Let's discuss something you don't see on OSS forums too often

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

at least, I have not seen it...

xLinux vs. xBSD

Pros and Cons of each

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

1. Don't take my word for it, I never used *BSD

But I hear hardware support is better (more devices, more up-to-date) in Linux. If I'm wrong, please correct me.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

2. I don't know for sure. I have been a user, but never administered

or installed any BSD.

I just read an article from PC Magazine which got me thinking. They claim some of the BSD's are getting competetive with linux in development cycles and such.

I would have to look into it. I trust PC Magazine about as much as Micro$oft or the FBI.

Thought someone could shed some light.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

5. Yep... remember the M$ ideology

Code we can steal gooood, code we can't steal baaaad.

Just try to install a BSD in a machine full of gadgets, see if it catches them all.

[salvorhardin]

3. I have used both Linux and *BSD

although it has been many, many years since I last used *BSD. 1999 I think. However, at the time it was definitely the most rock solid open source server installation I've ever seen. In fact, in order, my preferences for secure and solid OS'es go: VMS, *BSD (particularly OpenBSD) and the Linux although SELinux may bring back a lot of what I liked about VMS.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

4. Thanks for that. I like your sig line, but I gotta ask...

if 16 million can't be wrong on Firefox, then how can 60 million be wrong on **?

From a dedicated and happy Firefox user.

[salvorhardin]

6. I presume

the 19.5 million Firefox downloads came from the at least the 49 million who voted for Kerry. Of course, Firefox users are worldwide too. It's the little delusions that keep me happy. :-)

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

7. right. of course, duh

carry on then.

[bemildred]

8. An admittedly biased source, but:

http://people.freebsd.org/~murray/bsd_flier.html

I am a Unix weenie, and have been running FreeBSD since 1992,
and have worked with (programmed and been sysadmin for) VMS, Linux,
Solaris, Windoze(various), DOS, Digital Unix, and RSTS/E at various
times. I consider all except Windoze/DOS and RSTS/E to be acceptable
modern operating systems, but I prefer Solaris, FreeBSD on PC hardware
and then Linux. This is primarily for the development environment and
relative simplicity of system administration, once you are familiar
with how things are done. And like it says, it is robust.

For non-hackers types, there is much to be said for Linux. Some Linux
distros do a much better job there, and I never recommend anything else
for naive users wanting a Windoze alternative.

The comments about drivers & hardware support are well taken, but it's
a matter of time, if you wait six months or so anything that runs on
Linux tends to run on FreeBSD etc.

YMMV.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

9. Interesting chart, a few years old, but good stuff

I might play with BSD on my next install.

[byronm]

10. Well...

For servers - some of the BSD vairants are rock solid and clean. Less risk of being hacked.

For home, it would be Java Desktop/Solaris (solaris 10) or SuSe linux.