14.4 is a maintenance release. If you're installing FreeBSD today, use 15.0
Why FreeBSD ?
- Well manicured OS, excellent docs. More performant than OpenBSD in every way and approaches Linux performance in some areas (e.g. Networking)
- FreeBSD tends to have fewer features in almost all areas compared to Linux which makes it more approachable and more difficult to mess up.
- Though it has fewer features, it still has a lot of features -- many big companies (Netflix most famously) still use it today for critical functions.
- FreeBSD Kernel and Userland developed together -- it has got that undefined "cohesive" feel
- Has less layers of abstraction than Linux, gets the job done. Because there are fewer layers it's easier to understand what is going on and potentially easier to fix.
- FreeBSD is great if you want to learn pf, zfs, ...
- Worth your while if you are bored of the Linux monoculture and just want to try something a bit different (but not tooo different)
- Changes slowly, so good for setting up on a server that you want to just leave running without too much maintenance
- Will increase your Linux skills because diversity always helps the human brain
- Very simple daemon configuration via /etc/rc.conf
- FreeBSD `bectl` controlled zfs boot environments are just so life changing and amazing.
(this is possible via snapper on Linux + btrfs but needs complex installation and is not so integrated).
- FreeBSD will accept (smallish) PRs via GitHub if you find a minor bug. Otherwise it uses the decent Phabricator interface at https://reviews.freebsd.org . This is much better IMHO than the mailing list workflow of Linux. The barriers to contribution are lesser than Linux !!
- FreeBSD still has that warm fuzzy small "community" feel which I like
Why FreeBSD ?
- Well manicured OS, excellent docs. More performant than OpenBSD in every way and approaches Linux performance in some areas (e.g. Networking)
- FreeBSD tends to have fewer features in almost all areas compared to Linux which makes it more approachable and more difficult to mess up.
- Though it has fewer features, it still has a lot of features -- many big companies (Netflix most famously) still use it today for critical functions.
- FreeBSD Kernel and Userland developed together -- it has got that undefined "cohesive" feel
- Has less layers of abstraction than Linux, gets the job done. Because there are fewer layers it's easier to understand what is going on and potentially easier to fix.
- FreeBSD is great if you want to learn pf, zfs, ...
- Worth your while if you are bored of the Linux monoculture and just want to try something a bit different (but not tooo different)
- Changes slowly, so good for setting up on a server that you want to just leave running without too much maintenance
- Will increase your Linux skills because diversity always helps the human brain
- Very simple daemon configuration via /etc/rc.conf
- FreeBSD `bectl` controlled zfs boot environments are just so life changing and amazing. (this is possible via snapper on Linux + btrfs but needs complex installation and is not so integrated).
- FreeBSD will accept (smallish) PRs via GitHub if you find a minor bug. Otherwise it uses the decent Phabricator interface at https://reviews.freebsd.org . This is much better IMHO than the mailing list workflow of Linux. The barriers to contribution are lesser than Linux !!
- FreeBSD still has that warm fuzzy small "community" feel which I like