David Fletcher <> wrote on Thursday, October 27, 2005 11:32 AM:
>=20 > I am a current user of Gentoo linux and a past user of Debian linux.=20 > I have never used BSD, but would be willing to if that is the best > option. =20 >=20 Just want to throw in my opinion here. I also had never used FreeBSD until I installed IMGate. I had used Gentoo at home for several months before the IMGate install, and I wanted to install to Gentoo. My superiors made the decision, however, that since Len suggested FreeBSD that we should go that route, at least in initial testing. Since that fateful day, I have fallen in love with FreeBSD and refuse to use any other OS for a server. The ports system is the best package management system I have seen. Say goodbye to dependency hell. Apt is great, and emerge is cool too, but give me the ports system any day. The ports collection is similar to emerge, in that everything is compiled from source instead of binaries (although FreeBSD has a binary system as well, I don't use it). Unlike Gentoo, however, it isn't nearly as complicated or time-consuming. A Gentoo install can take me a couple of days to compile an install sometimes, and after that you still have to set everything up (another week). With FreeBSD and the package system you can be up and running in less than a day with all the software that you need installed and configured. Once you get over the slight differences between BSD and Linux, you will be glad you made the choice. OK, I'm done. Sorry if I got any on you.
