Member Avatar for tiger86

Is free bsd a good linux choice? I want to install it but I want to get a few words on what people think of it first. I have been drawn to Linux ever since I started using a linux server and now I want to try an Linux Operating system.

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Dani AI

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A few people in the thread touched on the Linux vs. BSD distinction (for example , and ), and others steered you toward beginner-friendly Linux distros (as and did). That split is useful: deciding whether to try FreeBSD depends less on labels and more on what you want to learn or run. FreeBSD is a complete, independently-developed Unix-like operating system with different design choices, workflows, and tooling than a typical Linux distribution.

FreeBSD’s strengths are a cohesive base system maintained together, a mature ports/packages ecosystem, first-class networking code, lightweight containerization via jails, and solid ZFS support on modern releases. It tends to be conservative and stability-focused, which makes it popular for servers, storage appliances, and networking tasks. The tradeoffs are that some consumer laptop hardware and bleeding-edge GPUs have better driver support on mainstream Linux, and desktop setup can require more manual tuning than on an Ubuntu/Fedora workstation.

Practical next steps: try FreeBSD in a virtual machine (VirtualBox, VMware, or bhyve) before installing on metal, read the official install and ports/pkg docs, and test your hardware there. If the goal is Linux sysadmin skills for work, pick a mainstream Linux distro to learn first; if the goal is learning a different Unix heritage and a tightly integrated base system, FreeBSD is a fine choice. For official, step-by-step guidance and up-to-date notes on installation, packages, jails and ZFS, see the FreeBSD Handbook: [https://www.freebsd.org/doc/handbook/].

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Member Avatar for John A

FreeBSD isn't Linux.

Member Avatar for tiger86

It does use unix.

Member Avatar for bobbyraw

if you want to try linux OS try Ubuntu, or fedora ( both can be run from a live cd without installing on your pc)

Member Avatar for linux

It does use unix.

We know it does.
Linux, however, doesn't use any UNIX code.

EDIT: I recommend Ubuntu for beginners.

Member Avatar for jbennet

UNIX is not = linux

linux's full name is GNU/Linux and GNU stands for "GNU is NOT UNIX"

Member Avatar for vl4kn0

FreeBSD is unix based OS. Linux isn't OS. It's only kernel ;) based on minix. and if you don't know that, so you haven't skillse for work with FreeBSD ;) in my opinion you can try Debian for example..

Member Avatar for jbennet

yes

freebsd = kernel + userland

debian actually has a freebsd port but i dont think its ready for production use

Member Avatar for tiger86

http://www.linux.org/ Linux is a free Unix-type operating system originally created by Linus Torvalds with the assistance of developers around the world. Developed under the GNU General Public License , the source code for Linux is freely available to everyone. Click on the link below to find out more about the operating system that is causing a revolution in the world of computers

since that is from linux.org it is correct it does use unix I know more then you think because you really do not know me you are just on the other side of a computer responding without knowing what I do and don't know.

Member Avatar for John A

The quote never said that two were the same. All it said was that Linux was similar to Unix.

Member Avatar for jbennet

toger86, the keyword is that linux is "unix-like"

linux does not contain any unix code (unless you believe what SCO says in thier lawsuit against IBM)

Member Avatar for linux

Go watch RevolutionOS. It explains how Linux has nothing to do with UNIX code, and is just an attempt to recreate it.

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