Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 23:08:57 -0600 (CST) From: Alex Charalabidis <alex@wnm.net> To: <DanSV@aol.com> Cc: <freebsd-questions@freebsd.org> Subject: Re: Linux vs FreeBSD Message-ID: <Pine.BSF.4.32.0102092241200.34382-100000@earth.wnm.net> In-Reply-To: <cc.108a0195.27b61957@aol.com>
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On Fri, 9 Feb 2001 DanSV@aol.com wrote: > I run Debian Linux. > > 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... > I figure others will answer what I can't. > My Questions: > > 1. Apt-get. Anything similiar in FreeBSD? > I loved being able to apt-get upgrade. > Ports. Apt-get is sweet but the ports system is pure saccharin. > 2. ATI XPERT 2000. > Supported? Hardware Accel? > I'll leave this to someone who knows what they're talkign about. It's usually an X11 issue though. > 3. Memory. Can one program ever crash the system? > Haven't seen it happen. > 4. Ease of use: > > General? > I find it more usable than most Linux distros, Debian being the closest in approach to FreeBSD. It beats every OS I've used hands down for ease of maintenance. > Setup? > 90% trivial, 5% total bitch, 5% doesn't work at all. In the latter case, you'll probably find out when you try to boot from the boot floppies. General disclaimer regarding X11 setup applies. Kernel recompile necessary for sound support, advisable anyway. > 5. How is the support for say, an acer cdrw (ATAPI, mmc compliant) 6x4x32?, for a K6-III? > K6 works great. Haven't used a burner with it. > 6. What is the stability of the system like in general? > compared to linux? > Rock solid. I've had X go down in flames, hardware crash and burn but never the OS itself. Well, it's happened but those instances were wetware issues. :) > 7. Same as above but for speed? > Comparable. > 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. > 9. Can I run debian apps on it? > Linux emulation is superb. There are few things I haven't been able to run. Rumour has it that some applications perform faster under FreeBSD's Linux emulation than they do natively under Linux. > 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. 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. Individual programs generally don't get ported to FreeBSD at the same rate as Linux but that's improving. > 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?) > Ports (see #1) and packages. > 12. How clean/easy is uninstalling a program? > If properly installed to begin with, it's usually clean as a whistle. Overall, if you want up from Debian, you're probably looking at FreeBSD. If you want down, well, you have a zillion Linux distros, none of which I'd regard as superior or even equal to Debian. hth -ac -- ============================================================== Alex Charalabidis (AC8139) 5050 Poplar Ave, Ste 170 System Administrator Memphis, TN 38157 WebNet Memphis (901) 432 6000 Author, The Book of IRC http://www.bookofirc.com/ ============================================================== To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-questions" in the body of the message
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