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BSD For Linux Users
noackjr writes "Matt Fuller posted among his rants a great introduction and explanation of BSD For Linux Users: 'It's been my impression that the BSD communit{y,ies}, in general, understand Linux far better than the Linux communit{y,ies} understand BSD. I have a few theories on why that is, but that's not really relevant. I think a lot of Linux people get turned off BSD because they don't really understand how and why it's put together. Thus, this rant; as a BSD person, I want to try to explain how BSD works in a way that Linux people can absorb.'"
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vodka, straight up, thank you!
I don't (currently) use either so I can speak relatively objectively about this:
There are far more linux zeolots than BSD zeolots. And the Linux Zeolots are far more obnoxious, uninformed and ignorant than the BSD proponents.
The Linux attitude is "You must use GPL, if you are doing anything involving a company you are an evil polluting robber baron who kills little puppies on the weekends". Linux Zeolots-- most of whom have probably never written a line of code not in a scripting language-- are constantly telling people that "you just want to steal my code!" Its an amazing amount of obsessive paranoia there. Of course, this is not all Linux proponents, Linus is a great guy and there are other great guys-- but in the area of people turning others off to a platform-- this is how and why Linux people turn people off.
The BSD attitude is "We think that if you love something, set it free. IF others love it too, it will come back to you a hundred fold."
And so far the BSD attitude is winning-- with far fewer people and while being completely ignored by the press-- they are achieving much the same level of progress as Linux.
My attitude is "If it doesn't have a great UI, I can't get interested" and so I use Mac OS X. I have done more work under Linux than BSD (excluding OS X) in the past, and I am in the early stages of a project that will likely use Linux. I'm not a Linux basher, but Linux Zeolots are the worst.
Yeah, and you guys panned the ipod too: http://apple.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=01/10/23
Agreed.
My biggest turn off to BSD has always been the users.
BOFH does not even begin to cover it.
Where linux users tend to be a helpful, friendly bunch, who are more than willing to lend a hand to someone seeking information, the BSD users IMHO tend to be very defensive, angry, not helpful, and many times abusive.
Everytime I have asked a BSD zealot a question about BSD I have received answers that amounted to "You don't get it" and "you wouldn't understand".
And don't ever DARE ask how something differs in Linux vs BSD unless you want your head ripped off before you can finish the sentence. (Part of the defensivenese I think).
The funniest part...
Everytime they are asked which would be better for a particular situation, they always point to the famous BSD vs Linux pictures that compare a few nerdy kids to a woman wearing a Daemon outfit.
http://www.linuxisforbitches.com/bsdvlinux.php
Well, sad to say, I prefer Linux and I happen to know the woman in the picture personally. (And she exibits none of the afore mentioned BSD user traits).
Linux folks that tried out Windows in 1994, and still have the impression stuck in their mind. They seem to think that Windows hasn't changed at all since then.
Couldn't let that one go, sorry.
[...] went into a BSD channel in efnet and asked some lame question like "since linux is unix, where can i get the FreeBSD RPMS?" and got flamed so hard that they had to crawl out of a hole in the ground.
I'm sorry, but in my personal experience it's exactly the other way around. BSD (especially FreeBSD folks) are helpful as hell. The people who run Debian on the other hand... well.
It's free as in
freely included with the used computer I own.
free from annoying OS/License zealots.
BSD's own license is its worst enemy, not Linux. It claims to be more liberal, yet encourages theft by others. Those who develop and license with the GPL have the community's interest at heart. On top of it all, Microsoft prefers the BSD license; I wonder why? That alone is a reason to stay away from the wretched thing.
If Berkeley had licensed their version of Unix under something similar to the GPL, the Unix Wars never would've happened and Microsoft wouldn't have become the monstrous monopoly it is today. In fact, Linux would just be another hobby OS and not the juggernaught it's growing up to be.
= 9J =
Hey, as a friendly and helpful Gentoo advocate, let me say this: from the bottom of my heart, and with all due respect, and warmest heartfelt wishes, go fuck yourself.
Was that rude? I am *so* sorry! Please! Moderators! When you think back on this post, and you will, be kind!
Maybe slashdot.org should mirror the pages it plans on getting the rest of the planet to DoS.