danboid wrote:Arch appeals to me mainly because the AUR is the biggest repo of Linux software online. The main thing I look for in a distro is "how easy is it to install stuff and how much stuff can I easily install?"
Nothing wrong with that, except that OpenSuse, Ubuntu and Debian have larger repositories than AUR. All of them provide very easy installation and maintenance of packages, so "the biggest repo of Linux software online" AUR is not.
danboid wrote:I also like Arch because it fast, lightweight and its wiki is the best source of Linux info online.
I also like their wiki, have used it many times, but you don't have to run Arch to use their documentation. Just saying.
danboid wrote:FreeBSD is primarily a server OS, but so is Linux. Linux does offer a more complete desktop experience, as I've already said.
Linux became a hybrid purpose OS a long time ago, with much, much more emphasis on the desktop experience than it used to have years ago. Maybe the same will happen to FreeBSD, but that will be a terribly slow transition because FreeBSD only takes two kinds of machine into consideration: the servers and the desktop one might need or want to remotely manage servers. They scoff at a lot of things that the typical desktop user takes for granted.
danboid wrote:What I don't understand are people who get upset about people talking about other, non-Linux OSs.
I am not upset, and I understand that you don't understand. You clearly want to point out flaws in Linux and extoll BSD, but won't accept that anyone do the exact opposite -- on a Linux forum, no less -- with perfectly valid and verifiable argumentation. OK. But I don't think that forums work quite that way. Forum members will reply, whether they agree or not. I believe they will reply more often when they don't agree, so as to stave off misinformation. Our community is somewhat anal retentive in regard to accuracy.
danboid wrote:I can kinda understand people slagging of MS and Apple for their various sins against users freedoms and desires etc but FreeBSD?
There you go. Why not FreeBSD? Is it sacred? Is it untouchable? Is it beyond reproach? Is it a religion to you?
danboid wrote:You talk about alternatives to LInux like they're heresy and shouldn't even be contemplated
I am saying that they should be contemplated if they're right for you. I suppose you know what is right for you, but just as much as you assume that there might be people here -- in a Linux forum -- who might be interested in reading random comments on BSD, I assume there might be people here who might be interested in reading random comments on BSD, but have no clue about it and might be interested in both the positive and negative arguments, not just either one. The way I'm doing it, it's called a "discussion." It's a rather interesting concept. Extremely popular.
danboid wrote:I'm not forcing anyone to switch, I'm just reporting what should be the good news that those who are willing to use alternatives might have another option for an OS.
I'm not forcing you to refrain from sharing your opinions, I'm just reporting what could be spanners in the works of anyone who considers moving from Linux to a BSD OS. I've been there, I've done that, and I am sharing my views on it. Anyone who reads this thread is free to assess the arguments from both sides, reach their own conclusions and make their own decisions.