Ask HN: Recommend a new operating system that I could try

#1

Post by samoright » Fri, Sep 15, 2017, 1:55 PM UTC

Hello HN community,

I have been a long time user of Linux system (Fedora, RedHat, CentOS, Debian and Ubuntu). I have also worked on Windows and Mac.

While programming I realized that every new programming language I learnt introduced me to new ways of doing things that I think has helped me mature as a programmer.

I am looking for a similar experience with operating systems. What operating do you suggest that would help me to explore something new and interesting?

A couple of constraints:

* Should not be another Linux distribution

* Should not be too esoteric or obscure operating system. I know this is subjective. If this filters out all operating systems you might have suggested, then please suggest the least esoteric or the least obscure one.

* Good documentation or clean source code is a plus because it would help me to study and learn it more effectively

Re: Ask HN: Recommend a new operating system that I could try

#2

Post by PaulHoule » Fri, Sep 15, 2017, 2:04 PM UTC

Isn't this contradictory? I think almost anything that isn't Unix, Windows or Mac is esoteric, obscure, or both.

Re: Ask HN: Recommend a new operating system that I could try

#3

Post by anothermindbomb » Fri, Sep 15, 2017, 2:09 PM UTC

MVS/zOS running via Hercules (http://www.hercules-390.eu/)

Re: Ask HN: Recommend a new operating system that I could try

#4

Post by f_allwein » Fri, Sep 15, 2017, 2:11 PM UTC

> * Should not be another Linux distribution

> * Should not be an esoteric or obscure operating system

sounds like this pretty much filters out any OS... maybe try Haiku? https://www.haiku-os.org/

Re: Ask HN: Recommend a new operating system that I could try

#5

Post by panic » Fri, Sep 15, 2017, 2:17 PM UTC

FreeBSD satisfies all your criteria (all the BSDs do, really). It's pretty similar to Linux, though.

Re: Ask HN: Recommend a new operating system that I could try

#6

Post by ksherlock » Fri, Sep 15, 2017, 2:18 PM UTC

VMS

Re: Ask HN: Recommend a new operating system that I could try

#7

Post by ColinWright » Fri, Sep 15, 2017, 2:19 PM UTC

I would recommend RISC OS. It's available on the Raspberry Pi, and is definitely different.

https://www.riscosopen.org/content/

I worked on RISC OS for many years and have deployed live, real-time safety-critical systems on it. It was a joy to use, although I've not been able to use it for several years now.

Re: Ask HN: Recommend a new operating system that I could try

#8

Post by prima-facie » Fri, Sep 15, 2017, 2:36 PM UTC

panic wrote: post #5

FreeBSD satisfies all your criteria (all the BSDs do, really). It's pretty similar to Linux, though.

I second FreeBSD, it's what I'd use if Linux were not available. Maybe look into other BSDs like NetBSD or OpenBSD.

NetBSD even runs on a toaster if you have any lying around :-) https://www.embeddedarm.com/blog/netbsd-toaster-powered-by-t...

Re: Ask HN: Recommend a new operating system that I could try

#9

Post by samoright » Fri, Sep 15, 2017, 2:55 PM UTC

prima-facie wrote: post #8

panic wrote: post #5

FreeBSD satisfies all your criteria (all the BSDs do, really). It's pretty similar to Linux, though.

I second FreeBSD, it's what I'd use if Linux were not available. Maybe look into other BSDs like NetBSD or OpenBSD. NetBSD even runs on a toaster if you have any lying around :-) https://www.embeddedarm.com/blog/netbsd-toaster-powered-by-t...

I am inclined to try either FreeBSD or OpenBSD.

FreeBSD comes with the bonus that it is supported on some cloud and VPS offerings, so whatever I learn can come useful for practical purpose.

But OpenBSD also seems like a great idea because I have read great things about its security and documentation.

I am not inclined to try NetBSD because it seems to offer neither of these advantages.

Is my assessment right so far or very misguided?

Is there anyone who has used at least two of these three BSDs? What do they recommend?

Re: Ask HN: Recommend a new operating system that I could try

#10

Post by zzzcpan » Fri, Sep 15, 2017, 3:03 PM UTC

samoright wrote: post #9

prima-facie wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I second FreeBSD, it's what I'd use if Linux were not available. Maybe look into other BSDs like NetBSD or OpenBSD. NetBSD even runs on a toaster if you have any lying around :-) https://www.embeddedarm.com/blog/netbsd-toaster-powered-by-t...

I am inclined to try either FreeBSD or OpenBSD. FreeBSD comes with the bonus that it is supported on some cloud and VPS offerings, so whatever I learn can come useful for practical purpose. But OpenBSD also seems like a great idea because I have read great things about its security and documentation. I am not inclined to try NetBSD because it seems to offer neither of these advantages. Is my assessment right so far o…

I have experience with all three, but I disagree that you can take away a lot from them after Linux. An OS from a user perspective is essentially a package, configuration and service manager. And to learn something new and valuable in either of those categories you'd need to go into very different direction. Like docker, nix, guix for package and configuration manager, erlang supervision trees for services.