold people's hands. We're here to help
> people help themselves...
> 
how will you ever get newcomers to FreeBSD if not via Linux?

Why should people running Linux switch to FreeBSD?

This is a dangerous route.

Did you forget how you started with FreeBSD?

> > You are really working hard to keep the FreeBSD installations low.
> > It does not help FreeBSD if it is believed to be an elite operating
> > system.
> > 
> > Linux is by no way less complex and still many more people us it.
> > 
> > Why?
> > 
> 	FreeBSD *IS* an elite operating system. By "elite" I don't mean what
> most people will think I mean. I'm simply stating that it takes a
> reasonable amount of time to grow comfortable with it. Along with any
> "UNIX-like" OS. If it were really simple to use, everyone would be
> using it, right?

This should not be a reason to make its use more difficult for beginners.

What will happen to FreeBSD when there are not beginners anymore?

You cannot ask people to learn first with other operating systems and then move to FreeBSD.

At least I can still claim that I learned with BSD at the university. This is even the main reason for using FreeBSD.

I do not understand why people get pushed away instead of offering them a helping hand. This is at least what I do whenever possible.

> 
> 	And Linux, as far as I'm concerned is more complex than FreeBSD.

I would not use the word complex, I use the word chaotic.

> Especially it's package management. I don't like the idea of having no
> choices when I install an application. Of course, I could go WAY out

This depends very much on the distribution.

This even changes very fast from release to release.

> of my way to create, build, and install an SRPM, but bugger that! It's
> not easy! Linux is only thought of as easy because of the graphical
> installer and the fact that it installs X out of the box. FreeBSD used
> to do that, actually. Back in the 4.X days you could choose to install
> XFree86 and KDE, Gnome, etc... But, that was a waste of valuable disk
> space in the long run.

How big is X and how big is a DVD? Why is it possible for others to pack it onto a DVD?

I did not even notice that X is not part of the installation media any more as I always try to install the ports from the current ports tree.

Erich