Re:Ask HN: Can we talk about FreeBSD vs. Linux?
by jrochkind1 on Saturday November 22, 2014 @02:32PM
(#8646408)
Do you think the choice to compare FreeBSD to a particular distro, Debian -- indicates that the difference between FreeBSD and Debian is about the same as between Debian and other distros? Is FreeBSD essentially just like another distr (even though it's actually a separate OS, it's similar enough?)
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Re:Ask HN: Can we talk about FreeBSD vs. Linux?
by byuu on Saturday November 22, 2014 @02:56PM
(#8646475)
FreeBSD is a concrete project in the same way Debian is.
Comparing a full system like FreeBSD to a kernel like Linux doesn't really get us anywhere. You can't really talk about the desktop experience comparisons when Linux can't even boot without a userland. If you tried to do it in an abstract sense, you'd be guaranteed to get responses of, "yes but Mouse Rat Linux supports ZFS and is also run by an elected core team!"; since there's pretty much a Linux distro for everything imaginable.
Re:Ask HN: Can we talk about FreeBSD vs. Linux?
by jrochkind1 on Saturday November 22, 2014 @05:59PM
(#8646983)
It sounds to me then like what I was guessing is true -- the difference between the FreeBSD kernel and the Linux kernel, for most purposes, is of less importance than the choices made by the particular distro (FreeBSD or Linux distro of choice).
I'm curious if anyone who knows more than me would disagree, though (maybe for some purposes?).