I'm happy user of FreeBSD with Gnome for years without any extra hardly solvable problems.
If you want to follow my way, try following:
At firts, update your port tree by
# portsnap fetch update or
# portsnap fetch extract if it is for first time, when you do this.
Install
x11/gnome2 by command
# cd /usr/local/x11/gnome2 && make install (will compile everything from source, so have really big cup of coffee nearly) or install
ports-mgmt/portmaster and do
# portmaster x11/gnome2 Second variant has such benefit, that all interactive configuration dialogs from given ports will be displayed before actual build. Warning about size of your cup still apply. This can be also achieved by issuing
# make config-recursive in gnome2 directory before install part. When you use portmaster, you will also get summary of installation messages from all installed ports, which may contains additional information what to do next and will be lost in compilation output mess, when using standard make procedure.
There are also precompiled packages available, but most users (IMHO) prefer using compilation ports, because packages may be little outdated, compiled with choices, with doesn't fit your needs etc. You can install from packages by command
# pkg_add -r [i]package_name[/i] Don't mix software from packages and compiled locally, weird things may appears.
There is FreeBSD Gnome page available, not always absolute in touch with last events, but definitely worth of reading at
http://www.freebsd.org/gnome/
Maybe some additional X.org related components will be required to add and you are on your way.
Warning: There was incorporated new version of X.org in ports tree couple of days ago and updates to Gnome may follows. Some older solutions googled on internet may be out of date.
Little more additional configuration like enabling Gnome in
/etc/rc.conf and so will be required, but you should be informed either with messages after installing port or on FreeBSD Gnome page.
All commands with # prompt are meant to bee run as
root user.
