Re: POLL: Linux preferences from FreeBSD users

2009-07-04 Thread Chad Perrin
On Thu, Jul 02, 2009 at 03:30:30AM +0300, Giorgos Keramidas wrote:
 On Wed, 1 Jul 2009 18:58:15 -0400, Daniel Underwood djuatde...@gmail.com 
 wrote:
  QUESTION: Of the various modern Linux distributions, which do you
  prefer? and why?
 
  I'm very interested to see the spread of opinion about Linux
  distributions from FreeBSD fans.
 
 Debian is the one I can almost tolerate.

Ditto.  I've been through dozens of Linux distributions, and Debian is
still my favorite.  I am *not* talking about Ubuntu, mind you -- that's
not really Debian any longer.  Much of what I like most about Debian was
screwed gently with a chainsaw by the Ubuntu team.

Of course, that's only almost tolerate, as you said.  Even Debian
annoys the crap out of me, now that I've gotten familiar enough with
FreeBSD to realize what I was missing.

-- 
Chad Perrin [ original content licensed OWL: http://owl.apotheon.org ]
Quoth Olin Shivers: I object to doing things that computers can do.


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Re: POLL: Linux preferences from FreeBSD users

2009-07-03 Thread Polytropon
On Thu, 2 Jul 2009 08:28:01 -0600, Modulok modu...@gmail.com wrote:
 That and Linux seems to only ever get the abridged version of manual
 pages. When you compare manual pages for an equivalent commands
 between FreeBSD and most Linux flavors, it really shows. I noticed
 this when I went from Debian to FreeBSD. Finally! Real
 documentation!

There ware two things that I found to be solved better in FreeBSD than
in various Linusi:

1. Amount of manual pages: FreeBSD does not only document commands,
it documents configuration files, kerlen interfaces, library functions
and maintenance procedures. The tradition of manual pages furthermore
is carried by third party software (ports), e. g. man opera - you
would not guess that it existed. In the opposite, try to find a
manpage of some KDE program (as if anyone would read manpages for
KDE things).

2. Quality of documentation: The manpages are excellently written.
No look at our Wiki or this page intentionally left free there.
furthermore, the OS's source is very tidy, uses good names for
functions, variables and datatypes, and has lots of useful comments.

As a developer, documentation is a MUST HAVE for me. Having all
the documentation avaliable off line right after installation
is very good.

Sadly, Linux didn't (doesn't?) offer this.

In functionality - driver availability, to call it by name - Linux
may be much better than FreeBSD. It may even support crap devices
as it is done by proprietary Windows drivers. But because I (1)
do not own such hardware and (2) usually don't use modern
computers, I do not depend on them. That's the great thing when you
live in the stone age - you don't have to care for any modern
stuff. :-)

FreeBSD, in opposite to most Linusi, enables me to run my old
hardware FASTER (!) with each release. Sadly, this gain of speed
is eaten up by other things I use right away, such as X and its
applications. I can't imagine that Linux would make a better shape
here. I sometimes try some Live system CD from a Linux distribution
to see it this is still the case. Is this the case? Yes, it is
the case. Reboot, return to FreeBSD. :-)



-- 
Polytropon
From Magdeburg, Germany
Happy FreeBSD user since 4.0
Andra moi ennepe, Mousa, ...
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Re: POLL: Linux preferences from FreeBSD users

2009-07-03 Thread Polytropon
On Thu, 02 Jul 2009 18:14:12 +0300, Giorgos Keramidas 
keram...@ceid.upatras.gr wrote:
 On Thu, 2 Jul 2009 09:07:08 +0200, Jonathan McKeown j.mcke...@ru.ac.za 
 wrote:
  I was wondering if there were any other Slackers out there!
 
 Of course we are still `out there'.
 
 I started using a UNIX-like clone on my 386 SX with Slackware, by
 fetching the floppy disk images.  I've abandoned Linux for serious work
 for years now, but I still have my Infomagic CD-ROMs :)

hehe, me too. :-) In my case, it's a POWER!-CD LINUX (from Sybex) of
Slackware with kernel 2.0.32, X 3.1.1 - purchased with a magazine for
29,95 DM many years ago. The system it ran on was a 486 DX2 / 66.
And the system was quite usable, especially support for PS printer
and LaTeX were most helpful.


-- 
Polytropon
From Magdeburg, Germany
Happy FreeBSD user since 4.0
Andra moi ennepe, Mousa, ...
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Re: POLL: Linux preferences from FreeBSD users

2009-07-03 Thread Richard Mahlerwein

My preferences for Linux: 

I have used FreeBSD fairly regularly since 2.x and various flavors of Linux 
since around that time as well.  

As I was writing the first pass at this, I realized that many or most of the 
problems I have with Linuxes are endemic to Linux (whatever that is) and not 
to particular distributions.  My main problems with most of the them are that 
they are just so inconsistent. Directory structures, documentation, even just 
where they install packages to by default - the standardization inside FreeBSD 
and that which is supplied by the ports system just makes for so much more of a 
sane and predictable experience.

Secondarily, apart from *some* of the source ones and the debian-based ones, I 
always end up with broken dependencies or some weird circular inconsistencies.  
I'm sure I could fix them if I were a rpm guru, but I am not.  FreeBSD just 
[generally] makes it so much easier and makes me not want to become an rpm 
guru. 

Servers:

As you have probably guessed by this point, the only Linux that I feel suits my 
needs well enough to have used it long term (on my own, that is, not when I've 
been required to use it) is Debian and some of its progeny (including, in fact, 
Progeny itself! :).  

I usually end up with Ubuntu server. And it's OK.  

Desktops:

Now, on desktops I flit around like a jack rabbit on crack.  My desktop needs 
are completely different from my server needs.  I'm usually XP (for games at 
home, work at work), so it's always the second and third OS on my boxes, so I 
try 'em all.  PCLinux is actually been very good to me recently (Surprise!  
It's rpm based, too! How weird is that!).  Kbuntu and some variants are decent 
enough.  None of these last long enough to need more than a few patches, so I 
don't have the problem of dependency issues. 

Rich Mahlerwein

Mobile: 715-891-7420



  
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Re: POLL: Linux preferences from FreeBSD users

2009-07-03 Thread Doug Poland

Daniel Underwood wrote:

QUESTION: Of the various modern Linux distributions, which do you
prefer? and why?

I'm very interested to see the spread of opinion about Linux
distributions from FreeBSD fans.

I've been using FreeBSD since 2.2.1 and I implement and support FreeBSD 
whenever I can.  That said, many companies already have a *nix 
infrastructure and one must use what one is given.  I find Red Hat is 
the most common linux distribution out there.  CentOS is often used by 
these same companies for dev and test environments.


Occasionally end-users will ask me to recommend a version of linux to 
play with and I point them to Ubuntu.



--
Regards,
Doug

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Re: POLL: Linux preferences from FreeBSD users

2009-07-03 Thread Fred C


On Jul 3, 2009, at 6:01 AM, Polytropon wrote:


On Thu, 2 Jul 2009 08:28:01 -0600, Modulok modu...@gmail.com wrote:

That and Linux seems to only ever get the abridged version of manual
pages. When you compare manual pages for an equivalent commands
between FreeBSD and most Linux flavors, it really shows. I noticed
this when I went from Debian to FreeBSD. Finally! Real
documentation!


There ware two things that I found to be solved better in FreeBSD than
in various Linusi:

1. Amount of manual pages: FreeBSD does not only document commands,
it documents configuration files, kerlen interfaces, library functions
and maintenance procedures. The tradition of manual pages furthermore
is carried by third party software (ports), e. g. man opera - you
would not guess that it existed. In the opposite, try to find a
manpage of some KDE program (as if anyone would read manpages for
KDE things).

2. Quality of documentation: The manpages are excellently written.
No look at our Wiki or this page intentionally left free there.
furthermore, the OS's source is very tidy, uses good names for
functions, variables and datatypes, and has lots of useful comments.

As a developer, documentation is a MUST HAVE for me. Having all
the documentation avaliable off line right after installation
is very good.

Sadly, Linux didn't (doesn't?) offer this.


I agree, the linux documentation is very scarce. Having good man pages  
is very convenient, specially when you are in a data center with just  
a console on a cart. Having to go online to check some badly organised  
wiki is not always convenient or possible.


I also have my share of frustration with the logs. The messages in the  
log files are often inconsistent and unhelpful. In this following  
example the kernel is reporting a disk error but forgot to specify the  
most important information, the disk.


Jul  3 00:07:53 locdata204 kernel: [5706229.55] res  
41/40:00:52:4a:73/83:02:27:00:00/00 Emask 0x9 (media error)



-fred-

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Re: POLL: Linux preferences from FreeBSD users

2009-07-03 Thread Daniel Underwood
Are most of these shortcomings primarily due to the fact that FreeBSD
has a single structured line of development?
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Re: POLL: Linux preferences from FreeBSD users

2009-07-03 Thread Polytropon
On Fri, 3 Jul 2009 15:59:26 -0400, Daniel Underwood djuatde...@gmail.com 
wrote:
 Are most of these shortcomings primarily due to the fact that FreeBSD
 has a single structured line of development?

In opposite to Linux, FreeBSD has the concept of a centrally maintained
operating system (the OS) and additional applications (everything
else) which means packages, ports, and 3rd party software. You can
see this even through the directory hierarchy: Everything inside
the /usr/local subtree is not needed for the OS (and can be removed
with leaving you with a completely intact OS). The distributors of
Linux choose what belongs to their distribution which does not have
such a separation. Basal software, as well as additional stuff, is
incorporated via some kind of packages, even the kernel can be
handled that way. Of course, as you said, most Linux distribution
has its own concept and line of development, separated from those
of the other distributions. That creates incompatibilities and
differences between the distributions. FreeBSD, on the other hand,
manages to keep even binary compatibility between major OS changes.
Those who develop and control the OS are programmers who put a lot
emphasize on quality - and that's very important to me.


-- 
Polytropon
From Magdeburg, Germany
Happy FreeBSD user since 4.0
Andra moi ennepe, Mousa, ...
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Re: POLL: Linux preferences from FreeBSD users

2009-07-02 Thread Jonathan McKeown
On Thursday 02 July 2009 07:21:25 Polytropon wrote:
 On Wed, 1 Jul 2009 18:58:15 -0400, Daniel Underwood djuatde...@gmail.com 
wrote:
  QUESTION: Of the various modern Linux distributions, which do you
  prefer? and why?

 Actually, I'm not a Linux user. But Linux was my first step into
 using UNIX on a x86 PC. More than 10 years ago, I started with
 Slackware Linux, and with the rise of FreeBSD 4.0, I did abandon
 it.

I was wondering if there were any other Slackers out there!

I've still got my first Linux distribution, and possibly my first FreeBSD 
release too: I bought the Walnut Creek 4-CD box of Slackware 3.6 in a little 
shop in the West End of London, and a couple of years later, the boxed set of 
FreeBSD 4.5 from either the Linux Emporium or CheapBytes (can't remember 
which).

Jonathan
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Re: POLL: Linux preferences from FreeBSD users

2009-07-02 Thread Artifex Maximus
Hello!

On Thu, Jul 2, 2009 at 12:58 AM, Daniel Underwood djuatde...@gmail.com
 wrote:

 QUESTION: Of the various modern Linux distributions, which do you
 prefer? and why?


I used to like Slackware but moved to Ubuntu two or three years before. I
liked Slackware simplicity but its package system was too simple and then I
moved to FreeBSD. Some years before I had found Ubuntu and stayed there for
Linux boxes. Some people prefer Debian over Ubuntu but I dislike Debian
approach on packages (namely patch the older version as long as you can
instead of switch to a newer one).

Bye,
a
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Re: POLL: Linux preferences from FreeBSD users

2009-07-02 Thread Daniel Underwood
 I'm very interested to see the spread of opinion about Linux
 distributions from FreeBSD fans.

 Why?

Good question.  Because of the perspective many FreeBSD fans (people
who like and use FreeBSD) have toward *NIX OS's.  You said it well:

 Modern Linux distributions don't appeal very much to me, because
 they are messy: Missing manpages, partially ununderstandable file
 system hierarchy layout, untidy source code.

These are things, I'm guessing, that the casual Linux user may not
appreciate.  Someone who has a great deal of experience with both
FreeBSD and various Linux distributions, however, probably would
appreciate these things.  If I were to poll a sample of individuals
who only have experience with, say, Windows and Linux, then the
responses would likely represent opinions formed upon a wholly
different set of criteria.
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Re: POLL: Linux preferences from FreeBSD users

2009-07-02 Thread Modulok
 On Wed, 1 Jul 2009 18:58:15 -0400, Daniel Underwood djuatde...@gmail.com
 wrote:
 QUESTION: Of the various modern Linux distributions, which do you
 prefer? and why?

 Modern Linux distributions don't appeal very much to me, because
 they are messy: Missing manpages...

That and Linux seems to only ever get the abridged version of manual
pages. When you compare manual pages for an equivalent commands
between FreeBSD and most Linux flavors, it really shows. I noticed
this when I went from Debian to FreeBSD. Finally! Real
documentation!

-Modulok-
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Re: POLL: Linux preferences from FreeBSD users

2009-07-02 Thread Giorgos Keramidas
On Thu, 2 Jul 2009 09:07:08 +0200, Jonathan McKeown j.mcke...@ru.ac.za wrote:
 I was wondering if there were any other Slackers out there!

Of course we are still `out there'.

I started using a UNIX-like clone on my 386 SX with Slackware, by
fetching the floppy disk images.  I've abandoned Linux for serious work
for years now, but I still have my Infomagic CD-ROMs :)

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Re: POLL: Linux preferences from FreeBSD users

2009-07-02 Thread Bill Campbell
On Thu, Jul 02, 2009, Artifex Maximus wrote:
Hello!

On Thu, Jul 2, 2009 at 12:58 AM, Daniel Underwood djuatde...@gmail.com
 wrote:

 QUESTION: Of the various modern Linux distributions, which do you
 prefer? and why?

I used to like Slackware but moved to Ubuntu two or three years before. I
liked Slackware simplicity but its package system was too simple and then I
moved to FreeBSD. Some years before I had found Ubuntu and stayed there for
Linux boxes. Some people prefer Debian over Ubuntu but I dislike Debian
approach on packages (namely patch the older version as long as you can
instead of switch to a newer one).

We currently use CentOS for servers and Macs for desktops.  Over
the years we have gone from Caldera-SuSE-CentOS, and I am most
comfortable in an RPM environment having used it since 1995 or so.

All our server software is built under the OpenPKG portable
packaging system whether the system is FreeBSD, Linux, OS X,
OpenSolaris, or even SCO OpenServer 5.0.6.

Bill
-- 
INTERNET:   b...@celestial.com  Bill Campbell; Celestial Software LLC
URL: http://www.celestial.com/  PO Box 820; 6641 E. Mercer Way
Voice:  (206) 236-1676  Mercer Island, WA 98040-0820
Fax:(206) 232-9186  Skype: jwccsllc (206) 855-5792

Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they
want and deserve to get it good and hard. == H.L. Mencken
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Re: POLL: Linux preferences from FreeBSD users

2009-07-02 Thread prad
On Wed, 1 Jul 2009 18:58:15 -0400
Daniel Underwood djuatde...@gmail.com wrote:

 Of the various modern Linux distributions, which do you
 prefer? and why?

we use archlinux (though we've enjoyed debian and the ubuntus).
arch is very clean and fast - rather bsd like in fact.
it is very well supported by the community - even before you use it:
http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Arch_vs_Others

-- 
In friendship,
prad

  ... with you on your journey
Towards Freedom
http://www.towardsfreedom.com (website)
Information, Inspiration, Imagination - truly a site for soaring I's


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Re: POLL: Linux preferences from FreeBSD users

2009-07-01 Thread Jon Radel

Daniel Underwood wrote:


I'm very interested to see the spread of opinion about Linux
distributions from FreeBSD fans.


Why?

--

--Jon Radel
j...@radel.com


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Re: POLL: Linux preferences from FreeBSD users

2009-07-01 Thread Christopher Ryan Halbersma

QUESTION: Of the various modern Linux distributions, which do you
prefer? and why?


None, I'm a BSD kindof guy :).  Although Damn Small Linux and Tiny Core  
are nice ideas.



I'm very interested to see the spread of opinion about Linux
distributions from FreeBSD fans.


Indeed why?



--
Using Opera's revolutionary e-mail client: http://www.opera.com/mail/
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Re: POLL: Linux preferences from FreeBSD users

2009-07-01 Thread Sam Fourman Jr.
On Wed, Jul 1, 2009 at 5:58 PM, Daniel Underwooddjuatde...@gmail.com wrote:
 QUESTION: Of the various modern Linux distributions, which do you
 prefer? and why?

 I'm very interested to see the spread of opinion about Linux
 distributions from FreeBSD fans.

of all the Linux distros I have tried, the least confusing is Gentoo
Gentoo portage is kinda like FreeBSD ports

they also have another project http://www.sabayonlinux.org/
that is Gentoo based, and I am hoping that one day

PC-BSD will grow into what Sabayon now is, but FreeBSD based.


in my Opinion, package management is the Big question that all os's
have to deal with.
things like debian's aptget do not handle upgrades very well.

PC-BSD has a Great start on this with PBI's


Sam Fourman Jr.
Fourma Networks
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Re: POLL: Linux preferences from FreeBSD users

2009-07-01 Thread Glen Barber
On Wed, Jul 1, 2009 at 6:58 PM, Daniel Underwooddjuatde...@gmail.com wrote:
 QUESTION: Of the various modern Linux distributions, which do you
 prefer? and why?

 I'm very interested to see the spread of opinion about Linux
 distributions from FreeBSD fans.

Although I am hesitant to contribute to what will most certainly turn
into a flamewar, I have used Fedora, *buntu, and OpenSuse.  Of those 3
distributions, *buntu tends to install the least nonsense -- OpenSuse
the most.

When I do need linux for something, I try to use some Ubuntu variant
as I can have better control over what is installed.

Of course, when I can control it, I install FreeBSD, as I have greater
control over everything.


-- 
Glen Barber
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Re: POLL: Linux preferences from FreeBSD users

2009-07-01 Thread Daniel Underwood
 of all the Linux distros I have tried, the least confusing is Gentoo
 Gentoo portage is kinda like FreeBSD ports

Yes, I'd like to give Gentoo a try.
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Re: POLL: Linux preferences from FreeBSD users

2009-07-01 Thread Charlie Kester

On Wed 01 Jul 2009 at 16:12:40 PDT Christopher Ryan Halbersma wrote:

QUESTION: Of the various modern Linux distributions, which do you
prefer? and why?


None, I'm a BSD kindof guy 


Same here, but my other machine is a Mac (still BSD under the hood).
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Re: POLL: Linux preferences from FreeBSD users

2009-07-01 Thread Giorgos Keramidas
On Wed, 1 Jul 2009 18:58:15 -0400, Daniel Underwood djuatde...@gmail.com 
wrote:
 QUESTION: Of the various modern Linux distributions, which do you
 prefer? and why?

 I'm very interested to see the spread of opinion about Linux
 distributions from FreeBSD fans.

Debian is the one I can almost tolerate.

There's a special place in hell for the people who write the source of
code of horrible, terrifying, ugly things like iptables and the default
packaging of GNU Emacs in Debian, but it's the one that I can tune a bit
to match my preferences :-)

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Re: POLL: Linux preferences from FreeBSD users

2009-07-01 Thread Martin McCormick
Daniel Underwood writes:
 QUESTION: Of the various modern Linux distributions, which do you
 prefer? and why?

I like Debian and ubuntu which is a Debian distribution
but that is not to say that other distributions are poorly done.
Part of my preference is nothing more than that is what I
started out with for a Linux distribution back around 2001 so I
am accustomed to it.

I like the Debian installation CD because as a computer
user who is blind, I use a serial installation console and both
the Debian5 CD and ubuntu Server can be easily started in serial
mode.

I also do not like any distribution that uses a
GUI-based installation method unless there is a text-based
method which is still available and easy to start.

Debian was also one of the first few distributions to be
more conservative about security settings. I work for a
university and let's say that it is a good place to find out how
weak one's settings are. Anybody who finds a hole will not
necessarily tell you, but you will unfortunately find out in due
time when the complaints start rolling in from all over the
world.

All the major distributions now are much better about
security so this is not as much of a factor as it used to be. As
with many things, your mileage will be determined by what you
need to do and how well your particular flavor of Linux does it.

All Linux versions use the same kernel but some may
modify portions of it for special purposes.

The distribution known as grml, for instance, has a set
of modules in the kernel to support software speech synthesis. I
would love to put it on a certain laptop I have but the laptop
has other ideas. grml is a flavor of Debian and, on my laptop,
the live CD is dead. Ubuntu's live CD also does software speech
synthesis for blind computer users, along with an Orca desktop,
but it also needs a pretty hefty system just to boot the live
CD. That laptop of mine is a 1-GHZ processor and 256 megs of RAM
and it still isn't enough. That live CD is also a dead one on
that computer. One thing, though, the ubuntu live CD can seem to
find the sound card as I hear the bongo drums in the ubuntu
bootup, but then the drums fall silent and the screen goes
psychedelic as RAM is exhausted and the system looses sanity.
That particular psychedelic trip can only be ended by a forced
power-down.

The only distribution that does work there is something
called Oralux whose development stopped around 4 years ago. It
has software synthesis and it does talk all right, but the sound
card can not record sound and it really is too old to be safe or
very useful any more.

Martin McCormick WB5AGZ  Stillwater, OK 
Systems Engineer
OSU Information Technology Department Telecommunications Services Group
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Re: POLL: Linux preferences from FreeBSD users

2009-07-01 Thread Polytropon
On Wed, 1 Jul 2009 18:58:15 -0400, Daniel Underwood djuatde...@gmail.com 
wrote:
 QUESTION: Of the various modern Linux distributions, which do you
 prefer? and why?

Actually, I'm not a Linux user. But Linux was my first step into
using UNIX on a x86 PC. More than 10 years ago, I started with
Slackware Linux, and with the rise of FreeBSD 4.0, I did abandon
it.

Modern Linux distributions don't appeal very much to me, because
they are messy: Missing manpages, partially ununderstandable file
system hierarchy layout, untidy source code. Ah yes, and I need a
very modern PC to run them. No thanks, not my party. That's why I
can't tell about them, because I've not used them.

The only thing that I observed when playing around with SuSE live
CDs was that the Gnome version of their Linux had a much better
internationalisation than the KDE version. Set language to German,
and Gnome gives german text and messages most of the time, nearly
everywhere. KDE cannot do that. It even gives english error messages.
This is what scares Germans who want to try Linux. They cannot
stand such complicated computer thingies. :-)



 I'm very interested to see the spread of opinion about Linux
 distributions from FreeBSD fans.

Why?

And an addition: I'm not a FreeBSD fan, I'm a FreeBSD user. I
am using it because it serves my needs best, and I am nearly
exclusively using it (along with Solaris).



-- 
Polytropon
From Magdeburg, Germany
Happy FreeBSD user since 4.0
Andra moi ennepe, Mousa, ...
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