Comparison between linux and BSD-type systems

[Aaron Grewell]

The other thing that may come into play here is that Linux is much more
friendly to non-Unix types.  I actually used FreeBSD before I ever
touched Linux.  I had no idea what Unix was and I wanted to find out.  I
was going to try Linux since I had heard the early rumbles of what I
knew was a massive hype-train coming on fast.  I talked to a Unix-y type
and he said something like "well, if you're going to get into Unix you
might as well use a *real* Unix instead of that fake one".  I should
have recognized the same sort of bias that inflicts Windows and Mac
users when talking about each others' systems, but I took his word for
it and installed FreeBSD anyway.  As a DOS/Windows literate person I
found it totally befuddling.  I couldn't even get the GUI up and running
at all, it just wouldn't work.  With no GUI and no attempt to make DOS
commands work as expected I was left without a clue.  After some
impatient attempts to read through the docs I decided this thing was
over my head and installed Caldera Linux instead.  The GUI worked after
a bit of tweakage, Caldera had kindly aliased my 'dir' and 'del'
commands, and I was free to explore further and gain an understanding of
this new environment.  I had about 30 days before my Looking Glass trial
expired and I was once again left wondering what on earth was going on.
I'm sure many of you remember those days.  :)

A much later experience with FreeBSD was more pleasant.  It's amazing
how much more fun it was once I had half a clue.


On Fri, 2003-01-24 at 10:05, Matthew Carpenter wrote:
> Not to be anal, but BSD is not a unix-like OS, it IS Unix.
> Unlike Linux, BSD stems from the original AT&T/Bell unix code.
> 
> That said, Aaron's assessment is almost exactly what I would say.  I have
> heard that FreeBSD can serve files with Samba faster than NetWare, and is
> supposed to be just as stable.  Microsoft would be good to aim for such
> goals.  Their implementation of NetBIOS is as pathetic as their stability.
> 
> 
> On 23 Jan 2003 17:46:12 -0500
> Mel Roman <melroman at canada.com> wrote:
> 
> > Hi:
> > 
> > I've been using linux for a while now (previously Caldera, and now
> > Mandrake).  I've been doing a little investigation concerning FreeBSD
> > and OpenBSD (alternative unix-like operating systems).  I haven't yet
> > found an objective comparison between the two.  I know this is a linux
> > forum, but I was wondering if someone could provide an informed
> > comparison between the linux and BSD-type systems:
> > 
> > What are their relative strengths and weaknesses compared to each other?
> > 
> > In what roles might one be preferred over the other?  Why?  
> > 
> > Do they really occupy different niches, or are they competing systems?
> > 
> > I look forward to everyone's opinion.
> > 
> > Thanks in advance,
> > 
> > Mel
> > 
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