*BSD News Article 99446


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From: Hugh LaMaster <lamaster@nas.nasa.gov>
Newsgroups: comp.unix.bsd.freebsd.misc
Subject: Re: Gotta Love Those FreeBSD Installs
Date: Fri, 11 Jul 1997 13:00:46 -0700
Organization: NASA Ames Research Center
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> pavanas abludo incusus (pavanas@meridio.ccia.com) wrote:
> >
> > Each and every time am install is a real adventure unlike those ho-hum
> > sedate Linux ones. This last escapade brought up a few questions.

Actually, although I'm new to FreeBSD, I have to say that it (now)
installs more easily than almost all commercial systems.  [It
wasn't so nice under 2.0.x etc.].  Also, the basic operating system
is more stable and secure than some commercial Unix systems,
not to mention vastly more stable than some popular commercial 
non-Unix systems.  However, I can't compare it to linux since
I have no experience there; perhaps linux is even easier to install
and even more stable.  At this point, though, FreeBSD seems easy
enough.  In short, I'm very impressed by the basic OS; it seems
surprisingly mature for "server" applications.

So, I'm surprised to see complaints specifically about the 
installs, either on 2.2.1, 2.2.2, or 3.0-current.


My only complaints have to do with the X implementation 
and minimal "multimedia" device support.  [e.g. SB16
drivers, etc. are not up-to-date.  Admittedly not the
best card for full-duplex operations, but these cards
are ubiquitous, for good or ill.]   I have heard that
linux users are more active in "multimedia" things
than ___BSD users. 

Some basic X things are a little buggy [e.g. xterms not 
always resetting properly when programs die], and, the 
S3 server doesn't seem completely optimized - 
in particular, big "image" or block pixel paint 
operations are not (or don't seem to be) making
use of hardware acceleration (very well).  (Then
again, it could be another instance of pilot error.)
In any case, these appear to be "XFree86" issues, 
not "FreeBSD" issues.  From the standpoint of a
"casual" user, that is probably the biggest
drawback that FreeBSD (and other BSD's) have - 
the X Window System development is done in a 
separate track by a separate (the XFree86) group.  
However, X is very usable, and I'm grateful
to XFree86 for doing the X ports.  




-- 
  Hugh LaMaster, M/S 258-5,     ASCII Email: 
hlamaster@mail.arc.nasa.gov
  NASA Ames Research Center     Or:           lamaster@nas.nasa.gov
  Moffett Field, CA 94035-1000  No Junkmail:  USC 18 section 2701
  Phone:  415/604-1056          Disclaimer:   Unofficial, personal
*opinion*.