Date: Sat, 10 Feb 2001 17:42:57 +1030 From: Greg Lehey <grog@lemis.com> To: DanSV@aol.com, Alex Charalabidis <alex@wnm.net>, David Kelly <dkelly@grumpy.dyndns.org> Cc: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Subject: Re: Linux vs FreeBSD Message-ID: <20010210174257.I83943@wantadilla.lemis.com> In-Reply-To: <cc.108a0195.27b61957@aol.com>; from DanSV@aol.com on Fri, Feb 09, 2001 at 11:11:02PM -0500 References: <cc.108a0195.27b61957@aol.com> <200102100542.f1A5g9N56642@grumpy.dyndns.org> <cc.108a0195.27b61957@aol.com> <Pine.BSF.4.32.0102092241200.34382-100000@earth.wnm.net> <cc.108a0195.27b61957@aol.com>
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[Format recovered--see http://www.lemis.com/email/email-format.html] You had lines up to 160 characters long in your message. On Friday, 9 February 2001 at 23:11:02 -0500, DanSV@aol.com wrote: > Howdy. > > I run Debian Linux. > The evil thing has crashed for the last time. > I was convinced that one program was not supposed to > be able to bring down an entire system, yet netscape > apparently could. > > Anyway, X also crashes. > > Since I now run this system 24/7, and host my own site, > I am naturally pissed. > > I want another os, but come on ... windows? > > get serious. > > So I thought of FreeBSD. > > Yet before I mash my hard drive and start fresh... The first question you should ask is why the system crashes. If it's hardware, changing the OS won't help. I won't agree that all PC hardware is flaky, but if yours is, you need to address that issue first. > My Questions: > > 1. Apt-get. Anything similiar in FreeBSD? > I loved being able to apt-get upgrade. Well, I'm personally glad to say that I don't have to use apt-get. It drives me crazy, to the point where even in Debian I preferred to compile the FreeBSD port than fight apt-get. > 2. ATI XPERT 2000. > Supported? Hardware Accel? As has been pointed out, both Linux and FreeBSD use the same X server. David Kelly writes: > Check with XFree86. FreeBSD uses the same sources as Linux. But some > vendors are supplying binary only Linux drivers. Sometimes these can > be made to run under FreeBSD too. My understanding is that the binary-only drivers will always work with FreeBSD, but I'm prepared to be corrected. > 3. Memory. Can one program ever crash the system? Not normally. But that should be the case with Linux too. > 4. Ease of use: > > General? > > Setup? > > (Keep in mind I can program c++, and have manualyy configured much > in linux, yet I am a full time student and can;t muck around too > much) There's always some effort involved in changing an OS. Over the last 12 months my work required me to get to know Linux better. During that time I have been astounded again and again how difficult it is to do things with Linux which I can do easily with FreeBSD. The fragmented installation approach, especially with Debian, just adds to the problem. > 5. How is the support for say, an acer cdrw (ATAPI, mmc compliant) > 6x4x32?, for a K6-III? Shouldn't be a problem. > 6. What is the stability of the system like in general? > compared to linux? Better. > 7. Same as above but for speed? Better. I did some testing, and FreeBSD almost always came out 20% to 40% ahead. > 8. How do I install it? I have a T1 connection though my school. You can do it like that. > 9. Can I run debian apps on it? Yes. > 10. How fast are you at incorporating new technology, programs? As with Linux, "it varies". > As compared to linux (both redhat speed, and debian speed)? It also depends on what you're talking about. > 11. If When I take this comp home, and it is no longer hooked up in > any way to the internet, how could I install new stuff? Just as > easy? (ie are there packages?) Yes, there are packages. Typically you'd get a CD-ROM set. > 12. How clean/easy is uninstalling a program? If you mean a package, # pkg_delete package On Friday, 9 February 2001 at 23:08:57 -0600, Alex Charalabidis wrote: > On Fri, 9 Feb 2001 DanSV@aol.com wrote: >> 8. How do I install it? I have a T1 connection though my school. > > I recommend getting the boot floppies and FTP'ing the latest -STABLE from > releng4.freebsd.org. I believe STABLE is the same as Debian's "current." > Note that FreeBSD uses CURRENT for the development branch (unstable), > don't be confused. You want STABLE. Note also that you can find installation instructions at http://www.FreeBSD.org/. >> 10. How fast are you at incorporating new technology, programs? >> >> As compared to linux (both redhat speed, and debian speed)? > > I'd say slower for hardware. Don't count on that. I have an Ethernet card which wasn't supported by RedHat 6.2 and the last Debian release, but which FreeBSD did support. The latest RedHat and Debian releases now support it, some time after FreeBSD. > For technologies, miles ahead in some aspects, somewhat behind in > others. Security updates not *quite* as fast as those dervishes at > Debian but generally ahead of other vendors. There are still quite a few security issues with Linux. I think that in general FreeBSD is ahead there. Greg -- When replying to this message, please copy the original recipients. If you don't, I may ignore the reply. For more information, see http://www.lemis.com/questions.html Finger grog@lemis.com for PGP public key See complete headers for address and phone numbers To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-questions" in the body of the message
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