Date: Mon, 01 Aug 2005 07:00:39 -0500 From: Eric Anderson <anderson@centtech.com> To: ray@redshift.com Cc: freebsd-hackers@freebsd.org, freebsd-x11@freebsd.org Subject: Re: FreeBSD desktop? Message-ID: <42EE0EE7.2010809@centtech.com> In-Reply-To: <3.0.1.32.20050801043607.00a5aeb0@pop.redshift.com> References: <3.0.1.32.20050801043607.00a5aeb0@pop.redshift.com>
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ray@redshift.com wrote: > Maybe someone on the hackers or x11 list can help me get going the right > direction here. I can setup FreeBSD servers like the wind - tweak the kernel, > you name it. So this weekend I tried to install FreeBSD 5.4 on my desktop - > what a mess. I never could get anything to run, other than startx or xstart or > something. I ended up once with a blank desktop (I think I typed X) and another > time with the same desktop, but with 3 open windows. Anyway, I finally gave up. > > Anyone have any run down on loading FreeBSD as your desktop? I am trying to > go with FreeBSD because I use it for my servers, but I feel like I'm lacking a > broad understanding of how Unix handles windows. I get the impression there is > a server that deals with windows called X windows and then there are different > desktop managers (such as KDE, Gnome, etc) - but I don't understand the > interplay between them and the Kernel as it relates to how I normally see FreeBSD. > > I'm wondering if someone can give me an overview? > > I'm also wondering if I'm barking up the wrong tree. I know Mac uses Darwin, > which is based on BSD. And in the past, I have loaded up Redhat and SUSE and > ended up with a nice desktop - but with FreeBSD I didn't have much luck, even > though I installed just about everything on the install CD's. From what I could > see, there were a ton of things to configure, but I couldn't find any good > documentation on setting up my monitor or what the heck was going on overall - > even in my BSD books, not a lot of help. Have you looked at the Handbook? It pretty much covers what you need to know to get working. Also, freebsd-questions@ would be a better email list (rather than -hackers, which is for hacking on FreeBSD code, etc). > Anyway, I am wondering if maybe running SUSE or Fedora or something might be > better. I'm reading one article right now that says this thing called Xandros > Desktop 3 is great - so far it looks nice in the article and I may give that a try. Better? Depends of course. I (as do many others) use FreeBSD on my desktop and laptop, and feel no need to use anything else really. > I've been using Windows XP for my desktop for so long and am so used to so > many applications on it - I think it would be difficult (at this time) to change > over completely. Unless Wine really does work well enough to run some > applications I can't live without (e.g. Eudora or Pagemaker, etc). Not sure what you want here, but if you aren't willing to change some apps, then you shouldn't switch. FreeBSD/linux/etc are not Windows, so you can't expect them to be Windows. If you are willing to make a change of email readers (try Thunderbird, Mozilla, etc, etc) and a few other programs, you'd be fine. > Anyway, any help anyone can provide would be great? I just feel like I'm > lacking a core understanding of how Windowing and desktop interfaces to the > Kernel. And like I say, as much as I would like to make this all happen on > FreeBSD, it seems like Linux maybe is a better choice? Again, better is a general term that you haven't really defined, so nobody can help you there unless you explain what it is you want, and how you see things as 'better'. Eric -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Eric Anderson Sr. Systems Administrator Centaur Technology Anything that works is better than anything that doesn't. ------------------------------------------------------------------------
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