Topic awaiting preservation: Linux or FreeBSD?

I've been using Linux primarly now for almost a year and I'm very happy with it. Tried a couple of distros before settling for one that I liked, but I never tried FreeBSD (or any of the other BSD's out there for that mather) during my 'try a new OS per week'-period.

In a thread a while ago Warmage (I think) mentioned that he prefered FreeBSD over Linux. Since I hadn't tried it before I did some googling to see what the differences between them were and what other people thought about them. I found about as many articles pro-Linux as there were pro-FreeBSD.

So I was wondering which the other inmates might prefere and why.

[edit]damn fingers...
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"There are 10 kinds of people; those who know binary, those who don't and those who start counting at zero"

[This message has been edited by Veneficuz (edited 05-02-2003).]

I did say that I liked FreeBSD better. The majority of my preference is based on the ease of use issue. I found that the software installation features of FreeBSD via the ports collect is far easier to use than having to search for any RPM you want, even with RPMfind.org.

Right now I am using RedHat 8.0, and I don't like it all that much. It is like windows with a terminal. The file editing and storage system is a bit more complex than FreeBSD and I find that linux runs a whole lot slower than FreeBSD, from boot sequence to application execution.

When I use freeBSD I use the FluxBox window manage with is much simpler than the RedHat gnome GUI, which packs a whole lot of overhead.

Right now I am nearing the end of a semester so I don't want to have to go and do a reinstall, but once this semester is over I am going right back to FreeBSD.

I am not saying linux is bad, but I don't like Redhat linux. My linux using friends are all into gentoo linux right now, I haven't tried it yet, and I probabally won't until I get a new box.

For development purposes both can fit my needs, but FreeBSD just serves my needs better.

A lot of it is also based on experience, I have far more experience with FreeBSD as compared to linux, which is a deciding factor. I 100% reccomend not using RedHat unless you want to put it on a computer for your family as opposed to windows, because RedHat is a glorified windows, without anything in the way of features for power users. I am sure I could set it up so that it could be better for me as a power user, it is just a pain in the ass as everything is hidden.

The one thing I do like about RedHat over linux is the RHN network. Which allows you to easily update your computer. It is super easy, just a couple of clicks and all the software is updated, you can't beat that.

P.S. Remaking the FreeBSD kernel is also much more strait forward.

Good luck in your searches,


Me