OpenBSD?

[VietBob]

Anyone hereexperienced with OpenBSD? I'm leaning that way due to the very tight security defaults, their approach to testing, and my innate preference for the underdog. I've worked with a few flavors of *nix (however very rarely in the past few years), whatever I choose there will be a vast learning curve. Which, I suppose, is an argument for linux with its comparatively vast community of users and with more applications written specifically to behave well in a linux environment.

Having not committed to the OS yet, I'd also welcome arguments in favor of other flavors.

[Xayd]

Depends on what you want to run.

If you need linux applications to work, be sure that they play nice with emulation before deciding on a BSD OS.

[Floppyman]

While on the topic of BSD's, what is the main difference between Free and Open BSD? I'm also planning on setting one or both this summer to learn more about them.

[ZeratulsAvenger]

Try this Not sure myself, but the FreeBSD FAQ linked to it:
"James Howard wrote a good explanation of the history and differences between the various projects for DaemonNews, called The BSD Family Tree which goes a fair way to answering this question."

[Xayd]

Actually if you aren't scared of a command line, FreeBSD is very easy to learn. The installation is incredibly simple, and getting familiar with the port system is equally simple.

Within it's intended use as a server, it's extremely simple to use and set up. Only if you want to make a desktop out of it does it become complicated .

[VietBob]

Well I've always been a CLI-oriented guy, but over the years I have become fond of some aspects of the gui, work a fair bit with graphics. This will become a server - thus my concern with security - but it will primarily serve as my desktop for running apps, browsing the web, etc. Sounds like FreeBSD may require too much setup for my needs.

In terms of Linux (your earlier comment about application portability with BSD made me think more about the benefits of using a popular OS - I remember hunting for CP/M programs a few years after DOS took hold, and hunting for DOS applications a few years after Windoze won that war), how's Red Hat? I ask because I have a year-old build on CD.

-Bob

PS- Thanks for the link, Zera...

[ZeratulsAvenger]

Oh oops... I was just giving the link for Floppyman... forgot about the actual purpose of the thread... oops If it actually helped then guess it served more than was expected

And on RedHat, I just did an install(7.3, did a Fedora install as well but only CLI... no X at all) and I must say that it worked great on the older server type system. Dual 1GHz blah blah blah. Not exatly new age hardware so it didn'g have any troubles finding it all. For a server I would advocate more towards Debian or... well I guess I haven't used any others I only suggest Debian because it has the stable(yet extremely outdated, but apart from security which is the same of all as far as I can tell except for program flaws and holes, as long as it works I don't see the problems with it being outdated.) and newer versions. Can specify which to use, so should you want to go to "unstable," you can always upgrade to that. Its also more of a do it your self type distro. More complex install(or horrible depending on who ya talk to ) than RedHat, but in my mind I would take that over the showy RedHat and Mandrake experience. Slackware is also similar in its nitty gritty aspects.

PS-I am also just a wanna be linux user though, so I am not as knowledgable on the whole thing.

[VietBob]

Getting the historical perspective does help one to understand the differences in philosophy and motivation that in turn lead to fundamental differences in the OS. Reading it convinced me that of the BSD's I'm still leaning toward OpenBSD. I'm still hoping to hear someone who has worked with a bunch of Linux flavors to help me decide, if I go that route, which Linux would be best for me.

Most of the components have arrived, so I expect to be commiting to something this weekend. (Of course, one can always rethink an initial commitment!)

[Karnevil9]

If you want to try an easy Linux install, for a desktop with an option to become a stable server later try Knoppix. A one CD install, based on Debian Linux, with excellent hardware recognition. Debian and Slackware are probably two of the most stable of the Linux Family. But there are a few horror stories about set up. Knoppix set-ups easily, and is completely compatable with Debian, so you can apt-get what you need from Debian later to complete the server set up you want later.

Though I am not experienced in this area, from researching Linux, I've have come across many people who switched away from Red Hat and Mandrake because they are not as stable as the other systems.

Check out www.linuxquestions.org for some good info about Linux systems.

[VietBob]

Thanks! I'll peruse that link after work. Hardware compatibility could be an issue - because I haven't decided on the OS I didn't research that aspect of the hardware I selected. Call me an optimist... Indeed that may prove to be THE deciding factor, particularly if OpenBSD doesn't like one of my components.

Does Knoppix default to fairly secure settings? Being new (or at least extremely rusty), I'd much rather have to open ports or start services to get apps working, rather than have to figure out what I DON'T need. That's probably the most significant reason for my interest in OpenBSD.

[mairving]

The main difference is that FreeBSD is more widely supported and the development is quicker. This is partly because OpenBSD doesn't really want to move fast and prefer security over new features.

I am currently running 3 FreeBSD servers at work, soon to be 4. I have replaced all but one of my Slackware servers with FreeBSD. The performance is a little better and I love the ports method of updating. I have had trouble with only one app, Veritas Backup Exec. They don't make an agent to backup BSD machines but I was able to get it to work like a charm using Linux Compatibility mode....it thinks that it is Redhat.

I wouldn't even consider using BSD with the gui or X-windows. There are much better Linux choices out there if you want to do that.

[Karnevil9]

I believe it does default to fairly secure settings, but you can check it out before even install it. because you can run it right from the CD without having to load it to the hard drive unless you want to. What I do like about knoppix is that it gives you a good basic desktop to start using just most used compnents,such as wine, open offfice, internet etc. it doesn't load up your system with a bunch of stuff you won't use. You have to apt-get what else you will need. You can down load it for free from knoppix or www.linuxiso.org. Since it free, you can download it check it out and if it is not for you, go to something else. Thats what I like about Linux, you can test drive any system for the cost of a few blank CD's

[Floppyman]

Just out of curiousity, how difficult is it to setup X windows on the BSD's? TIA.

[ZeratulsAvenger]

Looking on the BSD forums it looks to not be all that hard... look as if you can have it install X by defaut which is more than I had expected. Same xfree86 -configure command to configure it and all... No personal experience with BSD though.

[VietBob]

Looking over the links Karnevil9 provided, I'm now leaning toward linux. Knoppix appeals because of the ability to walk up to any computer and boot up my OS with a CD. That and an apparently painless install. However Slackware seems to be drawing me. Consistent comments from people "it makes you learn." On CD I have a year-old distro of OpenBSD and I have Red Hat (which the forums make me believe I'll like just a tiny bit better than Windoze). I'm working at downloading iso's of Knoppix and Slackware. I figure once the system is built, hardware compatibility will be the biggest factor, and from what I hear of OpenBSD (they are careful, methodical developers and therefore I'm more likely to find newer hardware not supported) I'm crossing my fingers that Knoppix or Slackware load up like champions.

Meanwhile, as I slowly get around to actually putting the box together, and as I get the OS running, I'll be in close contact with these forums! In my short time here, it appears PCMech attracts plenty of knowledgeable people and not all that many of the Clueless...

[VietBob]

The box I'm building is on the shelf awaiting delivery of thermal interface material so I can resume diagnostics. In the meantime, I've been playing with *nix on an old box. I burned a set of Slackware CD's, which boot fine on one machine but abort with an error on the one I'm playing with. OpenBSD installs fine, up to a point. I'll start a new thread on this problem, since it's not "which flavor should I use?" but "how do I resolve this problem?"