Is BSD Linux? reddit / freebsd ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ImissWallingford36 · 2021-05-23 17:37 If this is a question y’all get all the time I apologize in advance but... is it or is it not? And yea I’ve looked across the internet for the answer to this question. The only answer I get is “Unix-like” and although I think the open source movement is stronger when CONCENTRATED TOGETHER, I admit it would be refreshing to see an open source OS that isn’t the 800th Distro of Linux. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- desnudopenguino · 2021-05-23 17:38 No. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- SoLong75 · 2021-05-23 17:38 No ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ImissWallingford36 · 2021-05-23 17:39 Finally a definitive answer, again nice to see an Open source OS that isn’t the 8 millionth Linux distro ---------------------------------------------------------------------- lealxe · 2021-05-23 17:41 No. Also FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD and DragonflyBSD are all different systems, not distributions. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- edthesmokebeard · 2021-05-23 17:42 \-1, Troll ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ImissWallingford36 · 2021-05-23 17:42 Meaning they’re completely different operating systems? As in they’re based off of different kernels, correct? Excuse my ignorance. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Nettly_ · 2021-05-23 17:43 BSD is not Linux. Linux is a fully self-built kernel made in 1991. BSD has its roots in original Unix coming back from the 1970s. The BSD family has, technically, been around since the 70s. While Linux has only been around since the '90s. While they are very similar systems, they are not the same. BSD has actually been around longer than Linux in many cases. Hope this answers your question with some actual detail. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ImissWallingford36 · 2021-05-23 17:43 Not a troll, just an intermediate Linux user who heard of BSD. The only answer I get online is “Unix like” which is pretty much EVERY OS that isn’t Windows ---------------------------------------------------------------------- lealxe · 2021-05-23 17:43 Yes. Though these are historically descendants of the same, that is, 4.4BSD. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Nettly_ · 2021-05-23 17:44 Oh trust me, you mean 80 millionth distribution don't you? ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ImissWallingford36 · 2021-05-23 17:44 Lmao yea just about, I knew I was gonna get shit for posting this and I love Linux with all my heart but goddamn does distro watching get exhausting. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Nettly_ · 2021-05-23 17:46 Aren't they also based on 386BSD? I could be wrong, but that's how I remember the chart going. Because they all fork the same thing, except OpenBSD which is a fork of NetBSD and DragonflyBSD is a fork of FreeBSD. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Nettly_ · 2021-05-23 17:47 Oh don't worry about it, I'm not s******* on you I'm s******* on Linux. I have used Linux for the past 3 years and BSD for the past 6 to 9 months. I just really do not like the Linux systems anymore ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Nettly_ · 2021-05-23 17:48 I do not believe this is a troll, I would think this is more just a ignorant user who wanted to educate themselves and found the best way to just ask a community. I would recommend not calling everyone who doesn't understand the BSD systems a troll. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ImissWallingford36 · 2021-05-23 17:49 We’ll see that’s the thing, BSD intrigued me but my worry is I won’t get anything to run on BSD without virtualization. It’s already difficult enough getting things to run on Linux but with wine and the fact most devs use Linux it’s possible. How does one get things to run on BSD? Is there a BSD equivalent to say wine on Linux? ---------------------------------------------------------------------- lealxe · 2021-05-23 17:51 Yes, NetBSD and FreeBSD forked from 386BSD, then OpenBSD from NetBSD and DFBSD from FreeBSD, I think?.. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Nettly_ · 2021-05-23 17:52 Don't quote me on this, but there might be a couple of options. I do know there are Linux virtualization options for FreeBSD itself. The main issue is I would think the easiest way of all things is just to do a virtualization system. It's just a simple tick in a BIOS and making sure you have the proper system resources for it, and if you don't have that then just run a separate machine with Windows 10 for your Windows 10 software and Linux for your Linux software. It's not the cleanest solution but it's probably the easiest one I could find for a new user. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- kjelderg · 2021-05-23 17:52 TL;DR no To add to the above, entirely correct, answer. Linux is an OS kernel. Many OSes have chosen to use this kernel often with a bunch of open source software called GNU. The vast majority of Linux distributions are GNU/Linux with various additional softwares and customisations. FreeBSD is an OS distribution. It comes with a kernel of its own called, uncreatively, the FreeBSD kernel. It comes with a bunch of open source tools as well that are in many ways similar to the GNU tools that GNU/Linux distributions package. To muddy the user experience, most of the additional softwares you may want to install on either operating system will be the same. The graphical user interfaces, web browsers, text editors, web servers, etc. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- atsuko_24 · 2021-05-23 17:52 \>install Debian \>pick DE and standard applications \>apply a theme that gets boring after 5 minutes "this is a whole new OS that needs to be packaged and distributed by me" ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Nettly_ · 2021-05-23 17:52 Okay, I thought so. Tysm. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Nettly_ · 2021-05-23 17:54 Actually it's more often done with Ubuntu, because it's so much easier to actually do that. Debian is nice and all but Ubuntu is really easy to fork. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- kjelderg · 2021-05-23 17:55 Yes. Different kernels and complete operating systems. All of the BSDs are ancestrally related. Further, they often share and integrate components. As an example, OpenBSD made a fantastic firewall called PF. FreeBSD saw that it was good and integrated into FreeBSD. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ImissWallingford36 · 2021-05-23 17:55 Oh believe me I know my way around hypervisors type 1 and 2 I’m actually studying to be a cloud engineer, I’m educated on that side of things. I’m just hoping there’s some kind of emulator or something of that sort. Again BSD interests me but if it won’t run anything without a hyper visor I see little reason to use it as a daily driver as I have many Linux systems. I must admit you’ve been most helpful though nobody has answered my questions as in depth. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Nettly_ · 2021-05-23 17:57 I try to make sure people have the answers they need. I will need to look into it again, but I do believe that you can use one of our Linux compatibility systems and run wine in one of those. BSD is generally a lot less bloated than Linux making it a lot easier to deal with. But the workarounds right now for many issues are still a little strange. Something many developers, like myself or trying to fix. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ImissWallingford36 · 2021-05-23 17:58 LESS BLOATED THAN LINUX? I was about to ask about if there’s any advantages BSD has over Linux but damn... there’s some distros that work with less than 100 MB of memory like damn. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Nettly_ · 2021-05-23 17:59 All the BSDs are from 386BSD or a fork of NetBSD or FreeBSD. This makes it a lot easier to deal with. Though there are some BSDs that are not as well used built on higher from the tree. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- edthesmokebeard · 2021-05-23 18:00 This might be in the top 10 of least-effort posts of all time. What's next, "Is macos Windows?" I don't know anyone who's interested in your recommendations. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Nettly_ · 2021-05-23 18:01 I guess I should say less bloated then most popular Linux systems. If you need something very lightweight, Linux does have the advantage of having a separate kernel from the system which makes it easier for developers to make operating systems like tiny core Linux which I use on a near daily basis on some of the weakest machines. It's really nice to have, but BSD in general usually beats out in systems like Ubuntu, Debian most of the time, many cases some Gentoo installs and some arch installer scripts. But yeah. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- kjelderg · 2021-05-23 18:02 You mention also dragonfly. It is a more recent fork from FreeBSD ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Nettly_ · 2021-05-23 18:02 But this is a very common very known issue with Linux users, they actually do believe in many cases that BSD is Linux and asking this question is going to happen as BSD grows. The matter the fact is, this isn't a low ever post this is an actual question someone had. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Nettly_ · 2021-05-23 18:03 That is true, but it is generally considered one of the big four. Used to be Big 5, arrested in peace TrueOS. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ImissWallingford36 · 2021-05-23 18:04 Yea Ubuntu as much as I love it is a little Windows-y and not in a good way. I will admit though the BSD community is clearly more welcoming and helpful than the Linux community based off of this experience. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Nettly_ · 2021-05-23 18:05 Sometimes it can't get a little rough around the edges, but we aren't ashamed to admit that our community isn't as perfect as we like to be. Though we are proud to generally be more nice than the Linux community, I got just as much of a warm welcome when I was introduced to the BSD community so yeah. Just wanted to share the favor to any new users. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ImissWallingford36 · 2021-05-23 18:14 The open source movement needs more people like you ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Nettly_ · 2021-05-23 18:16 Thank you! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- desnudopenguino · 2021-05-23 18:24 Each BSD is a separate system, you cant pick the kernel from one and run it with the userland of another. I would suggest booting a few up and giving them a shot. OpenBSD is my daily driver. I use it and FreeBSD regularly. Many of the services available in linux are available in the BSDs as well. The big difference in services is that linux has containers, but FreeBSD is working on a compatibility layer between their native jail system and the container standard. There are some challenges with drivers, but if you do research beforehand, you can put together a solid system. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- uszeraj · 2021-05-23 18:41 \> I think the open source movement is stronger when CONCENTRATED TOGETHER LOL no. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- amitizle · 2021-05-23 18:51 Why are people downvoting? If someone is interested and asks a novice question, a community in my opinion should help, or is the community open for advanced users only? ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ImissWallingford36 · 2021-05-23 18:55 Yo I hate to break it to you my guy but just because you think you’re superior don’t mean you are. Notice how everybody is just trying to help me and I already did EXTENSIVE research over the internet before bothering the community? You didn’t come out the womb an advanced user. Same way I didn’t just install Arch successfully the same day I downloaded ubuntu. If you are truly an intellectually superior being then prove it, neckbeard. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- beowuff · 2021-05-23 19:29 So, here’s a little back ground history. Linus as a student wanted a Unix system, but couldn’t afford any licenses. So, he started writing a Unix like kernel, called Linux. Once he was getting close to his first release, he started looking for tools to add to it. At the same time, Richard Stallman and the FSF started making their own Unix like OS comprising the GNU tool set and the Hurd kernel. While the tools were finished, the kernel never was. So, the FSF was looking for a “temporary” kernel until they could finish Hurd. They found each other, put them together, and you get all the Linux distros today. All Unix “LIKE”. FreeBSD is different. AT&T owned Bell Labs created an OS called Multics and sold it, a couple engineers created a new system and called it Unix as a play on Multics. AT&T didn’t think there was any value in Unix, so the people who created it started passing it around, especially to universities. At Berkeley in California, they started collecting new patches and bug fixes from various people and produced the Berkeley Patch Set. This was to be installed over AT&Ts Unix. Eventually they replaced most of the AT&T code with new code and released the Berkeley Software Distribution, or BSD. Eventually, AT&T realized the value of Unix and decided to sell it. They sued to stop the distribution of Unix through BSD, but it was trivial at that point to replace any left over Unix Code with new, non Unix code. AT&T lost the case. Someone (cant remember the name at the moment) ported BSD to the i386 intel processors and 386BSD was created. This was eventually split and the new branch was called FreeBSD. There was some disagreement over the direction a couple times and NetBSD and OpenBSD were branched. So, the major differences: Linux: Unix like. It’s a Linux kernel with other tool sets added on. Most use GNU tools, but Android uses Linux with the Android tool set. FreeBSD: A direct descendent of Unix. Includes both the kernel and the tool set developed together instead of just added on. There are pros and cons to both ways. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- TrenItaglia · 2021-05-23 19:36 look at the unix tree ---------------------------------------------------------------------- apacketofsweets · 2021-05-23 21:39 This thread is a car crash. What a fantastic way to welcome a new user into the BSD community, by ridiculing them for asking a newbie question. It may seem like a silly question to established *BSD users, but from a newbie's perspective I can see why it can be confused with Linux. Afterall, you can't actually see the kernel, but what you do see with the userland and available packages is very similar to the experience you get on Linux. The differences (if you put aside jails) are largely beneath the surface (kernel, more permissive licence etc). To OP, don't get offended by some of the people on here, us FreeBSD folk are obviously not very good with people. To answer your question, no FreeBSD is not Linux as it has its own kernel, and unlike Linux is a full operating system whereas Linux is just a kernel. The distributions are what pieces things together into a useable system with Linux, but there's no need for that with FreeBSD as it's all rolled into one. It's a similar situation with other BSD variants, although they have their own kernels rather than using FreeBSD's kernel, they just have BSD in the name because they originated as offshoots from BSD. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- pyradke · 2021-05-23 21:49 FreeBSD is not Linux. Btw, Linux is just the kernel. The OS itself is GNU+Linux, although it's commonly abbreviated as "Linux". I'd also like to say that instead of using the term open source, you may start saying free software (free as in freedom, not as in free beer) instead for free software projects. http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/open-source-misses-the-point.en.html Edit: Some minor grammar fixes ---------------------------------------------------------------------- gumnos · 2021-05-23 22:04 I imagine that the down-votes are on account of this being readily answered by the most basic of web-searches, suggesting that the OP didn't even bother trying to answer it for themself. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Catsssssssss · 2021-05-23 22:08 Forgive or ignore the nerds who get a bit too giddy over your question. FreeBSD has nothing to do with Linux from a legal and licensing perspective, but they have everything in common for being - as you found - UNIX-like. What UNIX-like tends to mean is that they are first and foremost based on an extensive command-oriented console interface. FreeBSD **is** refreshing. It has a bit steeper of a learning curve, but the feelings of belonging and ownership are unbelievable, compared to Linux.. To me, anyway. I will always encourage newcomers to try FreeBSD first.. If at first you fail, then Linux and come back later when things make more sense. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- mem0100u · 2021-05-23 22:59 Woah settle down big guy ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Hristijan54 · 2021-05-24 00:35 its not both are unix based but not same ---------------------------------------------------------------------- gizahnl · 2021-05-24 08:10 Iirc wine works fine in FreeBSD, except perhaps (some) games. FreeBSD also has the Linuxulator which uses syscall redirection to "emulate" (it's not really emulation!) Linux, and allow lots of applications to run. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- gizahnl · 2021-05-24 08:14 If there isn't a (newbie) FAQ it should be there, and if it exists and this question isn't in there, it should be. Then questions like this could be answered by pointing to the FAQ with a friendly welcome. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- systemdick · 2021-05-24 09:12 Can you install the Linux kernel in freebsd? ---------------------------------------------------------------------- systemdick · 2021-05-24 09:15 Yep it does. Fellow linux user here, there's only like a few Linux distros that are good but some of the Linux distros do really unique things but its rare. 99% of the distros I'd just Ubuntu with another de and a theme. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- systemdick · 2021-05-24 09:26 I'm a beginner with bsd and it's also not gonna be my main system. BSD hardware support is awful on laptops and doesn't even support the network card on my tower. I also hate that freeBSD doesn't have nmtui or some sort of application that lets me change networks without editing conf files. If there actually is please tell me about it! I like better Linux but I want to give BSD a chance. I am even okay having to edit some source code so it can actual compile things in freeBSD (I did this for my config of DWM and slstatus). ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ChiefDetektor · 2021-05-24 09:30 No. Not one single line of Linux code is in any BSD. BSD is way oder than Linux. It was developed in the 80' at Berkeley University. Torvalds knew and it and used it at his univerity along with other things like minix. He was heavy inspired by it. If BSD had an open source linke licence like Linux does today Torvalds would just have used that instead of implementing Linux. Linux came to existence ~ 91, 92 and BSD became opensource (without any properitary code) 94 So Linux is inspired by BSD and shares a lot of concepts but there are differences and the codebases are completely different. BSD actually is one complete codebase. Kernel + userland in one repo. Where as Linux codebase is seperatated in kernel repo + GNU userland + distro stuff. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- witchofthewind · 2021-05-24 10:22 >Not one single line of Linux code is in any BSD. https://cgit.freebsd.org/src/tree/sys/gnu/dev/bwn/phy_n ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ChiefDetektor · 2021-05-24 10:27 Is that original Linux driver code? Or is it ported? Edit: Yes this is from Linux. But it s a driver so thats understandable. Still how is it compatible Licensewise? ---------------------------------------------------------------------- kjelderg · 2021-05-24 10:33 No. There used to be a project the other way around, though. Debian had a GNU/FreeBSD project. FreeBSD does have a Linux compatibility layer, though, that can run Linux binaries without needing a virtual machine. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- witchofthewind · 2021-05-24 10:38 >Licence wise I see no indication that this is straight Form the Linux kernel... from the files in the FreeBSD source: ``` /* Broadcom B43 wireless driver IEEE 802.11n PHY data tables Copyright (c) 2008 Michael Buesch Copyright (c) 2010 Rafał Miłecki This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or (at your option) any later version. This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License for more details. You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with this program; see the file COPYING. If not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin Steet, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301, USA. */ ``` from [the Linux kernel](https://github.com/torvalds/linux/tree/master/ drivers/net/wireless/broadcom/b43): ``` // SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-or-later /* Broadcom B43 wireless driver IEEE 802.11n PHY support Copyright (c) 2008 Michael Buesch Copyright (c) 2010-2011 Rafał Miłecki */ ``` ---------------------------------------------------------------------- [deleted] · 2021-05-24 10:38 [deleted] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- witchofthewind · 2021-05-24 10:43 backtickopt6 and blocked, garbage spambot ---------------------------------------------------------------------- cargolax · 2021-05-24 12:28 Look at this draw it explains simply how is composed the UNIX family: [https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/File:Unix\_timeline.en.svg](https://en. wikibooks.org/wiki/File:Unix_timeline.en.svg) As the draw showed it BSD and Linux share the Unix root but both have been developed separately and then they followed their own path, one doesn't belong to the other. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- amitizle · 2021-05-24 18:45 I agree but maybe they want a human confirmation? IMO pointing to a FAQ page or where to search would be more beneficial in terms of community. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- amitizle · 2021-05-24 18:47 I agree, just adding that sometimes people might want an answer from a community member. Pointing to a FAQ page would be the best answer. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- jamfour · 2021-05-24 19:11 Depends what one means by “install”. Generally to run a different kernel on any OS, one needs a virtual machine or similar. In that sense, yes, one can execute the Linux kernel in a VM using bhyve, the FreeBSD hypervisor. In the same fashion one could execute the Windows kernel, Darwin kernel, a different version of the FreeBSD kernel, etc. With all the caveats of being a VM, of course. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- mjb300 · 2021-05-24 22:02 Technically Unix-like is the correct term. *BSDs are technically Unix-based with rewritten code. GNU/Linux is strictly Unix-like because the Linux kernel and userland did not borrow code from Unix but just the conventions. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- manys · 2021-05-25 01:59 No. 386BSD was derived from a version of the official 4.3BSD, then the 386BSD community fractured and created FreeBSD and NetBSD, by then based on 4.4BSD. All three are essentially siblings (one more like an older half-sibling), based on the same parent: Berkeley Unix. OpenBSD is a fork of NetBSD (can't find which version). ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Nettly_ · 2021-05-25 02:01 So they are both technical forks of 386BSD, yeah sure it's stretch and a half but you know ---------------------------------------------------------------------- system-user · 2021-05-25 13:50 shame that ubuntu is such garbage, so many distros are based on it... leading to yet more garbage. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- MrAureliusR · 2021-05-26 02:44 Ugh, I hate this GNU/Linux crap. You could easily make the argument that it should be called Wayland/systemd/pulseaudio/GNU/Linux. Sorry, it's just Linux. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- MrAureliusR · 2021-05-26 02:45 How, exactly, is it "garbage"? ---------------------------------------------------------------------- kjelderg · 2021-05-26 02:58 RMS has this to say specifically on the topic: "Linux is normally used in combination with the GNU operating system: the whole system is basically GNU with Linux added, or GNU/Linux." [1] By his logic there, we should be talking about GNU distros, not Linux distros. What is an operating system anyways? Within the context of a desktop OS, one could certainly argue that without a modern browser, office suite, video player, etc. that it is incomplete. Maybe operating systems are every bit as large as what we have been calling software distributions. [1] https://www.gnu.org/gnu/why-gnu-linux.html ---------------------------------------------------------------------- MrAureliusR · 2021-05-26 03:34 RMS is a moron. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- [deleted] · 2021-05-27 23:30 [deleted] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- [deleted] · 2021-05-27 23:32 [deleted] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- grahamperrin · 2021-05-27 23:36 [What is FreeBSD? | FreeBSD Foundation](https://freebsdfoundation.org/freebsd-project/what-is- freebsd/) – GhostBSD is based on FreeBSD, and so on. https://www.ghostbsd.org/ Also, if you like: * [Timeline | FreeBSD Foundation](https://freebsdfoundation.org/freebsd/timeline/) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ExperimentalMeatBag · 2021-06-01 04:45 More like lots of brothers and sisters in an incestuous relationship. Lots of common genetics from same parents, lots of shared stuff, in- breeding, lots of fight and competition, still love and support each other. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ImissWallingford36 · 2021-06-01 04:46 Oh ok, that oddly explained so little yet so much at the exact same time. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- bsd_lvr · 2021-06-25 21:47 In a nutshell, no, BSD is definitely not Linux. To oversimplify, The original Unix came from AT&T. They distributed the code freely to universities but they retained the copyright. UC Berkeley contributed many changes and additions. So much so, that when AT&T sued UC for distributing their product to anyone who asked for it, it went to court. The court ruled six files were unmodified enough to remain AT&T's property. The rest could be distributed freely. Berkeley gave the source code out, minus those files, and various people worked to replace those six files, port the code to intel 386 platform, and move it forward. That was the start of the various BSDs. The battle went on in court for a few years. During that time, Linus Torvalds was a college student in Europe and wanted to learn more about operating systems. He took a copy of a small tutorial OS called Minix as a starting point and started hacking on what would become Linux. The main reason he didn't use BSD as his starting point was he afraid of ending up on the wrong side of the legal gray area. The rest is history. Linux is a clone of Unix, a clean-room re-implementation if you will. Except that now it's the most popular Unix and it's ventured off into new territory with cgroups, systemd, etc. The BSDs still contain some actual UNIX source code left. Over time however, I assume that it becomes less and less with each successive version. Ironically, since AT&T (now someone else) owns the UNIX trademark and POSIX certification costs money, BSD can't technically call itself a UNIX, or POSIX-compliant, even though it is, and largely is compliant. Linux and the BSDs share a lot of basic UNIX concepts, and sometimes liberally borrow ideas from each other. They offer similar, if not exactly the same system, library, and API calls. Enough that programs written for one can be ported with some effort to the other. However, they're not the same and have different styles of development. IMHO, FreeBSD and its cousins works out well for guys who are into operating systems like UNIX descendants and are experienced coders. If you want to hack on your OS, FreeBSD for example is much easier to hack on than Linux. If you're not so much a coder, but you like to tweak knobs, then Linux is a natural fit because there's a great variety of desktops and other software available to choose from, and all of it is easily installable through packages.