FreeBSD 7.1 Content

[Jeremy Chadwick]

On Wed, Sep 03, 2008 at 03:01:48PM -0600, Dan Allen wrote:
>
> On 3 Sep 2008, at 1:53 PM, Guido Falsi wrote:
>
>> If you just want na instant workstation, why you just don't try  
>> Freesbie or something like that?
>
> Because I want something from the source -- from the main team -- and  
> not something downstream.
>
>> If I install FreeBSD on a PC I expect this installation to live there 
>> for some years. I can spend some hours/days installing and configuring 
>> what I really need. At least this is the way I see it. Maybe I'm 
>> misunderstanding you.
>
> I too spend the time.  I am thinking that for other people to want to  
> use FreeBSD they want something other than a command prompt.  They at  
> least want a web browser out of the box.

I haven't finished reading the thread yet, but your assumption is
ignorant.  Why do you think FreeBSD is intended solely for desktop
usage?  It's not.

I, for one, **only want a command prompt** out of the box.  I **do not**
want Xorg or any X-related garbage on my servers.

> The Ubuntu install is very compelling.  I am just wishing that FreeBSD  
> was AS compelling in its first install experience.  At present it is  
> far, far behind.
>
> That does not stop ME from preferring FreeBSD, but it stops many other  
> people.

I am in no way an "advocate" of operating systems, so despite me having
freebsd.org mail address, do not think for a minute that what I'm about
to tell you is biased in favour of FreeBSD.

Use whatever operating system works best for you.  If that's Linux,
awesome!  If that's FreeBSD, awesome!  If that's Windows, awesome!
Different people have different needs -- case in point, you want a
simple and easy-to-install out-of-the-box desktop version of FreeBSD,
while I want a no-cruft-like-X install server version of FreeBSD.

FreeBSD caters to both.  There's nothing stopping you from downloading
disc1 and during the install choosing to install Firefox and X, which
will accomplish what you need.  You'll still be booted into a command
prompt, but that's how UNIX is; FreeBSD is not Kubuntu.

I think what you might be looking for is, believe it or not, PC-BSD.  I
believe you can install PC-BSD and get a working X desktop with a
browser and all that jazz right out of the box.

-- 
| Jeremy Chadwick                                jdc at parodius.com |
| Parodius Networking                       http://www.parodius.com/ |
| UNIX Systems Administrator                  Mountain View, CA, USA |
| Making life hard for others since 1977.              PGP: 4BD6C0CB |