Any BSD users here? I want to install some kind of BSD on some old laptop to check how it works. I've 0 exerience with BSD but I'm long time Linux user. I've heard that OpenBSD is better tested on a casual HW than much more popular FreeBSD, so I'm not sure which one should I choose anymore… I want to give some BSD a fair chance to impress me by really using it for some time so I think I'll find time to check only one of them.
6 months ago
I’m in progress of testing OpenBSD. I think it will lead to some funny post on my capsule. I’m liking it so far but shame that usermount was removed… This is my personal nitpick in Linux (I’m not sure if this is blocked in kernel or just in busybox and coreutils). I think, considering how common USB drivers this is the thing that holds down non-systemd Linux’es. User should be able to mount devices which they have access to to some owned/predefined directory without superuser. · 6 months ago
Also, I have the best luck with intel graphics and intel wifi cards. check out the man page for iwn, iwm and iwx driver. The best wifi you can get are, I think, Intel AX210 and whatever they put in macbooks, which are full MAC cards. PS: amdgpu driver is massive, disable it in config file will almost half compilation time for me · 6 months ago
OpenBSD, I can vouch, been using, for 20 years. Thinkpad, if you have, is the best, otherwise, random things might not work. No support for audio, if you have tigerlake and above, in that case, use external usb dac. · 6 months ago
@aelspire think that should be long enough to understand how this unix(like) OSs work ;) · 6 months ago
You could go and check if your laptop is supported via https://www.freebsd.org/releases/13.0R/hardware/#support
Theres a few live cds that are around that should give you an idea of what issues if any you might face. · 6 months ago
https://www.freebsd.org/releases/13.0R/hardware/#support
I've managed to get Ideapad s100 "working". That one was pretty crappy when it was new and now it is abhorrent, so I'm not expecting much. Did quick test of both OpenBSD and FreeBSD and found that OpenBSD installed and was working pretty nice, it even connected to my WiFi without any problem during installation. I've managed to install and open Thunar and Firefox on it but… Netsurf will need to suffice. The only problem I noticed that something is probably wrong with power management. Fan is giving its all and temperature was 70°C, I've even changed thermal paste and now it's 65°C. But I'm pleasantly shocked how well OpenBSD worked on this little red potato. · 6 months ago
@bavarianbarbarian Not that long time Linux user 😛. I've used OpenSUSE 11.1 as my first non-Windows system so it looks like I'm Linux user since ~2008.
I didn't managed to get my keyboard working on FreeBSD even with checking mailing list and forum so I'll have to use OpenBSD. · 6 months ago
as a long time linux user, you should should not have issues. but what is long time... i am using linux since 1999, solaris, hpux, irix and stuff. but as a dayly driver, I'd recommend freebsd if you want to use bsd. me for myself, i use bunsenlabs on my laptop and windows on my gaming pc. · 6 months ago
i like openbsd as a router or server. most bsd nerds i know use freebsd on the desktop/laptop. · 6 months ago
assuming said laptop has supported hardware I would probably go with a default openbsd install to get started. its installer is basic and the system light. documentation is phenomenal. once you've learnt enough to decide if you like it, do a clean install putting that knowledge to use. it won't wow you in the showy sense (atleast oobe) but it is a great system if you put the time in. · 6 months ago