Like the other distros before it the time has come for me to move on from PC-BSD. This has been an interesting experience as it is really my first time working with BSD up to this point.
Pros:
- Neat standard technologies (like ZFS, file system compression, jails, etc.).
- Really not that different from Linux so it feels very familiar.
- Good software selection for the most part, although it could be more clear as to what the differences between some versions are. Common software makes it easy to jump between PC-BSD and other operating systems.
Cons:
- Weirdly AppCafe which is designed to make installing software easier gave me a lot of problems. Sometimes clicking install wouldn’t actually install anything. Other times there would be errors but redoing the same process a second time would make it work. Once I somehow initiated a system update while trying to install a program and it wasn’t very clear what was happening or how much longer it would take before I could continue.
- Konqueror is unnecessary with Firefox installed by default and often times doesn’t even work well. This is especially odd because I haven’t had as many problems using Konqueror in the past on Linux so the problems may be unique to PC-BSD.
- I know this will likely start a religious debate but from a practical day-to-day desktop user perspective I’m not quite sure what would draw someone to using PC-BSD over Linux. That isn’t to say PC-BSD is bad or even lacking but with the much larger software library and support for Linux and very little differences between the two it seems like a no brainer to stay with Linux.
Other:
- How come PC-BSD uses /usr/home/{account}? It still requires a link from /home/{account} (I assume for compatibility) so why not just keep it all under /home?
Where will I distro hop to next? Stay tuned!
This post is part of a series:
- Distro hopping: installing Plex Media Server and Home Theater on PC-BSD
- Distro hopping: so what comes with PC-BSD?
- Distro hopping: a Linux user tries PC-BSD
- Distro hopping: curtains for Manjaro Linux
- Distro hopping: adventures in installing software from the AUR (from within Manjaro)
- Distro hopping: round two with Manjaro Linux
- Distro hopping: Finishing up with elementary OS
- Distro hopping: Import music stored on NAS into Music
- Distro hopping: how to install Plex Home Theater on elementary OS
- Distro hopping: first stop elementary OS
- A distro hopping experiment
Here’s a nickel, kid. Go buy yourself a book on the history of UNIX.
Oh and as to why you would use a BSD over Linux: systemd is coming to Linux and it is eating all the things.
Calm down. The point of this post was to speak to differences between what I, as a Linux user, noticed different in BSD. But good on you to come all the way over here to add your excellent thoughts to an almost 8 month old post…