How do I switch from Linux to BSD and what are its main strengths over Linux?

W

wtrys

Hey all! I've been using Linux for quite a while now. Currently, I'm using Gentoo to learn about Unix-Like OSes and how C works (though the second part isn't going too well), and I think that I should also try BSD. I would like to ask how I would switch over, i.e. get Firefox, Steam, and such, and why you prefer BSD over Linux.
 
State what hardware you have or intend to purchase to try FreeBSD, openbsd, or ghostbsd; which printer, if any will be used; I know there are threads here about steam but I have never used it.
Every time I have to try another Linux distribution it insists on some login into a pretty picture and then if something goes wrong hours of troubleshooting, whereas in FreeBSD I can boot to a plain prompt, do updates, then layer-by-layer start a window manager that can be figured on my own so much so that by the time a browser loads, or can be loaded, I know nothing will halt that day's session except maybe some dependencies in a upgrade that replaces a library.
Also, by the time one has openbsd or FreeBSD installed, one should have taken good notes and continue for years and years. For instance, the other day during a backup the computer would reboot due to a problem on the destination hardware. I used the
fsdb command and then the
clri command within that to remove the stuck inode and the problem was resolved.
*I* would prefer more Linux users try FreeBSD so we can get more users posting their success with printer setup and usage, which I think has been stymied by Zfs default usages which I have done but have to time to reliably implement enough to replace UFS usage in my use cases.
Good luck!
 
wtrys said:
I would like to ask how I would switch over
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Just give it a shot. Be prepared to configure everything from start to finish. While this might seem a bit of a chore, it'll give you a much better understanding of the various components and how they interact. You get a lot of freedom but this does come at a cost. Lots of time, trail and error. But that's part of the fun.

www/firefox
games/linux-steam-utils

wtrys said:
and why you prefer BSD over Linux.
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I like the strict separation of the "base OS" and third party applications (ports/packages). What absolutely sealed the deal for me 25 years ago was the ports system. It allows for a lot of freedom and customization but it's also really easy to use.

Definitely start by reading our excellent handbook, while it may not cover all details it will certainly help with the most common issues.

docs.freebsd.org

FreeBSD Handbook

A constantly evolving, comprehensive resource for FreeBSD users
docs.freebsd.org docs.freebsd.org
 
Tried Gentoo about 3 years ago, it's highly customized but failed to build routine upgrade several times. So now I use FreeBSD everyday, which is more stable and configurable too.
 
While gentoo is a good way to understand the operating system, i think freebsd is better for that basically because the package manager is not written in Python.

Linux is different, in Linux every component is a different project, the kernel (linux itself), the init system (systemd, openrc, runit...), the package manager (portage, xbps, apt, dnf....), the boot manager (grub, lilo, systemd-boot). In BSD everything is under the same source tree which makes easier to understand how the system works.

In contrast with gentoo I prefer compliation of packages using ports rather than "useflags" (freebsd also have that concept in a different way). While in gentoo you have a weird configuration file in freebsd you have a prompt that asks you the compilation options like you have no idea how to use a computer. Which is good

Also the sole existence of ZFS is a reason to use FreeBSD. I haven't been able to use any other FS since then.
 
wtrys said:
I'm using a Thinkpad T430! And I don't really print. Thank you for the luck!
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This beast runs everything. I use OBSD for years on it and used FBSD for a while too. Never had a single problem.
For a period of time I even build my hole system with poudriere in it, base + 1.5k ports.
Edit.: If you like Gentoo, you will love poudriere. I also used Gentoo on my T430 for a few years before change to BSD's.
 
To give freebsd a quick tryout on your T430, I suggest grab a copy of ghostbsd https://www.ghostbsd.org/ and install that. That's the closest thing you'll get to something like a ready-to-go linux distribution. It's just a pre-configured freebsd distro with a nice gui. Put that on and have a play first. Then if you want to "do it the hard way", which actually isn't very hard, there are lots of howtos on the web. Freebsd generally runs very well on older stinkpads.

Check out the ghostbsd install guide here https://ghostbsd-documentation-port...lation.html#starting-the-ghostbsd-live-system

If you want to roll your own, there's a nice recent howto here https://fluca1978.github.io/2021/11/01/FreeBSDKDEPlasma.html that tells you how to set up a modern desktop environment on a T410, which is similar to your T430.

If you've been to any depth with gen2 and the linux morass in general then you'll find freebsd is generally simpler and more coherent than linux. It's a nice o/s. Great package manager and updates/upgrades are a breeze. Very stable.

Have lots of fun :)
 
blackbird9 said:
Have lots of fun :)
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I am!
fetch.png
 
>its main strengths over Linux?
pain (makes you stronger...)

ok, joke aside, I am one inch to nuke my Rocky install in favor of FreeBSD, as soon I will figure out how can I access an USB oscilloscope via FreeBSD (there is a port for Hantek on ports, mine is an Owon one.. )
 
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