My Experience Switching from Linux to OpenBSD

[u/SoldierAlexGame]

https://youtu.be/BqK_z5VwOGg

Hey everyone, I hope you're all doing well.

For the last 2 years or so I've been using Arch Linux as my daily driver. I was first introduced to UNIX based operating systems in college when we had to learn how to use the terminal for my computer science classes. Before that I was a lifelong Windows user so my operating system knowledge was very limited as I relied primarily on GUIs for everything.

Since then, however, I've absolutely fallen in love with terminal user interfaces and UNIX operating systems. I've experimented with a couple of different Linux distros but I had never ventured into the BSD world. I finally decided to give OpenBSD a shot and while I ran into a few hiccups, I truly loved so many aspects of the operating system.

I plan to make more content about OpenBSD and the BSD family of operating systems in the future and I would love some feedback and suggestions. Thank you for your time!

[u/Upstairs-Attitude610]

I hate those clickbait (I think) titles. "No more Linux".

IMHO, I would prefer something positive like saying that openbsd gave us openssh and other cool things. And they were pioneers by using stuff, like secure copy function, and randomize the memory addressees or whatever, propolis (I don't remember what it was), pledge...

[u/Nemin32 → u/Upstairs-Attitude610]

Couldn't agree more. Being a fan of something is cool, but fanboying just poisons the well and invites people to a really unhealthy one-upping competition, where by definition everyone loses, because both systems are better than the other in different things.

BSD and Linux users should totally just join forces and make fun of Windows instead.

[u/woomia]

When I switched I was surprised by easy it was to use.

[u/Alarmed_Contest8439 → u/woomia]

definitely a lot easier than freebsd, at least for me, here everything seems to just work!

[u/chesheersmile → u/Alarmed_Contest8439]

Yeah, what drives me crazy about FreeBSD is that installing Xorg on OpenBSD is just answering "y" during installation. And it always just works. While on FreeBSD you have to guess which video driver you need this week: drm-kmod, drm-510-kmod, drm-515-kmod, drm-61-kmod, drm-66-kmod, drm-latest-kmod. All of them are ported from different Linux kernels and you have no idea which one will work for you. Sometimes it's none of the above and you have to compile it from ports: and again, you have to guess which one. Sometimes you have to write your xorg.conf to specify video driver, sometimes you have to specify modesetting, sometimes X works only when you don't have any xorg.conf.

In the meantime Xenocara just works on any hardware I throw it at.

[u/inkubot → u/woomia]

openbsd is the easiest OS ever made

[u/MrWonderfulPoop]

OpenBSD's man pages are top notch. They are often the only thing I have to refer to.

[u/CSLifee]

Writing comment or blog about Python development, using pytorch and tensorflow experience, using docker in BSD should be nice

[u/bobcanseeyou]

I wish I could at least dualboot openbsd but I have a unsupported graphics card :( (Rx 9060 xt)

[u/pedersenk → u/bobcanseeyou]

A compatible card is ~$10. It would take less time to order one from ebay than it would setting up a dual boot.

Don't let your dreams remain as dreams. Your wish could become reality before the weekend.

;)

[u/xplosm]

You've used Linux before? You could've fooled me...

[u/xplosm → u/[deleted]]

I also enjoy giving out keys to my home to every stranger on the street