The Trouble with FreeBSD

Benno Rice
An open source project’s community is what makes it a living thing. Without its community the project is a static lump of code. FreeBSD is one of the largest and longest continuously running open source projects around. Not only that, it comes from an even longer lineage before it via the original BSD work at the University of California, Berkeley. That doesn’t necessarily mean that it is without its problems.

While FreeBSD isn’t in any danger of disappearing any time soon, it does have issues with attracting new contributors, keeping its existing contributors and keeping its community healthy. These issues are not always unique to FreeBSD but FreeBSD provides an interesting case study.

This presentation will cover:

* How FreeBSD’s community and its processes have evolved over the years and how this compares to other, often newer, projects.
* What FreeBSD could learn from other projects.
* How this all fits into broader issues around open source development communities and things that do and don’t work.

[LindaKateley]

The problem with freebsd is that it is an amazing operating system with a very dysfunctional community.

[antquinonez]

I'm big and old and I have no problem.

[BAgodmode]

Benno’s talks are the ones I enjoy most that aren’t about firmware. And tbh, I like them more than I do the firmware talks.

[Dr_MKUltra]

With Windows becoming a service soon and constantly sending personal data constantly instead of intermittently, controlling and basically owning our computers at home. It's time to really embrace freebsd linux GNU etc and push back.

[walterkiel]

FreeBSD enthusiasts like myself are thrilled with the terminal commands, compilers, and developer tools... but...
KDE/Gnome desktop environments and video capability are marginal at best. Maybe "Core" should think about functionality...

[math_tutorials]

It's good to see the FreeBSD project alive, with discussions on what to improve

[Donatellangelo]

I think I'll stick with linux based distros for now. If I wanna go bsd, it's looking like openbsd might be a better choice.

[ceestimmerman]

Git repos are much smaller than SVN repos.

[leathernluv]

I don't always agree with this guy, but I do like to hear what he has to say.

[mitchelvalentino]

I thank my lucky stars that OpenBSD has Theo de Raadt.

[baseballguy]

This is not a speech about the capabilities or weaknesses of the software. It's about ideology, and childish online spats.

[Dazdigo]

Wish FreeBSD didn't drop Docker support.

[asedonii-chan]

this is why openbsd is best. Theo knows his shit and doesn’t afraid of anything

[bobdole]

I've done the research and for the life of me I can't figure out how meritocracy is evil bad these days somehow.

[commonce]

It all sounds like a serious conference but for people who like to scoff on matters they don't fully understand. (I take that's the common Linux family' attitude on: GNU birth VS BSD)
2. Want to talk serious programming issues VS ideology but still take time to explain basics ex. 'porting'?

[GameFreak]

I'm not entirely sure I follow on the meritocracy part... How can it change meaning..?
What you say people meant it to mean is what it means, isn't it..? My head hurts...

[clydecoffey]

freebsd is my operating system congrats

[aeroscience]

So Meritocracy is a bad thing now? Well if this video convinced me of anything, its not to use FreeBSD. Its hard to trust code written by people chosen for reasons other than their ability to program.

[mcmihion]

I'm moving to FBSD from UBUNTU... : )

[PatrickMichalina]

I am sorry... But please do tell what "meritocracy" DOES mean.