What’s FreeBSD?
FreeBSD is an operating system with a Unix lineage. I prefer FreeBSD over Linux for most server tasks.
References for Newcomers
- freebsd.org - the project website
- FreeBSD Handbook - overview of the entire OS
- FreeBSD Manuals - details on specific topics
- mailing lists - various project discussions
- IRC channel #freebsd on Libera - community support
Why Use FreeBSD?
I found getting started with FreeBSD challenging. Not challenging in an “it’s hard” sense, but challenging to even come up with a reason why to use it at all. I’ve happily used Linux systems for decades, so I needed to be convinced of benefits to justify the overhead to switch. Ultimately, I found my reasons. I’m sharing them here in hopes they might be useful to someone else. In particular, I’ve summarized what I like about FreeBSD compared to Linux equivalents.
Artwork
This is my favorite desktop background. I use it on both macOS and FreeBSD. It appears to be a Macintosh 128K (or similar model) with a giant FreeBSD logo on the side. And there appears to be a command line interface on the screen. All my favorite things in one image.
One of many high-res images at fuzzy/freebsd-wallpapers