Why would you consider using &os;? We think that there are lots of reasons. Here is a selection of reasons that some of our existing users gave for their choice of operating system.
&os; is a community-driven operating system despite it being - sponsored corporately. &os; has active mailing lists, + to a partial degree sponsored corporately. &os; has active mailing lists, forums, and IRC channels where experienced users and developers are always willing to help the less experienced.
The community is largely driven by technology, not ideology, and is focused on building the best possible system and making &os; as widely used as possible, not on pushing any other agendas.
There is no dictator—benevolent or otherwise—for the project. The Core Team is elected and is nominally responsible for overseeing the goals of the project, but this is a very light touch. Core mediates disputes between developers, but rarely needs to take an active role in development, beyond their separate contributions as individual developers.
Stability means many different things. &os; very rarely crashes (and when it does it is usually due to hardware faults), but while that was a great boast a decade ago, now it is an expected feature for any operating system.
Stability in &os; means much more than that. It means that - upgrading the system doesn't require upgrading the user. + upgrading the system does not require upgrading the user. Configuration interfaces do change over time, but only when there is a good reason. If you learned how to use &os; in 2000, most of your knowledge would still be relevant.
Backwards compatibility is very important to the &os; team, and any release in a major release series is expected to be able to run any code—including kernel modules—that ran on an earlier version. The entire base system is developed together, including the kernel, the core utilities, and the configuration system, so upgrades are usually painless. Included tools like mergemaster help update configuration files with little or no manual intervention.
&os; has been one of the first adopters of the LLVM infrastructure, including the clang compiler and the libc++ stack. The entire &os; 9.x system, including kernel and userspace, can build with clang, and from &os; 9.1 both clang and the permissively-licensed libc++ are included, giving a modern, BSD-licensed C++ stack. Several &os; developers are also active contributors to LLVM, ensuring that both projects thrive together.
This same collaboration works downstream, with projects like TrueOS and pfSense building on top of the &os; base to provide desktop and firewall oriented distributions, respectively. These projects are not forks, they base their work on the latest version of &os; and customize the system for specific uses.
&os; service initialization is very simple. Each service, whether part of the base system or installed from a port, comes with a script that is responsible for starting and stopping it (and often some other options). The /etc/rc.conf file contains a list of variables for enabling and configuring services. Want to enable ssh? Just add sshd_enable="YES" to your rc.conf file. This system makes it easy to see at a glance everything that will be started when your system boots.
The rc system that reads this file understands dependencies between services and so can automatically launch them in parallel, or wait until one is finished before starting the things that it needs. You get all of the benefits of a modern configuration system, without a complex interface.
The ports tree contains a large collection of third-party software, including older versions of some things where the userbase is divided about the benefits of upgrading, and a lot of niche programs. The chances are that anything you want to run which works on &os; will be there.
Unlike some other systems, &os; maintains a clean division between the base system and third-party ports and packages. All third-party software goes in /usr/local, so if you want to - repurpose a machine then it's trivial to simply delete all + repurpose a machine, it is trivial to simply delete all installed packages and then start installing the ones that you want.
-The pkg tool makes working with binary packages +
The pkg(8) tool makes working with binary packages even easier, although source installs are still supported for people who want the level of configurability that this implies.
Security is vital in any network-connected machine. &os; provides a number of tools for ensuring that you can maintain a secure system, such as:
And, of course, all of the standard features that you'd - expect from a modern &unix; system including IPSec, SSH, and so +
And, of course, all of the standard features that are + expected from a modern &unix; system including IPSec, SSH, and so on.
Cheap snapshots, clones, end-to-end checksums, deduplication, compression, and no need to decide partition sizes on install. Using ZFS for a few days makes going back to a more traditional volume manager painful. If you want to test - something with ZFS, then it's trivial to just create a + something with ZFS, it is trivial to just create a snapshot and roll back if it didn't work.
-If you're using jails, then ZFS lets you clone an existing - jail in under a second, irrespective of how big the jail +
ZFS lets you clone an existing + jail in under a second, no matter how big the jail itself is.
Even without ZFS, &os; comes with a rich storage system. GEOM layers providers and consumers in arbitrary ways, allowing you to use two networked machines for high-availability storage, use your choice of RAID level, or add features like compression or encryption.
&os; 4.x introduced in-kernel sound mixing, so that multiple applications could play sound at the same time even with cheap sound cards with no hardware mixing support. &os; 5.x automatically allocated new channels to applications, without any configuration.
Now, &os; has low-latency sound mixing with per-application volume controls and full support for the OSS 4 APIs out of the - box. There's no need to configure a userspace sound daemon. + box. There is no need to configure a userspace sound daemon. The same audio APIs that were used a decade ago still work on &os;, including some compatibility modes to allow applications that try to manipulate the global volume to only change their own. If you want to watch DVDs with 5.1 surround sound, just install your favourite media player and press play.
&os; gives you an easy-to-use, working, &unix;-like system. This base system can then be extended easily. If you want to run KDE or GNOME, then just install the metapackage for the version that you prefer. If you want a headless server, then - it's equally easy to install the server tools that you want.
+ it is equally easy to install the server tools that you want. -It's easy to run the &os; installer via a serial port and to - configure the entire system from the terminal. It's also easy +
It is easy to run the &os; installer via a serial port and to + configure the entire system from the terminal. It is also easy to install and use an existing desktop environment. The decisions about the kind of system you want to use are left to you.
-If you're deploying &os; in a corporate environment, then - it's very easy to customise both the base system and the set +
If you are deploying &os; in a corporate environment, then + it is very easy to customise both the base system and the set of installed packages for your specific requirements. The build system provides numerous tuneable variables allowing you to build exactly the base system that meets your needs.
Index: head/en_US.ISO8859-1/htdocs/community/mailinglists.xml =================================================================== --- head/en_US.ISO8859-1/htdocs/community/mailinglists.xml (revision 49744) +++ head/en_US.ISO8859-1/htdocs/community/mailinglists.xml (revision 49745) @@ -1,107 +1,107 @@ ]>Mailing lists are the primary communication channels for the FreeBSD community, and cover many topic areas.
You can search or browse the mailing list archives at www.FreeBSD.org. It is also possible to browse the mailing lists via the Mailman Web interface.
The English speaking mailing lists are listed in the FreeBSD Handbook.
Several non-English mailing lists are also available:
If you create other FreeBSD mailing lists, If you create other FreeBSD mailing lists, please let us know about them.
Index: head/en_US.ISO8859-1/htdocs/docproj/current.xml =================================================================== --- head/en_US.ISO8859-1/htdocs/docproj/current.xml (revision 49744) +++ head/en_US.ISO8859-1/htdocs/docproj/current.xml (revision 49745) @@ -1,193 +1,193 @@ "> "> "> "> "> ]>Here are the projects currently under way (or being actively contemplated on the freebsd-doc mailing list).
If you think you can contribute to any of these, please do not hesitate to stand up and be counted. You should talk to the person responsible for that particular project, who can then bring you up to speed on what is happening. If you have any ideas for a new project then please email FreeBSD-doc@FreeBSD.org.
The Documentation TODO list is an up-to-date list of documentation issues that should be resolved. If you wish to help us to improve the FreeBSD documentation set you should, at first, choose to work on one of the TODO list items.
Current FreeBSD problems reports are tracked using a Problem Reports database. You can view the open documentation problem reports.
Responsible: FreeBSD-doc <FreeBSD-doc@FreeBSD.org>
Synopsis: Many new sections have been added to the FreeBSD Handbook without index terms, others have been added under inappropriate primary or secondary indexterms that do not fit the existing scheme. Some indexterms have been added inside list items or other areas where they are not allowed by our stylesheets, causing ??? to be printed in the index instead of a real page number.
Index work requires experience and anyone who works on this task is highly encouraged to carefully read through the existing (print-output) index, and to have read the Chicago Manual of Style or other style books that deal with indexing. Please see the SVN history of some of the chapter.xml files to see some of the indexing errors that have been corrected in the past. It is imperative to view the PostScript version of the Handbook after making any changes to indexterms as many errors, such as long words or deeply nested indexterms will break the two column output there, or cause the page number to be listed as ???.
There is a script doc/share/misc/indexreport.pl which can be used to find areas of an SGML file where <indexterms> are sparse.
Responsible: FreeBSD-doc <doc@FreeBSD.org>
Synopsis: Presentations marked up in the DocBook-slides DTD have recently been added to the documentation set in doc/en_US.ISO8859-1/slides. More advocacy content is needed, and additional stylesheet work is needed to pull in content from the release notes and other XML content in our documentation set to build up-to-date slides with 'make'. A simple example presentation was committed with some of this functionality, but there is more work to be done! Also, the stylesheets for print/PDF output (using the Java based XSLT processors, PassiveTeX is too limiting for slides) could be improved as the default DocBook Slides XSL-FO stylesheets produce very spartan slides.
Responsible: FreeBSD-doc <doc@FreeBSD.org>
Synopsis: Chunks of the FAQ and Handbook have empty sections in them. They need filling. If you have just had to use one of these documents to complete a task, and found them lacking, please find the time to write up your experiences as a possible replacement.
Alternatively, if you have just had to do something that had no entry in the FAQ and/or Handbook, please consider writing a new section. Then submit it as outlined above.
Responsible: <doc@FreeBSD.org>, <scsi@FreeBSD.org>
Synopsis: See The Design and Implementation of the FreeBSD SCSI Subsystem for a first snapshot.
Responsible: <doc@FreeBSD.org>, Wolfram Schneider <wosch@FreeBSD.org>
-Synopsis:Modify the CGI script ports.cgi +
Synopsis: Modify the CGI script ports.cgi and the script portindex to use the Perl FreeBSD::Ports modules. These modules also need thorough testing.
Responsible: <doc@FreeBSD.org>
Synopsis:
Our main Web pages are written in (American) English. The FreeBSD Translations Projects translate the web pages, Handbook and FAQ to other languages.
We must translate the cgi scripts and web build scripts too. The scripts should support multiple languages, not only one. Most scripts are written in perl.
Responsible: <doc@FreeBSD.org>
Translate the FreeBSD documentation (Web pages, FAQ, Handbook, Manual pages) into other languages. See the FreeBSD translations projects
Index: head/en_US.ISO8859-1/htdocs/docproj/docproj.xml =================================================================== --- head/en_US.ISO8859-1/htdocs/docproj/docproj.xml (revision 49744) +++ head/en_US.ISO8859-1/htdocs/docproj/docproj.xml (revision 49745) @@ -1,80 +1,80 @@ ]>Getting to grips with a new and complex operating system is always a difficult task, no matter how pretty the GUI is. FreeBSD is no different in this respect.
While there are a vast number of BSD Unix (and general &unix;) books available, FreeBSD has its own unique features, procedures and quirks.
In addition, FreeBSD will be the first exposure to a Unix-like - operating system for many of its users, so the availability of high + operating system for some of its users, so the availability of high quality, accurate documentation is paramount.
The FreeBSD Documentation Project exists to help fill this gap. There are two ways in which this is undertaken:
Members of the Documentation Project write documentation and submit it for inclusion in the FreeBSD Documentation Set.
Members of the Documentation Project discuss and arrange the formatting and organization of the FreeBSD Documentation Set.
Current projectsThere are a number of projects currently in progress as part of the documentation effort. Please take the time to look over this list and see if there is anything you can help with. |
This page explains who makes up the Documentation Project, and how you can join.
This page outlines the components of the FreeBSD Documentation Set, and the sort of work that the Documentation Project does with them.
Submitting documentation is the best way to become a part of the project, and help make FreeBSD easier to use. This page explains the best way to submit documentation so that it gets looked at as soon as possible.
Translations of the FreeBSD documentation, Web pages, Handbook, Manual pages and FAQ.
Index: head/en_US.ISO8859-1/htdocs/mailto.xml =================================================================== --- head/en_US.ISO8859-1/htdocs/mailto.xml (revision 49744) +++ head/en_US.ISO8859-1/htdocs/mailto.xml (revision 49745) @@ -1,48 +1,48 @@ ]>Questions regarding FreeBSD should be addressed to the FreeBSD Questions mailing list, freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.org.
Mailing lists are the primary support channel for FreeBSD users, with numerous mailing lists covering different topic areas. Several non-English mailing lists are also available.
Questions or suggestions about our documentation (Handbook, FAQ, Books & Articles) should be addressed to the + href="&base;/docs.html">Books & Articles, and so forth) should be addressed to the FreeBSD Documentation Project mailing list, freebsd-doc@FreeBSD.org.
For CDROM orders: The FreeBSD Mall
For commercial support: The FreeBSD Mall
Marketing, Bugmeister, Security Officer, Postmaster, Webmaster etc.
Index: head/en_US.ISO8859-1/htdocs/projects/newbies.xml =================================================================== --- head/en_US.ISO8859-1/htdocs/projects/newbies.xml (revision 49744) +++ head/en_US.ISO8859-1/htdocs/projects/newbies.xml (revision 49745) @@ -1,123 +1,123 @@ ]>The latest &os; releases are available here. Before you begin, - carefully read the installation instructions.
The &os; Handbook and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) are the main documents for &os;. Essential reading, they contain a lot of material for newbies as well as advanced users. For users interested in installing a GUI, see the X Windows chapter.
Manual pages are good for reference but not always the best introduction for a novice. They generally provide information on a specific command, driver or service.
Join the &os;-Questions mailing list to see the questions you were too afraid to ask, and their answers. Subscribe by filling out the following form: http://lists.FreeBSD.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-questions. You can look up old questions and answers via the search page.
The &os; Forums offer another support channel. Many users have written various tutorials and lots of new users receive help there.
Search the +
You can search the Handbook and FAQ, the whole web site, or the &os; mailing list archives.
The Support page contains a wealth of information about &os;, including mailing lists, user groups, web and FTP sites, release information, and links to some sources of &unix; information.
&os; is widely used as a building block for other commercial and open-source operating systems. Some of the most widely used and publicly available systems are listed below.
FreeNAS is a storage solution that can be installed on virtually any hardware platform to share data over a network. It uses ZFS to protect, store, backup, all of your data.
TrueOS is a &os; derivative with a graphical installer and impressive desktop tools aimed at ease of use for the casual computer user.
pfSense is a &os; - free network security solution, based on &os;. pfSense + based network security solution. pfSense software, with the help of the package system, is able to provide the same functionality or more of common commercial firewalls, without any of the artificial limitations. It has successfully replaced every big name commercial firewall you can imagine in numerous installations around the world.
Everyone has something to contribute to the &os; community, even newbies! Some are busy working with the new advocacy group and some have become involved with the Documentation Project as reviewers. Other &os; newbies might have particular skills and experiences to share, either computer related or not, or just want to meet new newbies and make them feel welcome. There are always people around who help others simply because they like to.
Friends who run &os; are a great resource. No book can replace chatting on the phone or across a pizza with someone who has the same interests, enjoys similar accomplishments, and faces the same challenges. If you do not have many friends who use &os;, consider using your old &os; CDs to create some more.
User groups are good places to meet other &os; users. If there is no one nearby, you might consider starting one!
For more information on getting involved in the community, see the Contributing to &os; article.
Index: head/en_US.ISO8859-1/htdocs/search/sitemap.xml =================================================================== --- head/en_US.ISO8859-1/htdocs/search/sitemap.xml (revision 49744) +++ head/en_US.ISO8859-1/htdocs/search/sitemap.xml (revision 49745) @@ -1,1481 +1,1481 @@Most users of &os; will have hardware for either the amd64, i386, or armv6 architectures.
Modern PCs use the amd64 architecture, including those with Intel® branded processors. Computers with more than 3 GB of memory should use amd64. If the computer is an older, 32-bit only model, use i386. For embedded devices and single-board computers (SBC) such as the Raspberry Pi, Beagle Bone Black, Panda Board, and Zed Board, use the armv6 SD card image which supports ARMv6 and ARMv7 processors.
All other users should reference the complete list of supported &os; platforms.
The &os; installer can be downloaded in a number of different formats including CD (disc1), DVD (dvd1), and Network Install (bootonly) sized ISO Disc Images, as well as regular and mini USB memory stick - images. Later versions of &os; are also offered as prebuilt + images. Recent versions of &os; are also offered as prebuilt expandable Virtual Machine images, and as SD Card images for embedded platforms.
While &os; does not gather deployment statistics, having statistical information available is essential. Please consider installing the sysutils/bsdstats package, which collects hardware and software statistics, helping developers understand how to best focus their efforts. The information collected is available at the bsdstats.org website.
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If you are interested in a purely experimental snapshot release of &os;-CURRENT (AKA &rel.head;-CURRENT), aimed at developers and bleeding-edge testers only, then please see the &os; Snapshot Releases page. For more information about past, present and future releases in general, please visit the release information page.
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If you plan on getting &os; via HTTP or FTP, please check the listing of mirror sites in the Handbook to see if there is a site closer to you.
There are many options for installing &os;, including installation from CD-ROM, DVD, USB Memory Stick or even directly using anonymous FTP, HTTP, or NFS. Please read through the &os; installation guide before downloading the entire &os; distribution.
&os; can be acquired on CD-ROM or DVD from FreeBSD Mall, or one of the other CD-ROM and DVD Publishers.
For downloading past releases, please visit the FTP archive.
&os; is widely used as a building block for other commercial and open-source operating systems. The projects below are widely used and of particular interest to &os; users.
FreeNAS is an open source storage platform based on &os; and supports sharing across Windows, Apple, and UNIX-like systems.
TrueOS (formerly PC-BSD) is a &os; derivative with a graphical installer. The desktop option installs The Lumina Desktop Environment, a fully BSD Licensed desktop, with impressive desktop tools aimed at ease of use for the casual computer user.
pfSense is a free, - open source customized distribution of &os; tailored for +
pfSense is a + &os; based customized distribution tailored for use as a firewall and router.
The &os; Ports Collection is a diverse collection of utility and application software that has been ported to &os;.
+See + Installing Applications: Packages and Ports + in the Handbook.
+For information about how you can contribute your favorite piece of software to the Ports Collection, have a look at The Porter's Handbook and the article Contributing to &os;.
Index: head/share/xml/header.ent =================================================================== --- head/share/xml/header.ent (revision 49744) +++ head/share/xml/header.ent (revision 49745) @@ -1,212 +1,212 @@ '> '> Site Map | Legal Notices | © 1995–2016 The FreeBSD Project. All rights reserved.'> home | contact | legal | ©right;'>
'>