Is FreeBSD cool?
 

I know this is a Linux-only board, and thats why I'm asking here, I was an answer from a Linux user that might happen to use BSD as well, as they're much more likely to give me an answer I can use; rather than me ask at a BSD board where everyone will instantly tell me "YEAH! BSD ROXXOR!"

Is FreeBSD worth checking out? From the viewpoint of somebody that uses Linux almost exclusively, (I use WinXP for games, so FreeBSD need not excel in that category) would I be interested? Do any of you guys use it? Like it? Hate it? Would rather it didn't exist? Would rather it topple Linux and achieve world domination?

My ears are open.

Let me get this straight, you thing linux is cool? If you have come here other than by accident you are a geek, if you want to be more cool, have a shower more than once a week and get a haircut.

There is nothing wrong with freeBSD, openBSD, or netBSD though.

Huh? I've used Linux for years. I hang our here all the time.

Allow me to rephrase. Is FreeBSD "good"? Worth installing/learning?

Well, it wasn't good enough to lure me from Linux, but it didn't suck.

Basically, you're running the same stuff under FBSD as you are under Linux. Its hardware support lags behind Linux, and it usually goes for stability over "gee-whiz" features. Allegedly, it's even more stable than Linux, but since Linux never crashes, I saw no difference. And Linux is probably better for most desktop users because of its better hardware support and ease of use.

FreeBSD is a great setup.

FreeBSD is definitely cool. Problem is, apart from that 'coolness', for the average desktop user it doesn't offer many practical advantages over Linux. It is perhaps cleaner design, and arguably a couple of percent points faster, but these are hardly compeling reasons to switch. It doesn't really do anything more, or better, or even different than Linux. From the desktop point of view, it uses with the same KDE, Gnome or whatever, runs the same applications (except for some it might need to have Linux emulation enabled) and it can look and behave pretty much exactly like a Linux desktop.... which is great, but again I repeat, where is the incentive to switch?
From the point of view of someone who already invested some time and effort into learning Linux, now they would have to learn some more unfamiliar conventions, unfamiliar installer, face possibly worse hardware support (depending on who you talk to), and potential difficulty with configuring X (again, depending on who you talk to).... and for what? Just to have a system that will be undistinguishable from a Linux desktop? Hardly seems worth it, does it? Unless you have a specific need to coexist with BSD, or really enjoy learning new systems, I just don't see much point.