FreeBSD as desktop

P

pauloperes

Hello guys,

Currently, I´m using the Ubuntu Linux as Desktop, but I want to learn FreeBSD, I would like to know if FreeBSD is a good idea for a desktop?

Below is the software I have used on Ubuntu.

Firefox;
Gaim;
Java;
Netbeans;
Eclipse;
Glassfish;

My desktop manager is Gnome3.

Regards,

Paulo
 
pauloperes said:
Below is the software I have used on Ubuntu.

Firefox;
Gaim;
Java;
Netbeans;
Eclipse;
Glassfish;

My desktop manager is Gnome3.
Click to expand...
Firefox, Netbeans and Eclipse are in the ports collection and known to work. There are IM clients in ports that support AIM, such as Pidgin. Java may be a bit tricky to install (something to do with licensing) but it does work. No idea about Glassfish though. Gnome and Gnome2 are available, Gnome3 should become available for FreeBSD soon, if it isn't already.

Hope this helps,

Fonz
 
pauloperes said:
Currently, I´m using the Ubuntu Linux as Desktop, but I want to learn Freebsd, I would like to know if Freebsd is a good idea for Desktop?
Click to expand...
Sure, a lot of us use FreeBSD as desktop/workstation on daily basis, try PC-BSD which is more 'ubuntu-like' because FreeBSD is more like Debian on which Ubuntu is based.
http://pcbsd.org

Firefox;
Gaim;
Java;
Netbeans;
Eclipse;
Click to expand...
These are in Ports/packages/PBIs so no problem having them here also.

Glassfish;
Click to expand...
For this one You will have to build it yourself:
http://blogs.oracle.com/hyau/entry/glassfish_on_freebsd_too

My desktop manager is Gnome3.
Click to expand...
This user (thuglife) use(d) GNOME3 on FreeBSD, You may ask him how to achieve that:
http://forums.freebsd.org/showpost.php?p=132574&postcount=331
 
I use FreeBSD as a desktop in an enterprise environment and I do all my work on it. Only for special (network/Windows only) programs I use RDP. (KDE4, OpenOffice, Firefox, Thunderbird, K3b, HpLip+Cups, Xsane, Gimp, Remmina)
 
The biggest hurdle to a FreeBSD desktop is graphics card support. NVIDIA cards are okay with its proprietary driver, but only two generations older AMD (ATI) cards (i.e. HD4xxx or older) are supported by the open source driver on FreeBSD.
 
Once the GEM/KMS port to FreeBSD kernel completes at least Intel based CPU integrated cards would work like a charm.
 
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