Date: Sat, 26 Jan 2019 15:28:45 -0500 From: Chris Gordon <freebsd@theory14.net> To: FreeBSD <freebsd-questions@freebsd.org> Subject: Re: Wireless interface Message-ID: <6263E0A8-BF3A-4287-A161-9DC973562A69@theory14.net> In-Reply-To: <MWHPR04MB04954E8E691D98C40B68607780940@MWHPR04MB0495.namprd04.prod.outlook.com> References: <CAPu-kW-0u=Eoj8NtASnD_WDnsosj_WcTEh=Zhby1DnBV3d2rdg@mail.gmail.com> <MWHPR04MB04954E8E691D98C40B68607780940@MWHPR04MB0495.namprd04.prod.outlook.com>
next in thread | previous in thread | raw e-mail | index | archive | help
> On Jan 26, 2019, at 1:50 PM, Carmel NY <carmel_ny@outlook.com> wrote: >=20 > On Sat, 26 Jan 2019 09:54:05 -0600, Rob Belics stated: >=20 >>> It is situations like this that make me love >>> Microsoft. Connecting a wireless network should not require user >>> intervention other than choosing the network and entering the >>> password. =20 >>=20 >> FreeBSD is not a consumer operating system. It's not designed to hand >> hold anyone. That is why Windows is such a huge monstrosity of an >> install. >=20 > I just finished a fresh install of Windows 10. If you take the time > involved in installing a basic MS Windows system vs. a basic FreeBSD > system, Windows will usually win. A big plus is that Windows actually > can get a wireless system up and running by itself, sans perhaps > supplying the password. Does FreeBSD even support using the WPS Button > on the Wi-Fi Router? Plus, you then have to install a GUI. Now, if you > want to compare a FreeBSD system sans GUI, you have to compare it > against a MS Server, not the regular Windows version design for home = or > office users. >=20 > This is not about "hand-holding"; it is about bring the OS into the > modern age. My machine is supposed to be my slave, not the other way > around. >=20 > Thanks for your comment anyway. I think you hit the nail on the head of comparing FreeBSD more to = Windows Server versions than the consumer desktop/laptop systems -- = I=E2=80=99ll call these end user systems. That is the better analog and = what I think Rob was trying to convey. Things that are valuable and = desirable on a server may not be so on an end user system and vice = versa. These are two different sets optimizations which often conflict = with each other. For instance, a GUI is most often preferred on an end = user system whereas it=E2=80=99s more of a liability on a server = (remember that in 2008 the =E2=80=9CServer Core=E2=80=9D in Windows = Server 2008 finally introduced a server sans GUI -- something UNIX has = had since the 1970s... ;) ). Now this isn=E2=80=99t to say you can=E2=80=99t use any of the = particular operating systems for either end user or server functions, = but in doing so you will need to compensate for the gap between the = primary design purpose of the system and your use of the system. = Consider if you wanted to run a farm of servers with Windows 10 (not the = Windows Server, but the consumer desktop version). You could do it, but = you=E2=80=99d probably be longing for design and implementation choices = that are made for an operating system focused at being a server. Doing = the opposite results in some of the frustrations you=E2=80=99re having. = There are plenty of people that use FreeBSD as an end user system (and = work continues to improve the experience), but they also understand that = they must bridge the gaps between server design choices and what they = want from an end user system. =20 If you want to use FreeBSD as an end user system, I think the community = welcomes you and is more than happy to help out. Just understand that = it may take a bit more work than something purpose built to be purely an = end user system. Conversely if you want to run a server (or many = servers), I think you=E2=80=99d be pleasantly surprised at how well = suited FreeBSD is for that purpose (and the community will also welcome = you), especially when compared to trying to use an end user system for = that function. I hope that helps explain things a bit more.=20 Chris=
Want to link to this message? Use this URL: <https://mail-archive.FreeBSD.org/cgi/mid.cgi?6263E0A8-BF3A-4287-A161-9DC973562A69>