Subj : flavors
To   : Roy J. Tellason
From : Russell Tiedt
Date : Sun Jun 10 2001 04:25 am

Hi Roy,

 RJT> Can someone enlighten me as to what the differences are between the 
 RJT> various *BSD flavors?  And how any of these might compare with 
 RJT> Linux?

The differences are not earth shatteringly large but they are there.

 RJT> I'm not looking for "XYZ is better",  unless you're talking about 
 RJT> how it's better for some particular kinds of uses,  I'm more looking 
 RJT> for a comparison of their relative strengths.

From my point of view I have used FreeBSD and I like it a lot, I feel it is 
possibly a better OS to build a firewall on than Linux, but the 2.4.* Linux 
kernals will probably lessen the advantage that *BSD has in this regard. Other 
than that the device naming is different, and that FreeBSD needs to be 
installed into it's own Primary Partion (slice), it's a case of six of one and 
a half dozen of the others, ie. much of a muchness. The init scripts are 
different and so is the directory tree structure. From my point of view I 
prefer Linux slightly, even if I find the structured release system of FreeBSD 
more appealling, ie. not the haphazard Linux way, which also has a few 
advantages.

Like I said earlier, from my point of view, they are much of a muchness, but in 
the end personal taste is what is going to win out. Knowing your Linux 
experience, chances are that after trying *BSD you will still prefer Linux.
BUT, you will only ever be sure once you have tried it.

Have FUN!!

Russell

--- Msged/NT TE 05
 * Origin: Rusty's BBS - Bloemfontein, Free State, South Africa (5:7105/1)

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