unix marcelo - knowlege & technology transfer

First, Linux is a kernel, not an OS. Linux distributions like Red Hat or Ubuntu combines with other software. As you no doubt are aware, there are hundreds of distributions of Linux. With FreeBSD, there is only one "official" production version of FreeBSD, the another variants from FreeBSD (GhostBSD, FreeNAS, …) are 100% compatible. The userland programs are made by FreeBSD and included on the CD/DVD. With FreeBSDs you has a complete operating system. With Linux, you have a kernel, as source code, and anybody can use to roll their own kernel variant's and combine with userland and programs to create one operating system. In fact, there is a Linux distribution called Linux.

Ubuntu Linux in particular, and Linux in general have much more impact and mindshare, than FreeBSD. This means if you need an OS to have the latest software drivers for hardware, you are more likely to have that with Linux than with FreeBSD . This is important for gamers in particular. With either OS, one needs to be aware that not all hardware is supported by Linux or FreeBSD. Professional and standard hardware is supported by FreeBSD, Solaris, Illumos/Openindiana and Linux.

People regard FreeBSD to be a Unix operating system, whereas any Linux distribution is a "Unix-like" OS, rather than a Unix proper. One of the major things people point to is the structure of FreeBSD being more "right" in a Unix way than the Linux directory and file structure, which may change with each distribution of Linux. FreeBSD is born as one free UNIX computersystem in the University of Carlifornia - Berkeley, based on the Berkeley Software Distribution (BSD).

There are differences in how various commands and utility programs work under both OS's...but they are still both Unix-like. Learn one, and you know most of what you need to be functional with the other one.

There is more information in online manuals for Linux newbies and Ubuntu Linux in particular than exist for FreeBSD. However, the online and print documentation for FreeBSD is superior in quality. In general FreeBSD is more professional and similar to Solaris and Illumos/Openindiana in use in the professional world.

Operating Systems		Tools		Applications		Information		traductor al español
News		Open Source	Hardware	DataCenter	Business		Cristian Way	Old Website