Subj : REDATE2.ZIP
To   : BEN RITCHEY
From : andrew clarke
Date : Thu Oct 31 2002 09:08 am

Tue 2002-10-29 23:09, BEN RITCHEY (1:393/68) wrote to ANDREW CLARKE:

 > Hmmm...have you ever used one of the popular Linux distributions? If 
 > Yes, how does Linux compare to BSD? I D/L'd the FreeBSD v4.2 iso
 > to CD but have not made the time to play around with same to
 > date. :( I understand it's much more secure?

I've been using FreeBSD as a gateway (router/firewall) machine on my home 
network since 1998.  Back then the Linux distributions weren't so well-rounded 
and there were some security issues where some distributions installed default 
services.  These problems weren't really an issue with FreeBSD at the time.  
They're probably on a par now, security-wise, but I haven't used any of the 
recent Linux distros on a day-to-day basis though, so I really can't comment on 
them.  FreeBSD is simple to configure and easy to use for the purpose I use it 
for, so I've got no reason to switch.

Linux has better hardware support generally, but that doesn't bother me since 
my FreeBSD box sits headless and keyboardless in a closet.  It also has 
slightly more software available to it, even though FreeBSD will run most Linux 
binaries (if you compile support for them into the kernel), eg. apparently 
Borland's Kylix won't run in FreeBSD's Linux compatibility mode for some 
reason.  I haven't actually tested that theory.  Binaries generated by Kylix 
should run on both though.

My general feeling is to use FreeBSD for crucial networking operations, Linux 
if you want X Windows and support for lots of peripherals, and MS Windows if 
you have to.  I've never been particularly fond of X Windows though.  So it's 
just BSD + Win for me.

Come to think of it, I'd rather run Mac OS X than Linux.  Particularly as it's 
based on FreeBSD, so it's all familiar territory.  Too bad I don't have a Mac 
that will run it.  My newest Mac is 8 years old.  %-)

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