Noob question, Linux v FreeBSD

X

XDroidie626

Hello there!

I come from Linux and am looking at FreeBSD for a bit of fun, but I know hardly anything about it. I know it is an actual operating system over a kernel etc, but what can I do on FreeBSD? I am a gamer, is FreeBSD able to use Steam natively? Also what are good comparisons and differences between the two operating systems? I understand this may have been asked many times before but I am unsure for my personal needs.

Thank you in advance!!
 
Re: Noob question, Linux v BSD for someone who has never use

XDroidie626 said:
Okay so I come from Linux and am looking at FreeBSD for a bit of fun, but I know hardly anything about it. I know its an actual is over a kernel etc, but what can I do on FreeBSD?
Click to expand...
viewtopic.php?&t=9294
I am a gamer also I like to play games is FreeBSD able to use steam native?
Click to expand...
There has been some success I think, viewtopic.php?&t=35587 and viewtopic.php?&t=40691

Also what are good comparisons and differences between the two OS?
I understand this may have been asked many times before but I am unsure for my personal needs.
Click to expand...
Read the first link, I think it will answer most, if not all, of your questions.
 
Re: Noob question, Linux v BSD for someone who has never use

Yeah, I have to agree. Many of the links at https://forums.freebsd.org/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=9294 are outdated, and at least one has vanished, whereas Dru has updated the last link pretty recently.
I don't know about games. FreeBSD takes more effort and reading to use as a desktop than does Linux. (I should add that due to some hardware that I have, I have to build xorg-server from ports, rather than packages, meaning that it will take me awhile to install X. Depending upon your hardware, it might only take a few minutes.)

Hardware support lags behind Linux, especially for desktop type things, such as individual wireless cards.

One nice thing that is often lacking in Linux, is a centralized source of issues when updating. For example, if you want to upgrade a particular package or port, you can look at /usr/ports/UPDATING and see if there are any known issues with said port, whereas in Linux, it's often a matter of being told, after an upgrade breaks your system, Oh, you should have looked at Z when you'd already looked at X and Y.

A lot depends upon what sort of Linux you're used to, as well. If you've always installed the standard desktop Ubuntu and seldom used a command line, you might be a bit lost, whereas if you're an old Gentoo hand, a lot of it will be familiar.

No doubt, you'll run into surprises, no matter how much you read first. I do think the link cited by @Juanitou is probably going to give you the best quick overview.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
XDroidie626 said:
Hello there!

I come from Linux and am looking at FreeBSD for a bit of fun,

Thank you in advance!!
Click to expand...

If your concept of fun includes reading 500 pages technical manual welcome on-board :beer
However the same could be written for any serious Linux distro (RedHat, Suse, Debian) or even a hobby project like Slackware.
 
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