Where do I go from here?

N

nbittech

I have often asked the question, FreeBSD is wonderful, but where do I go with it? I am a victim of Linux distro hell, as I have installed almost everything worth installing (and many things not), and still find myself wanting more (or less.) I keep coming back to FreeBSD or Gentoo. But I really like FreeBSD's design elements (old-school UNIX and proud of it) and how stable and easy to use it is.

I just can't seem to choose the direction I want to go, as FreeBSD is customizable to an infinite degree. I like KDE4, but build it two or three times with different options. I like Xfce, but feel it has some shortcomings on BSD systems. I love WindowMaker (re-emphasize LOVE.) I praise OpenBox and LXDE for it's light and fast design.

I have built several kernels, but just can't seem to get what I want.

I don't have this problem with Ubuntu or Windows, as I am forced into installing whatever I am graced with at the time. BSD (I'm speaking for all of the BSDs here) is a wonderful OS because of the simple fact that there is no set path that you must follow. You are free to use it however you want (that is the point of the BSD license right?) FreeBSD doesn't hold your hand, it becomes whatever you want it to be (or whatever you aquire the knowledge to make of it).

I am an IT consultant/PC repair tech with a lot of spare hardware laying around, everything from quad-core PowerEdge 2900s to Dell Precision M90s, to HP g6s-g7s, even old P3-P4 machines, I even have some old G3-G4 Macs. I even have an old SunFire v880 laying around for when I get really bored (and cold,this might as well be a space heater, provided you can tolerate the fan noise! Heat your house while you compile something).

I want a good desktop FreeBSD setup that will run on the typical modern hardware (I define modern hardware as dual-core/2 GB RAM minimum, and decent video cards).

With freedom comes choices, when you can do anything, what do you do? With great freedom comes great responsibility. But I have to go somewhere, I don't have an infinite amount of time (or beer).

I want a good FreeBSD desktop setup. But I just don't know what I want. I want something I can use everyday, on my spare laptop (Dell Inspiron 6400, Core2 2gb RAM ATI X1300 GPU.) This is a starting point. I want a full-blown Ubuntu replacement (without all the linux-isms.) KDE is a little bloated, but a straight window-manager is a little sparse.

What build options do I choose, what do I set in make.conf, what knobs do I use?

I am going crazy with all these choices (that's the price of freedom right?).

I just want some ideas. What do you guys (or girls) use everyday for a desktop? What's unusual is that if I'm setting up a server, these choices are easy, as I have a set direction and goal in mind, but for a desktop, I throw up my hands and attempt to scratch my head.

There are some great tutorials on various websites as to how to set up a BSD desktop, and they are a good starting point. But I just can't pick something.

I need a good everyday laptop/desktop setup that will replace Windows/Ubuntu. I don't need a step by step tutorial, I need recommendations.

Let the endless conversation begin (sorry mods and devs).
 
I might also add that FreeBSD is a wonderful OS (keep up the good work devs!). I promote it to my customers whenever I can, provided it works for the purpose that the customer desires (it makes the best web servers on the planet!). I don't think that it is a magic bullet, I don't flame other OS's that aren't FreeBSD. But I prefer it when it works for the purpose intended.

FreeBSD makes me feel unusually comfortable. But I'm simply not used to the freedom it offers. When you have infinite choices as to customizing the system (kernel, userland tools, compile options, literally EVERYTHING,) where do you go from here? I just want a laptop that I can use everyday at work, that doesn't get viruses, that can read any filesystem, and open or play any file (without spending too much time adding features when you need them).

I might be guilty of being a fanboy here and I am sorry if I come across that way. I realize that FreeBSD isn't for everything or everyone, and that it isn't perfect (as nothing is because our wants and need vary from person to person). But personally, I love FreeBSD, and freely admit that I try to use it for purposes that it wasn't originally intended, for no other reason than because I simply want to.

I grew up in the 90s with system 6/7 Macs and Solaris/all flavors of UNIX. I am used to UNIX, and FreeBSD/OpenBSD/NetBSD is in my comfort zone. AIX is bizarre, Solaris is (who knows?) and Linux is, well, Linux, but just doesn't rub me the right way. What happened to the world I grew up in? I miss the old days.

I just want a FreeBSD desktop for everyday use, and to do this myself, not use PC-BSD or Ubuntu or whatever else. Where do I start?
 
You build what you need first. See the handbook for kernel building. Dual core i386 or AMD64 is standard not modern. Modern would be POWER7, Loongson, SPARC T4, etc.
 
I don't understand very well the whole point: you have the capability to customize your system the way you like the most, but please note that (i) you already have the same capaability with other free OSes (e.g., Linux) and (ii) this does not mean you have to tweak every single piece of the OS. In particular the latter is why we have a GENERIC kernel, one that can fits the most common needs so you can just boot up the system and enjoy it.

Do you want a desktop FreeBSD? Well, I suggest you PCBSD, that will not require you so much tweaking, or if you love GNUStep then MidnightBSD should be the one.
 
Ah, the freedom of choice, it can be quite stifling. I remember when I first got internet at home. Ok, I now have the world's knowledge at my fingertips, what the hell am I going to search for? I think I stared at that Yahoo page for at least an hour.

Just go with the flow, pick up anything that comes to mind and see how far you can get. If you're stuck, try something else. Keep playing with it. Experience and knowledge takes time.
 
If one desktop does not do what you want, try another. It might help to make a list of what is needed, refining it as you test.
 
Installing and deinstalling desktops (window managers and desktop environments) is relatively easy. I went through four or five in a short time, sometimes next to one another. As long as you use the proper tools to get rid of dependencies that are no longer needed, it should not impact your system at all.
 
I would think that first you need to define what "everyday use" means to you. Does that mean surfing the internet and check mail? Watching movies and listen to music? Programming? Playing games? Once you define that then you may be able to narrow down your choices.
 
SirDice said:
Ah, the freedom of choice, it can be quite stifling.
Click to expand...

This is an excellent post. Some famous artist, or whatever, once gloried in the freedom of constraint because it narrowed your choices to something you can handle and wrap your head around.

I think I stared at that Yahoo page for at least an hour.

Installing and deinstalling desktops (window managers and desktop environments) is relatively easy. I went through four or five in a short time, sometimes next to one another.
Click to expand...

We're all sick, man. We need help.
 
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