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What could i expect from trying OpenBSD as a Arch user ?
(hexbear.net)
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this post was submitted on 18 Jul 2024
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so what is the selling point of BSDs over linux? I cant imagine any situation where I'd want something like this over gentoo or arch outside of embedded systems.
I was a Gentoo and Arch user for some years. Tbh OpenBSD is just a lot less tedious to set up, use, and maintain, the documentation is soooo much better, the code quality is way better, I prefer a lot of the tooling over Linux stuff (ports system as in bsd.port.mk pretty good, OpenBSD ifconfig is the best networking tool ever, xenodm is great, OpenBSD init works very well, etc), it's much more reliable and probably a lot more secure (besides the novel exploit mitigation techniques they are famous for, OpenBSD just has better default settings for everything)
It's just a much more cohesive and coherent system that comes with most of what you want by default
Interestingly enough to point out, BSD was actually shaping up to be the free operating system kernel of choice until the UNIX wars and AT&T filing a lawsuit against BSD which made large enterprises use Linux as the replacement free operating system. Large part of Linux kernel's success could be attributed to this legal battle.
BSDs and even GNU Hurd have more cohesive architecture than Linux, a monolithic kernel, but Linux blew up as the free operating system of choice while attention drifted away from these other free kernel projects.
BSDs are also monolithic kernels no? But yeah the history is fascinating really. still holding out for the Hurd to emerge from the ashes of civilization