The secret behind FreeBSD VS Linux and how are they different?

#FreeBSD #OpenSource #Unix #garyhtech #2023 reasons to use freebsd

Is there really moch of a difference between Linux and FreeBSD? Let's talk about it and see!

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[ngtube]

I think both are solid systems... But I dislike this "distro" jungle very much in Linux. Every few weeks a new distro, claiming better than others. Ahhh - a few weeks I (re-)found Slackware - nice! A real Linux! old - but gold. But leaving my personal points: I installed FreeBSD, Ubuntu and Debian on Servers. Ubuntu and Debian were definitly more complex to be installed than FreeBSD! I am running FreeBSD, maybe with some hand made software solutions - but it works since years. I will stay with *BSD as long as possible 🙂 Linux is only a second choice for me... Cheers from Germany, Norbert

[donaldmickunas]

I completely agree. It boils down to personal choice and preference for me.

[Mudflap]

Linux was my gateway drug that got me to BSD😊

[JoeyGarcia]

Been using FreeBSD since version 2.2.8 and it's just a solid, predictable, stable system. It's a true Unix descendant, with Unix DNA still in the system. For most, that doesn't mean a thing. I like the nostalgia. That being said, I should probably learn Linux. I have put it off for decades. I don't want to learn it, but it's a good career move.

[jholloway]

In one of his talks on the FreeBSD kernel, Kirk McKusick compares the internals of FreeBSD to that of Linux and says that if you understand one about 70% would carry over to the other. Not surprising since they're both Unix based or inspired.
Another thing I've heard is to think of FreeBSD development as trying to be more "evolutionary" than Linux's tendency to be "revolutionary"

[sdhute]

In 1999 I started a hosting company with FreeBSD. In those days the text install and system install tools were above the other. It’s been since 2007 I’ve ran an UX on a laptop. Going to spin up FreeBSD for a bit on my old laptop.

[kev-zs]

When I started using Linux(2000) on a old pc so I could see if it work for me at the time my main pc had Windows 7 on it.I went full time to Linux when Windows 7 was no longer supported the reason I changed is because I found Linux more fun to use.

[steveoc]

For deployments, its chalk and cheese.

Im just completing my certs for AWS arch / developer for 2024, and I'm getting right into all the new options, and how to put them together on big projects. Linux containers + all things, its getting really complicated now.

But if Im deploying something where im paying for it out of my own pocket - forget all that AWS complexity and cost :). Just spin up a few low end FreeBSD servers using IPv6 for internal comms, and roll out apps using BastilleBSD. Im writing parts of my apps in Zig too, so memory / CPU requirements are insanely low.

For under $100 a month, I can roll out a globally distributed infrastructure, with load balancing and failover, using BSD to host everything. It might be "old", but it's simple and solid and doesnt need to keep getting more complex every month for no good reason.

[ycxnzeh]

I like FreeBSD for that Unix feeling. It just feels designed and correct once you learn the way things work.

[makidoko]

Well done. I've seen to much competition (real competition, not just trolls for fun), and I think that so dumb.
Nobody need to downsize others to comfort his own choices.
Linux and BSD are wonderful OSS, made by awesome people for the community. Use it as much as you want, as it fits your own needs and taste, and chill.

[CRYPTiCEXiLE]

BSD is a complete package and devs do the entire system as a whole as to linux is 2 seperate projects one is GNU and the other is Linux kernel and they tend to fight a lot as to BSD they are just chilling making a good unix like system :D

[Dante-fkyi]

Just rock on with Debian. Always solid

[houssemkochat]

the main difference for me is hardware support.

[LtSich]

I have recently installed FreeBSD to learn, as I'm using Linux (Debian) for years...
After few reading it was really easy to setup a web server on FreeBSD...

But, at the end, as you say, it's close to the same.
And except to run away from SystemD, I don't know exactly how FreeBSD could be better or different as Debian to run my services...

[fdg]

They are both good OS, I just don't understand why (and this is mostly coming from the *BSD community) there is this need to compare this and the other. I'm frankly tired to hear the usual song (*BSD is a whole OS, Linux is a kernel and bla bla bla bla). I would love to use FreeBSD but the hardware support -as desktop user- isn't there at all. Nothing works on my laptops and desktops (WiFi, suspend/resume and sound in first instance) plus more weidness once a desktop is loaded (ie if I use the multimedia keys of my keyboard the entire laptop freeze for 20/30 seconds for no reasons). All of that, in 2024... this is why I use Linux today everywhere. And I don't care if it's kernel + utilities or how many teams works on it. I just don't care... It works beautifully everywhere, it's fast and stable. When and if FreeBSD will get better with the hardware support I will be more than happy to give it another go (hopefully FreeBSD 15?).

[derekr]

Well said Gary I like to use GhostBSD along with my Linux distro's and I have dabbled with FreeBSD as well. We are all different and have different preferences but nothing is better than anything else if it does what we need it to do.

[anon_y_mousse]

Certified cat owner moment right there, paw under the door. I stick with Slackware because it's what I know and binary compatibility. There's not much I use that couldn't work just as well on any BSD or any other Linux distro, or heck even Windows. It's mostly about familiarity, but there are a few edge cases that require sticking around. Although, I do wonder what video editor you use, and if WINE works on FreeBSD, though neither would be a requisite for me regardless. I like playing old games, but most work great in open source emulators that could run anywhere.

[LinuxRenaissance]

That’s a nice video. I was thinking about putting FreeBSD on my T480 for … a test.

[Pootycat]

"BSD' stands for "Berkley Software Distribution, " and is descended from the version of Unix developed by UC Berkley. When the project was officially ended, the developers formed a committee to continue its development and distribution as "freeware." Linux, in contrast, was created by Linus Torvalds, at the time, a student at the University of Helsinki, as his own project. His object was to create an OS with commands which duplicated those of Unix. So BSD, which IS Unix, and Linux, employ different code, but are similar in use. The big difference between the two, as far as the user is concerned, is that each release of FreeBSD must be approved by the FreeBSD committee, in order to be called by that name, while there is a multitude of Linux distributions, with no central overseeing organization to evaluate & approve each one.

[rwashi]

You have a point there my friend, FreeBSD, reminds me of Xenix and Open SCO Unix. Awesome~Thank you.