Hey guys!

Im considering moving to a *nix platform on an old pc, i have tried linux and free bsd a while ago, i liked Fedora, mandrake etc because the UI(s) seemed years ahead of the windows platform. I had all the linux(s) i tryed working perfectally but then i tryed to install free bsd, it installed fine but when it booted up it was just a command line interface, no GUI. I would imagen then free bsd is compatable with KDE, gnome etc but i have no idea how to install/activate it.

I was wondering, was i doing somthing wrong when i installed Free BSD or is this normal? If this is correct, is there any free BSD like os that loads, by default a GUI like KDE etc.

Also would yo reccomend sticking with linux or going with the BSD's?

Scott

howdy.

first of all, don't be afraid of command line. almost everything you can do with a gui, you can do with command line. freebsd, in my opinion, is a much more *complete* operating system than linux. which one should you install? that's completely up to you. start simple. in my experience, i have found mandrake linux to be hands down, the most user friendly and easy to use/install distro. in fact, the new 10 release does just about everything including massive amounts of hardware detection. very very simple to install and use.

freebsd is what i like to refer to as 'hardcore'. it doesn't give you anything pretty to go by. it installs, and it works. you need to learn how to make it do stuff. though, i've noticed that the latest releases do give you lots more options.

if you would like the best of both worlds, try gentoo linux. i'm not afraid to say, i think it's hands down the best distro out there. the install can be a little too much for novice users, but once up and running, it's a beast.

freebsd handbook

good luck with your choice. linux and freebsd are both great in their own respect.

I installed FreeBSD 5.3 a few weeks ago and I am loving it because I can use more or less the same tools that Linux has. I also find working in the command line ok, but I have KDE 3.3.2 installed, so it provides a familiar environment. You can install software easily on FreeBSD using the prots system. I think you are better off reading the FreeBSD manual from the FreeBSD website to find out more about it, then reinstall FReeBSD. Anyway try out both and then settle on which you prefer *BSD or Linux.

If FreeBSD is hardcore don't think about OpenBSD then will ya!

Go to the FreeBSD web site and downlload the new 5.3, It will come with a GUI. I love FreeBSD but I can run more programs in Linux, does more mean better no, but if I ever need somthing I can just Apt-Get it. Speaking of which somone should come up with somthing like that for FreeBSD. Just a thought.

PS If you want to run FreeBSD from a LiveCD first heres the link:
http://www.freesbie.org/?section=download-en

Good Luck

why is bsd the hackers choice

And what do you suppose ports is? Been around a lot longer than apt...

does it have a front end? like synaptic?

Not that I'm aware of, but if you don't want to get your hands dirty at a command line then *BSD isn't for you.

how is using the commands different from other distros on bsd?

I don't get you.

If you're referring to a difference between using a CLI between different BSD distrobutions then there isn't a difference, if you were referring to CLI differences between linux and BSD then yes there is a difference. Many many subtle differences.

sorry what i meant was how is using the commands different from other distros than bsd are you using more commands in bsd than u r in fd3