Differences between FreeBSD and Linux?
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I was thinking of taking FreeBSD 5.0 for a spin, especially since I want to create a Samba and NIS/LDAP server for my home network.
I may want to do some development work on it too, and that''s really my main question. Are its libraries compatible with Linux? Or does it have a totally different structure? I''m assuming that the libraries are different, and I will have to find different libraries and therefore cross-compile (or at least relink) anything I make. Errr, speaking of make....what form of make does it use? I''m only familiar with GNU make (and even then, I''m sketchy on it and rely more on GUI IDE''s like Anjuta or Kdevelop to do that stuff).
Are there any other major differences? I know that BSD uses a "ports" system which from what I understand is what Gentoo based its portage package management system after.
Any comments would be welcome
Generally speaking, you can get any linux library (or even compiled binary) to work under FreeBSD. Anything in source form should also work, however only provided that it doesn''t rely on anything having to do with the linux kernel.
Also, for the most part, FreeBSD does not have as good 3D card support as linux does currently (as far as I know). For example, Nvidia only recently even released BSD drivers for their cards, whereas the linux drivers have been out for years.
FreeBSD is also a bit harder to install than most linux distros are, in my opinion. However, once you get it installed, it will run just as well as any linux distro will, if not better.
Overall, my opinion is that BSD is better suited for a server than linux is (based on various stats I''ve seen), whereas linux is better to use as a desktop, multipurpose machine than BSD is.
Also, for the most part, FreeBSD does not have as good 3D card support as linux does currently (as far as I know). For example, Nvidia only recently even released BSD drivers for their cards, whereas the linux drivers have been out for years.
FreeBSD is also a bit harder to install than most linux distros are, in my opinion. However, once you get it installed, it will run just as well as any linux distro will, if not better.
Overall, my opinion is that BSD is better suited for a server than linux is (based on various stats I''ve seen), whereas linux is better to use as a desktop, multipurpose machine than BSD is.
Hello Dauntless,
I accidently took 5.0 for spin. Many months ago when I was cvsuping my sources (at the time I was following 4-STABLE) I used the wrong tag and ended up getting -CURRENT (which eventully became 5.0). The funny thing is, I had no idea this happened. After the cvsup I built world, installed and rebooted...and found I was now running 5.0-CURRENT:-) I haven''t looked back. I think I''ll continue to follow -CURRENT until 5-STABLE comes out.
Anyways. As CmndrM was saying you shoule be able to build Linux libs on FreeBSD provided the libs stay away from Linux kernel calls. Also just a note I used to run the Linux version of Netscape on my 4.6 system.
Now if you are talking about programming using a lib like Qt and/or GL on Linxu and then moving that project to FreeBSD, then yes you will be OK.
Now about Samba, NIS and LDAP...well I can''t help you there. I''ve only been using FreeBSD as my desktop system. Which brings me to add some more info too CmndrM''s comments. FreeBSD supports 3D as much Linux does thru the DRI project (which is largely Linux centraliesed at the moment). Yes NVIDIA finaly released some drivers for FreeBSD woot! Thou I haven''t used them. All we need now to ATI FireGL drivers for FreeBSD and I think the 3D support will be the same. I''ve run Games under Redhat Linux-7.3 and FreeBSD-4.6 using OpenGL and they both preformed very well :-)
Yeah the FreeBSD install "wizard" is rather stone age and somewhat odd to a new user...well I found it very odd, for example my mouse USB mouse loaded up, but I couldn''t click on any of the OK or CANCEL buttons. The whole system is keyboard driven :-)
I will say that FreeBSD is well suited for desktop use...you just have to setup it up...which is much like seting up an Unix server. :-) It''s no Redhat install, althou watch out for libh.
Also 5.0 has really shown any bugginess to me, probably because the way I use it. But there have a few times where 5.0-CURRENT and XFree86 haven''t gotten along and there was some hard reboots. I don''t recall this ever happing in 4-STABLE. Thou it hasn''t happened for sometime on -CURRENT machine.
FreeBSD use the BSD ports system. It''s pretty cool but certainly has it pitfalls...probably due to old age, but that''s my opion. Anyways install/building a port is simple. You cvsup the skeleton stucture once in a while and build what ever is there you want. Then you you portupgrade which is a port itself, not apart of the system like the ports(did that make sense? I should head off to bed soon) is. Anyways portupgrade will keep your installed packages (packages? yeah packages are pre build/compiled/binary ports and install out of the box. Once a port is installed it is basicly recoreded as a package) and there dependancies up to date, now portupgrade is the downfall..I think it is anyways. Because it is not part of the system it must be built, and it requires a bunch of Ruby crap (I $%$%# hate Ruby). It sometimes fails, but is to fix....althou the whole portupgrade process can seemvery daunting to newbie at first the process becames simplifed and quicker over time.
Well I hope I was help...what was your question again? ;-)
I accidently took 5.0 for spin. Many months ago when I was cvsuping my sources (at the time I was following 4-STABLE) I used the wrong tag and ended up getting -CURRENT (which eventully became 5.0). The funny thing is, I had no idea this happened. After the cvsup I built world, installed and rebooted...and found I was now running 5.0-CURRENT:-) I haven''t looked back. I think I''ll continue to follow -CURRENT until 5-STABLE comes out.
Anyways. As CmndrM was saying you shoule be able to build Linux libs on FreeBSD provided the libs stay away from Linux kernel calls. Also just a note I used to run the Linux version of Netscape on my 4.6 system.
Now if you are talking about programming using a lib like Qt and/or GL on Linxu and then moving that project to FreeBSD, then yes you will be OK.
Now about Samba, NIS and LDAP...well I can''t help you there. I''ve only been using FreeBSD as my desktop system. Which brings me to add some more info too CmndrM''s comments. FreeBSD supports 3D as much Linux does thru the DRI project (which is largely Linux centraliesed at the moment). Yes NVIDIA finaly released some drivers for FreeBSD woot! Thou I haven''t used them. All we need now to ATI FireGL drivers for FreeBSD and I think the 3D support will be the same. I''ve run Games under Redhat Linux-7.3 and FreeBSD-4.6 using OpenGL and they both preformed very well :-)
Yeah the FreeBSD install "wizard" is rather stone age and somewhat odd to a new user...well I found it very odd, for example my mouse USB mouse loaded up, but I couldn''t click on any of the OK or CANCEL buttons. The whole system is keyboard driven :-)
I will say that FreeBSD is well suited for desktop use...you just have to setup it up...which is much like seting up an Unix server. :-) It''s no Redhat install, althou watch out for libh.
Also 5.0 has really shown any bugginess to me, probably because the way I use it. But there have a few times where 5.0-CURRENT and XFree86 haven''t gotten along and there was some hard reboots. I don''t recall this ever happing in 4-STABLE. Thou it hasn''t happened for sometime on -CURRENT machine.
FreeBSD use the BSD ports system. It''s pretty cool but certainly has it pitfalls...probably due to old age, but that''s my opion. Anyways install/building a port is simple. You cvsup the skeleton stucture once in a while and build what ever is there you want. Then you you portupgrade which is a port itself, not apart of the system like the ports(did that make sense? I should head off to bed soon) is. Anyways portupgrade will keep your installed packages (packages? yeah packages are pre build/compiled/binary ports and install out of the box. Once a port is installed it is basicly recoreded as a package) and there dependancies up to date, now portupgrade is the downfall..I think it is anyways. Because it is not part of the system it must be built, and it requires a bunch of Ruby crap (I $%$%# hate Ruby). It sometimes fails, but is to fix....althou the whole portupgrade process can seemvery daunting to newbie at first the process becames simplifed and quicker over time.
Well I hope I was help...what was your question again? ;-)
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