[off-topic] Re: I apologise ...

Polytropon freebsd at edvax.de
Sat Dec 14 11:48:19 UTC 2019


On Sat, 14 Dec 2019 11:18:57 +0100, Ralf Mardorf via freebsd-questions wrote:
> Btw. I'm unable to find one operating system, that fits to all of my
> needs. IMO the one in all approach is a pitfall, many people probably
> need to use different operating systems for different tasks.

Even though FreeBSD is a multi-purpose operating system - it can
be used as a workstation, as a server, for embedded devices, or
in "combined forms" -, it doesn't unify all those different
purposes in _one_ form. FreeBSD should therefore be seen as a
foundation, not as a "one size fits all egg-laying wool-milk-sow",
which it isn't, and which _no_ OS, despite imaginable claims, is.
To expect (!) something different than this fact is absolute
nonsense.

Operating systems, such as application programs, serve specific
purposes, and what you need to use depends on what you want to
do. You cannot edit videos with a word processor, nor can you
manage your bank accounts with a typesetting system. Accepting
this truth is an important step to overcome the "But on the box
it says..." illusions of marketing (typically ads and FUD).

In Linux land, the attitude is a bit different, so this might
often lead to confusion (which is basically understandable):
Different distributions have different goals. While they share
the same kernel and most basic components, the bundled applications
are selected and suited (!) for a specific (!!!) purpose, and
trying to do something completely different with them will
usually lead to disappointment, grief, and anger; i. e., while
a multimedia-centered distribution is very good at doing things
in that field, it utterly fails at being a server. Linux also
does not have the strict libe between "the OS" (the foundation,
as mentioned above), and "3rd party software". The choice of
_what_ is part of the distribution will be made by the maintainers
of the distribution, often with a specific target audience in mind.
The result is obvious - dedicated tools fitting specific needs.

FreeBSD as the OS (!) works different. It is not Linux. It does
not want to be Linux. And that's totally fine, if you ask me.



> Do we offend a toaster, if we use a knife instead of this toaster to
> spread butter on a slice of bread?

Not until the toaster becomes a Cylon... ;-)



-- 
Polytropon
Magdeburg, Germany
Happy FreeBSD user since 4.0
Andra moi ennepe, Mousa, ...


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