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FreeBSD 13.2

freebsd.org

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Re: FreeBSD 13.2

#11

Post by wkat4242 »

gautamcgoel wrote: post #2

Does anyone here run FreeBSD on the desktop? If so, can you explain why you prefer it to Linux?

I do yes. It's my daily driver. I love it on the desktop. I use it with KDE.

What I love is the excellent documentation, stable OS + rolling packages, ZFS on root (snapshots!), the ports collection so you can recompile packages easily with your own settings if needed.

Also no attempts to include their own IP like canonical does with snap. The low level of commercial interest is great. There's nothing being replaced just for the sake of it.

The biggest problem seems to be wifi drivers with their closed source blob skullduggery making things difficult, but I have no need for wifi on my desktop anyway.

Re: FreeBSD 13.2

#12

Post by SSLy »

ken666 wrote: post #7
ofalkaed wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It is like linux if Canonical never happened, so like linux 20 years ago. The ports system is nice. FreeBSD is my fallback in case Patrick gives in to the changing linux world and I have to abandon Slackware or start learning OS stuff again. Biggest thing to know about it as a desktop, drivers get into the kernel much slower than with linux and some never get in, so like linux was 20 years ago.

Have a look at void Linux. I was a long time freebsd user until I really needed some proprietary software (zoom) in the pandemic. Switched to void and it is the same freebsd feeling, but with much better hardware support. And with my beloved ZFS!

Or, just, arch.

Re: FreeBSD 13.2

#13

Post by chongli »

SSLy wrote: post #12
ken666 wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Have a look at void Linux. I was a long time freebsd user until I really needed some proprietary software (zoom) in the pandemic. Switched to void and it is the same freebsd feeling, but with much better hardware support. And with my beloved ZFS!

Or, just, arch.

I used Arch for a number of years before switching to a Mac when I went back to school. At some point I may go back to Linux or FreeBSD (I've used both!) but I'll never go back to rolling releases. The whole reason I switched to Mac was that I got tired of things breaking constantly due to the never-ending updates. And if you put things off then you end up getting a whole lot of breakage all at once. No, I would prefer taking things slow and getting tested releases way less often. I have no need to be on the bleeding edge of everything.

Re: FreeBSD 13.2

#14

Post by [deleted] »

doublerabbit wrote: post #9
gautamcgoel wrote: post #2

Does anyone here run FreeBSD on the desktop? If so, can you explain why you prefer it to Linux?

Not Linux: Linux feels clunky like a bunch of third party cogs all mashed together. Some with teeth missing some with too many. If it's not SystemMd taking over the whole startup of system services and needing its own DHCP server, it's then down to package manager's. Apt being replaced with snap, snap replaced by flat images. Its divided and with no formality. Someone will create some new thing, I'll get popular, get…

[deleted]

Re: FreeBSD 13.2

#15

Post by citrin_ru »

gautamcgoel wrote: post #2

Does anyone here run FreeBSD on the desktop? If so, can you explain why you prefer it to Linux?

I do. The main reason is that I know it better and I feel it is easier to know it well thanks to good documentation and relative simplicity (compare to Linux). First class ZFS support is another reason. While ZFS is available on Linux in distros I would use (OpenSuse or Fedora) it is not available by default and needs to be installed separately. Also use i3 WM and install only apps I use - a typical Linux distro which brings Gnome/KDE/Unity and lots of apps I don't need is a waste of space (on my small SSD).

Though I admit that FreeBSD desktop is less user and especially novice user friendly than Linux. Another big reason to prefer Linux is closed source software. Sometimes closed source apps have Linux versions but practically never FreeBSD ones. Linux emulation works for simple apps but setting up something like Skype or Zoom (which requires camera/mic access) is too much of a work even for an experienced FreeBSD user (if possible at all).

Re: FreeBSD 13.2

#16

Post by vermaden »

gautamcgoel wrote: post #2

Does anyone here run FreeBSD on the desktop? If so, can you explain why you prefer it to Linux?

Mostly of those reasons:

- https://vermaden.wordpress.com/2020/09/07/quare-freebsd/

Its simple and logical with lots of useful features that most people do not even know exist.

Also in may aspects it makes my life easier - like with ZFS Boot Environments or Rescue subsystem - Ports and Source infrastructure for custom system/packages building.

I also like the Community.

Here is mine 'desktop' documentation if needed:

- https://vermaden.wordpress.com/freebsd-desktop/

Regards.

Re: FreeBSD 13.2

#17

Post by 5e92cb50239222b »

ken666 wrote: post #7
ofalkaed wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It is like linux if Canonical never happened, so like linux 20 years ago. The ports system is nice. FreeBSD is my fallback in case Patrick gives in to the changing linux world and I have to abandon Slackware or start learning OS stuff again. Biggest thing to know about it as a desktop, drivers get into the kernel much slower than with linux and some never get in, so like linux was 20 years ago.

Have a look at void Linux. I was a long time freebsd user until I really needed some proprietary software (zoom) in the pandemic. Switched to void and it is the same freebsd feeling, but with much better hardware support. And with my beloved ZFS!

I believe it runs fine in any browser with WebRTC support.

Re: FreeBSD 13.2

#19

Post by ZeWaren »

cyberpunk wrote: post #10

> The mergemaster(8) utility has been deprecated and will be removed in FreeBSD 14.0 This is a bit of a bummer, though. I did just try to use etcupdate for the 13.2-RELEASE upgrade and it hung forever trying to grep for something in /etc/default/devfs.rules, so I had to fall back on mergemaster again... Oh well, maybe a clean install when 14 is out and it'll behave better. Congrats on the release!

I 100% agree that the move to etcupdate should have been documented better. I also ended up in situations when I had to manually fix systems after upgrading.

Re: FreeBSD 13.2

#20

Post by voytec »

cyberpunk wrote: post #10

> The mergemaster(8) utility has been deprecated and will be removed in FreeBSD 14.0 This is a bit of a bummer, though. I did just try to use etcupdate for the 13.2-RELEASE upgrade and it hung forever trying to grep for something in /etc/default/devfs.rules, so I had to fall back on mergemaster again... Oh well, maybe a clean install when 14 is out and it'll behave better. Congrats on the release!

Haven't had issues with etcupdate(8) on 14-CURRENT recently. Earlier each time I'd get "Conflicts remain from previous update, aborting" or some warning about inability to remove non-empty directory followed by "Old directories removed".
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