A Few Quick Questions

[Ireclan]

I am thinking about trying PC-BSD. I have heard that BSD is superior to Linux in security and stability, and I want to use the best OS when it comes to those two areas. The reason I decided on PC-BSD is because I heard it was easy to use but allowed customization, that it was based on FreeBSD (which, according to my research, is the best of the BSDs), and that it came with a GUI by default (which is an absolute MUST for me). Unfortunately, I have also heard that BSD has less hardware compatibility than Linux, and that it has fewer native programs available. This is what I am here to address in this thread.

The following is my computer hardware, as best as I can describe it:

Tower: HP Pavilion a705w

Speakers: HP

Monitor: Hp Pavilion vx74

Printer: HP Deskjet Model D2445

Modem: Diamond Supramax External Serial Modem

Keyboard: IBM Model M

Mouse: IBM (VERY OLD!)

Will this hardware (sans my card reader, I know for a fact it doesn't work on Linux and so probably doesn't work on BSD either) work on PC-BSD? Is their any way to know, other than just popping a disk in and testing it?

The other part of this post addresses software availability. Specifically, are there native versions of Firefox, Flash, DOSEmu, X-Chat, and Abiword? Those are about all the programs I use currently. If there are NOT native versions of these applications, do they work well under the Linux compatibility layer (I have read that not all Linux applications work)? These are the kind of questions I need answered. Some help would be most appreciated.

PS- How are programs UNINSTALLED in PC-BSD? I know there is a very intuitive install system in the .pbi packages, but is there a similar way to get rid of unneeded programs? Also, out of curiosity, why can't I upload an avatar for these forums? Why does it HAVE to be from another web address? Is it a security precaution?

[marc]

I am thinking about trying PC-BSD

So go on and try it. Don`t hesitate.

I have heard that BSD is superior to Linux in security and stability

Well, that`s our point of view.

I have also heard that BSD has less hardware compatibility than Linux

True.

and that it has fewer native programs available

Bullshit :roll:

Will this hardware (sans my card reader, I know for a fact it doesn't work on Linux and so probably doesn't work on BSD either) work on PC-BSD? Is their any way to know, other than just popping a disk in and testing it?

FreeBSD Hardware Compatibility List [HCL for short].

The other part of this post addresses software availability. Specifically, are there native versions of Firefox, Flash, DOSEmu, and X-Chat? Those are about all the programs I use currently.

Yes.

do they work well under the Linux compatibility layer (I have read that not all Linux applications work)?

Yes.

PS- How are programs UNINSTALLED in PC-BSD? I know there is a very intuitive install system in the .pbi packages, but is there a similar way to get rid of unneeded programs?

KDE Control Center > PC-BSD Software Manager [similar to "add/remove" in win]

pkg_add -r appname
pkg_delete -x appname

Also, out of curiosity, why can't I upload an avatar for these forums? Why does it HAVE to be from another web address? Is it a security precaution?

Please read forum`s howto section.

[Ian_Robinson]

You can insert a LivePCBSD in your CD drive to try PCBSD without formatting a hard disk. The explanation and special instructions are in this thread here:

http://forums.pcbsd.org/viewtopic.php?t=8849

You will have to download the files and burn a CD disk. Download the ISO here:

http://www.pcbsd.org/~antik/pcbsdlive240607.iso


The live version is a 1.4a version which is still a development or alpha version so it still has some bugs to work out. (The current stable version is 1.3.4 but it is not available as a live CD.) However, if the live version runs PCBSD on your machine then you will know whether your hardware and RAM are sufficient. The final version of 1.4 is much anticipated.