Greets Mel, List; Mel Roman <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>Hi: Hi: >I've been using linux for a while now (previously Caldera, and now Mandrake). >I've been doing a little investigation concerning FreeBSD and OpenBSD >(alternative unix-like operating systems). I haven't yet found an objective >comparison between the two. I know this is a linux forum, but I was wondering >if someone could provide an informed comparison between the linux and >BSD-type systems: > >What are their relative strengths and weaknesses compared to each other? > >In what roles might one be preferred over the other? Why? > >Do they really occupy different niches, or are they competing systems? > >I look forward to everyone's opinion. Here's mine then; First off, between FreeBSD, NetBSD, and OpenBSD ( which I currently use ). FREEBSD has tcsh installed as /bin/csh. NETBSD and OpenBSD do not. OPENBSD can encrypt swap. FREEBSD and NETBSD can't. NETBSD can run on a COBALT Qube2. OPENBSD and FREEBSD can't. LINUX can utilize a variety of Filesystems, *BSD's can utilize only a limited number OPENBSD now uses PF. FreeBSD and NETBSD cannot, and they use IPF ( due to licensing, Theo has opted to drop IPF entirely ). OPENBSD has sendmail set up via cron to mail root about system integrity every 30 minutes on default, and the mailserver is setup to listen strictly to the loopback port at 127.0.0.1. FreeBSD, and as far as I know not many Linux distributions have this setup. Linux utilizes a variety of security filters as the code has changed ( kernel 2.0 > ipfwadm; kernel 2.2 > ipchains; kernel 2.4 > IPTABLES/NETFILTER ). *BSD's do not use any of these filters. FREEBSD is by far more heavily documented, user friendly, and easier to set up. OpenBSD by default is a locked down system, with the administrator being responsible to open/install/patch services when needed. OPENBSD has an uptodate man page database, and it is located on the website. It is by far more current than any Linux distro's 'info' or 'man pages' or even the 'HOW-TO' documentation. Compared to Linux, *BSD's update employing the CVS more heavily than even linux, utilizing 'ports packaging'. Linux distro's use rpm, the Debains package system, or direct source. Application Source Code is also more troublesome on BSD, since compared to Linux the code is not based on GNU/GPL, but on the original AT&T Unix C code. Therefore, there is not as much software available for *BSD, especially OpenBSD, as compared to Linux ( say 75X ). BSD's are heavily POSIX complient, whereas some Linux applications are not. Syntax/abilities of common commands between Linux and *BSD is subtle, but very very different. For example: You cannot run 'top -s' in *BSD, as you would Linux. There is no '-s' option, or even an option of a secure form of top in existance for *BSD. Caldera employs System V init scripts ( these are start up scripts like 'S10network' which exist in subdirectories of /etc/rc.d/ rc.0, rc.1->rc.5 ). You stop/start/restart processes from performing /etc/rc.d/init/<daemon> stop. In BSD, this is not the case. You will, I think, miss it :) BSD's use a BSD style init script scheme, where everything is run from a script, within rc.init file from within /etc/. There are not a lot of individual scripts to start/stop processes, and therefore, you must in most cases send a SIGHHUP, or KILL to a PID to stop a process. The closest comparision to this form of scripting is Slackware Linux. It also uses BSD init scripts, but not as heavily as BSD does. X is not installed by default on BSD. Furthermore, there are libraries and other dependancies that are required for X to be installed on the target system before X can be 'configured'. To date, there is no graphical system for OpenBSD, nor will there be. The installation system is somewhat tedious and not very 'friendly' for those not familair with OpenBSD installer. It's numbering scheme is somewhat mixed up when installing on i386 systems. To shorten this up a bit, the last item about OpenBSD, is that the root partition can only be installed on the first 8 GB of the first harddisk. Everything else can be located elsewhere, but if OPENBSD does not have root located there ( and therefore it's kernel ), it will never, ever, boot. Hope this helps ---tm--- Linux Registration Number; 184093, http://counter.li.org __________________________________________________________________ The NEW Netscape 7.0 browser is now available. Upgrade now! http://channels.netscape.com/ns/browsers/download.jsp Get your own FREE, personal Netscape Mail account today at http://webmail.netscape.com/ _______________________________________________ Linux-users mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe/Suspend/Etc -> http://www.linux-sxs.org/mailman/listinfo/linux-users
