updating a FreeBSD workstation

[Polytropon]

On Sat, 23 May 2020 10:47:37 +0300, Odhiambo Washington wrote:
> Look at it this way: Ardent FreeBSD guys started PC-BSD, which was quite
> good for the
> Desktop. They then changed to TrueOS (just the name) and finally decided
> that TrueOS
> is better left to be their server version and https://project-trident.org/ to
> be their Desktop
> version. The later is based on something called Void Linux (I am hearing
> about that for
> the first time today after your post prompted me to look for PC-BSD,
> TrueOS).
> So either head to Project Trident or just identify some Linux for the
> Desktop. You will have
> and an easier life.

Additionally, what about Lumina? FreeBSD was supposed to get
a native desktop environment that better suited the needs for
working with FreeBSD (as the OS) than desktops ported from
Linux, which still don't really offer a consistent and useful
interface to FreeBSD system functions and configuration. Of
course, this would only cover the desktop - not any application
program (like web browser, office suite, vector graphics
program, photo manipulation or video editing tool), which are
again coming from Linux, and therefore carry a lot of specific
dependencies where the gap of "FreeBSD vs. Linux" seems to be
increasing. I mentioned system functions: Lumina was supposed
to offer GUI interfaces to system configuration, hardware
management, networking, OS and application updates, diagnostics,
and so on, things that most users would probably expect to be
integrated in a desktop.

So I'd say, if you want a "just works", use Linux. You'll
find all things mentioned in an integrated form, working.
Because it was made for Linux, it will work on Linux.

That is not a statement that suggests that it's impossible
to get an excellent desktop with FreeBSD (I know it - I'm
using them for decades). There is even a port "mkdesktop" that
does most of the work for you: You select which desktop you
want, and the port will take care of the dependencies.

The core problem is: "the desktop" means different things to
different people. What does it include? Just a GUI file manager
and icons on the wallpaper? Or bundled applications? And what
about integration with the OS, so you can configure your
system? The "problem" with choice: Whatever your definition
is, you'll definitely find something that suits your needs. :-)


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