OpenBSD for desktop use?

A

Apostrophe

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Nov 15, 2005
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What are your opinions on using OpenBSD as a desktop operating system for everyday casual use?

I'm a Windows user but am getting sick of Microsoft and their ever-increasing DRM-nonsense. I have no Unix, BSD, or Linux experience. Could a newbie such as myself jump straight into OpenBSD? The Linux realm seems so fragmented into a million distros that I don't want to go there. I read that OpenBSD has superb documentation so I'm really interesting in giving it a go.

Your opinions?
 
you could if you really wanted

why do you think the linux world is "fractured" ?

Yes there are a few hundred distro's but they all use the same source for their packages (with maybe their own patchset)

the gcc in FC is from the same base as in gentoo, as in ubuntu, as in...

Likewise if something can be done on one distro it can be done on others
There is a reason why there is a million-and-one distro and that is because GNU/Linux is huge and no way could you fit it all onto a DVD to meet everyone's expectation

Sure you have the main publicised lot going after the desktop (FedoraCore,SuSe,Ubuntu...) and they try to provide a "one setup fits all" but if you look the ubuntu setup didn't fit all (mainly cause it based around gnome) and thus Kubuntu came out (basically Ubunutu but with kde out of the box)
but your call
 
What's wrong with Linux? If you're just going to be an end-user, then whether Linux is fractured is totally unimportant to you--just pick one of the popular distributions, Ubuntu, SuSE, Fedora. There many nonsensical myths out there, and unless they actually affect you (they probably don't), don't discredit Linux.

OpenBSD is documented very well, but it's range of hardware support is relatively limited compared to Linux--you want to buy hardware for OpenBSD, rather than try running OpenBSD (or any of the BSDs) on hardware you have lying around.

Also, if you're primarily going to be a desktop user, be aware that the top two desktop environments (KDE and GNOME) are primarily developed on Linux; it's what their developers are running.
 
openbsd for a desktop with no *nix experience? don't do it! save yourself the headache.

get ubuntu. try the live CD. install from the live CD. enjoy not having to use windows for anything except playing certain games.:cool:

The ubuntu community is great (ubuntuforums.com), their documentation is excellent (Ubuntu Wiki) and the OS is rock solid.
 
I second Ubuntu. I prefer Gnome + Beryl because it's nice, clean and productive with 4 workspaces. For a more windows look, try KDE.
 
Apostrophe said:
I read that OpenBSD has superb documentation so I'm really interesting in giving it a go.

Your opinions?
Click to expand...

Then getcha a copy and give it a whirl. Scare up another hard drive or system and play with stuff. Learn, experiment, play, prance (just don't let your friends see you).

And you might consider giving a linux distribution (or two, or three) a go. What others have said about it is true, but if it's OpenBSD you want to play with then do it to it. It doesn't have to be absolute, forms of freedom are only a partition/format away.:D
 
If you're set on BSD, give FreeBSD a whirl. OpenBSD is made for security, not to be run as a desktop environment.
 
Openbsd has superior drivers/software when it comes to networking and storage.

I have used it since 1997, but never as a desktop system. 64-bit & smp are very new in it also.
 
vfrex said:
If you're set on BSD, give FreeBSD a whirl. OpenBSD is made for security, not to be run as a desktop environment.
Click to expand...

true. FreeBSD also may have more support for some desktop applications, as it is more popular as a desktop OS than Net or Open BSD. I used FreeBSD for several years on my desktop system, but I got sick of it for a number of reasons, and switched to Ubuntu. I've been running ubuntu for 2 years now, and I've had far fewer problems.
 
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