*BSD News Article 51155


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Newsgroups: comp.unix.bsd.freebsd.misc
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From: peter@nmti.com (Peter da Silva)
Subject: Re: Linux or FreeBSD
Message-ID: <id.M8HN1.IZ4@nmti.com>
Sender: peter@nmti.com (peter da silva)
Organization: Network/development platform support, NMTI
References: <409iah$inf@galaxy.ucr.edu> <40alp5$psg@agate.berkeley.edu> <41ogs7$jui@park.uvsc.edu> <1995Sep7.221221.28091@state.systems.sa.gov.au>
Date: Mon, 18 Sep 1995 15:44:38 GMT
Lines: 38

In article <1995Sep7.221221.28091@state.systems.sa.gov.au>,
 <chdemgt@state.systems.sa.gov.au> wrote:
> That is, if it's possible to ask the question, the answer must be Linux.

No, the answer must be "what do you want to do with the system?".

After answering that question, you may find that the answer to "FreeBSD
or Linux" is "Macintosh" or even (god forfend) "NT".

> You may have some particular reason to prefer FreeBSD.

Reliable networking, for example?

> In these situations the question doesn't arise.

Sure it does. The question *always* arises.

> A lot of the FreeBSD software is broken.

And a lot of the Linux software is broken. There's a common package a lot
of people I use, that has to be continually nursed under Linux. And it's
DEVELOPED under Linux. The author is competant. The package installs
flawlessly on just about every system I've tried it on. But under Linux
you crash the networking if you try and run certain programs (it's an
interactive chat system that includes a Forth-like programming language).

> If your means of acquiring the OS is by download over a slow link the margin
> of preference for Linux widens enormously.

How can you say that? For FreeBSD you download a single 1200k file, copy
it to a floppy, answer a few questions, then go away whil it grabs ALL the
files you need from the Internet and installs your system while you sleep.
You don't have to sit there and nurse it along.
-- 
Peter da Silva    (NIC: PJD2)      `-_-'             1601 Industrial Boulevard
Bailey Network Management           'U`             Sugar Land, TX  77487-5013
+1 713 274 5180         "Har du kramat din varg idag?"                     USA
Bailey pays for my technical expertise.        My opinions probably scare them