In the field of modern open source software, the word "Linux" has almost become a synonym for the concept of "operating system", although few people know that in reality this is far from the only OS like Unix today, whose source codes are available for all.
According to data received from IOSC, in 1999, almost a third of all machines that were connected to the Internet worked on the Linux operating system , while almost 15% used the FreeBSD operating system. What is this system, and to date, only a few modern PC users know, despite all its advantages and widespread in due time. It is worth noting the fact that many world leaders in the field of Web services are actively working on this system. In particular, it is worth noting that today the Yahoo system is based on FreeBSD. What this gives users, they themselves hardly know or even think about, but the owners of the system are sure that this is the right decision.
What is a BSD?
BSD stands for Berkeley Software Distribution. That's what software was called at one time, which the University of California at Berkeley distributed in source code. At the same time, it is worth noting the fact that initially an addition to the standard UNIX operating system was the only thing that was FreeBSD. What was this compared to the current version of the system?
Based on version 4.4 of BSD-Lite, several operating systems with open source codes were created. In particular, the composition of these systems included the development of other projects, among which the GNU project deserves special attention.
Structure
The advantages and features that this system has are distinguished by the structure of FreeBSD. What is this structure:
- The kernel, which is intended for the careful planning of all processes, memory management, work with various devices, as well as support for multiprocessor systems. It should be noted that, in contrast to the Linux OS, in this case there are several types of BSD kernels that differ in various features.
- The C library, which is used as the main system programming interface, is based on code from Berkeley, and not from the GNI project.
- All kinds of file utilities, compilers, shells, link editors, and other end-user programs, some of which are based on GNU code.
- FreeBSD UNIX is an operating system that includes the X Window, which is directly responsible for the graphical interface. This system is used in the predominant majority of BSD versions and is officially supported by the X.Org project. This system allows the user to make a choice of several graphical shells, as well as a number of lightweight window managers.
- A large number of other system and application programs.
What is true UNIX?
It is worth noting that FreeBSD UNIX itself - the operating system is always different. And the types of such systems are not clones of each other. They are only descendants of a common ancestor - the traditional UNIX operating system. This fact may be somewhat surprising, especially if you recall that the developer of this operating system has never disclosed the codes of its developments to the general public.
Is BSD UNIX?
Indeed, the UNIX operating system has never been open source software, and therefore BSD definitely cannot be called a UNIX system, if only because the graphical interface of the operating systems is different. However, at the same time, the company that developed UNIX actively used other people's development, and in particular this refers to software developed by CSRG.
Initially, the BSD distributions, as well as the graphical interface of the operating systems, were sets of user programs, and this situation continued exactly until the company signed a contract with DARPA, subordinate to the US Department of Defense. The purpose of this contract is to update the various communication protocols that supported the agency's computer network.
During the 1980s, several workstation manufacturing companies formed, and it is worth noting that many of them acquired licenses for using UNIX instead of trying to develop their own software from scratch. In particular, it is worth highlighting the company Sun, which acted in this way and decided on the basis of version 4.2BSD to eventually release its own OS, which was called SunOSTM. When AT&T, a UNIX company, eventually decided to commercialize its own operating system, a rather ascetic implementation appeared - System III, which was also followed by System V over time.
For what reason is this operating system unclaimed?
There are a number of reasons why FreeBSD 10 is not so popular today:
- Developers are most often interested in the quality of their own code, and more by polishing it, rather than advertising.
- By and large, the popularity of Linux is the result of a number of external factors regarding this project, in particular, it concerns the media, as well as companies that decided to form their own business, providing services to users of this operating system.
- The majority of BSD developers are more experienced than Linux developers, and therefore pay much less attention to making life easier for ordinary users. In other words, setting up FreeBSD for the average user is more complicated than setting up Linux.
- In 1992, the UNIX developer decided to sue BSDI, which supplied the BSD / 386 operating system. The main point of the accusation in this case was that the OS contained a closed code belonging to the plaintiff, and it seems that the case was ultimately settled outside the court in 1994, but a whole complex of secondary lawsuits even today poison the lives of many people.
- It is believed that BSD projects per se differ and may even conflict with each other. This opinion is based on events that took place a long time ago.
Which is better - Linux or BSD?
Today, most often they choose, installing the Apache server, FreeBSD instead of the traditional Linux for most other systems. For the average user, the difference between these systems is surprisingly small, since both products are based on UNIX. Both systems are developed on a non-profit basis.
Who owns the BSD?
It is worth noting that there is no specific person or company that would own the development of BSD. The development, as well as the subsequent distribution of this system, is carried out by a whole group of highly qualified and, at the same time, dedicated to the project specialists gathered from around the world. Certain BSD components are open source projects that have their own laws and development teams.
What to choose anyway?
The choice between these operating systems is really quite complicated, so there are a few tips that let you choose which option is best - Linux or FreeBSD. The teams in both cases are quite similar, so the choice most often can be based on the following:
- If you already use a specific Open Source OS, then in this case you should not even change anything.
- FreeBSD systems can show much greater performance, but this rule is not universal.
- BSD systems have a pretty good reputation, and this is especially true for reliability.
- BSD-projects have a better reputation due to the fact that they are of high quality, as well as the completeness of the available documentation.
- In BSD, you can use the vast majority of Linux executables, while Linux cannot use many BSD executables.
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