How and why is BSD better than Linux, or vice versa?

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I don't use computers because I want to use open source software. I use computers to get something done. For example posting on a forum. Or crunching numbers. Or squishing bytes. Or storing cute baby pictures. Or serving Argentine tangos played on accordions to all music devices in the house. Or building most amazing computing devices, which are so good that my employer is willing to give me a rather large paycheck. If open source is the appropriate technology for that (meaning cost-efficient, reliable, easy to use and manage, and many other requirements that very with the task at hand), I'm happy to use open source software. It is remarkably often the appropriate technology, but not always.

If I wanted to use computers for religious activism, then maybe I would join the open source religion. But I'm not interested in religious activism.
 
Personally, I think BSD is easier for me to configure and manage than most Linux distributions; all user software is in /usr/local, all user source is in /usr/ports, the number of configuration files I've needed to remember is very small, and where you'd expect them to be. By comparison, I believe Linux configuration files are greater in number, spread around a little more, and most significantly, can change between distributions.

I don't believe the above is a big deal for a lot of IT-people, who might enjoy keeping tabs on that sort of thing, and might even make a living doing it. As a developer, I loved picking up on all the intricacies of C++; that doesn't mean the people who stayed with C, flocked to Java, or went scripting were wrong. :)

For my purposes, I also love the level of documentation, the robustness of the software, ZFS, and the licensing. Sometimes, I'll miss not having the latest and greatest version of some software package immediately available (LXQT comes to mind), but it's a worthwhile trade-off.
 
owemeacent said:
/* The last thing I want to do is start a flame war, but if this post does make it happen, let it commence, but I'm not on either side. */

Your questions are increasingly inflammatory, yet people have given serious, well-considered answers anyway. Thread closed.
 
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