Re: *BSD

[hcrouch@mchsi.com]

HC>> Jonathan, what exactly is it about *BSD that makes it, for your
HC>> needs, superior to Linux?

RC> In a way, that is a loaded question.  It's not that *BSD is
RC> "superior" but rather that is an alternative OpenSource OS.

No, I phrased the question correctly.  For JD's needs, whatever those needs may
be, *BSD is clearly superior to all the other Unix derivatives (Mac included),
Windows, Amiga, BeOS, etc.  If I was going to rephrase the question, I might say
something to the effect of: "JD: What is it that you are able to do on *BSD that
you can't do on the other platforms (or can't do as easily)?

My understanding is that Apache runs on top of FreeBSD more than it does on all
the other Unix derivatives combined.  I know other people that also prefer *BSD
to Linux.  That says *something* about *BSD!

Ok, let's rephrase that question one more time. Hey, JD. I'm not a programmer,
not a sysadmin, not an IT specialist. I'm an environmental engineer who lives or
dies by the word processor and a couple of specialized spreadsheets that I've
made for myself over the last decade.  I now have Debian, Kernel 2.6.4 and XFce4
running on my computer.  With one exception, I've located and installed the
Linux equivalents of all the applications I want to use.  It took from late '99
to late '02 to get to this point.  It was a nice intellectual challenge, but it
was frustrating at times. 

You keep telling us how wonderful *BSD is. Now that I know Linux, what's my
incentive for going through the pain and hassle of learning *BSD?  What can *BSD
do for me that Linux can't do? What's in it for me?

*That,* Robert, is a loaded question!

RC> There is an old saying that goes something like "if you want to
RC> know what the future of computing looks like, look at today's Mac."  

The reason behind that saying is that Apple programmers have *rigidly* adhered
for two decades to a well-thought-out set of human interface guidelines (HIGs).
 It is, to use another saying, a condition of their employment.  Microsoft, KDE,
GNOME and other interface programmers are not, have never been, and will not be
for the foreseeable future required to conform to guidelines of equal quality. 
OSS programmers will conform when peer pressure is applied.  Microsoft will
continue to define their own interface, and the objective will be patentability
rather than usability.

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