Rubenerd

Earlier today, I made the mistake of reading a FreeBSD news story, and then reading the attached comments. I know, I know, rookie mistake. Still, I couldn’t help but fill out my FreeBSD blog comment card:

I laugh derisively at your use of FreeBSD, because:
[x] FreeBSD is dying
[ ] Nobody uses FreeBSD
[ ] Penguins are a better mascot
[ ] gcc is superior to clang/llvm
[x] Linux is always technically better
[x] GPL BSD licence debate
[ ] I don't know how to use ports

The only people who use FreeBSD:
[x] Are those who like FreeBSD (shocking!)
[ ] Are those who hate Linux
[x] Only do so to mix it with proprietary stuff
[ ] Use it because that's all the know
[x] Do it just to be different (my personal favourite)

Guys and girls, can we talk for a minute?

I understand that the use of IT equipment is predicated on seeing the world in black and white. We’re supposed to choose Vim or Emacs, Wayland or Mir, Qt or GTK, OpenOffice or LibreOffice, RPM or deb, gcc or clang, KDE or Gnome, Cinnamon or Gnome, Mate or Gnome, Xfce or Gnome. As Linux users, I know these knee jerk responses against FreeBSD are a part of this (for want of a better word) nerdy tradition.

I might blow your mind with this piece of logical reasoning though: Linux doesn’t have to lose for FreeBSD to win. There are uses for both OSs, and in situations where they’re otherwise equally suited, they benefit each other. Before you compulsively post a troll comment on a FreeBSD story, give a quick thought to that.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to build Firefox on my FreeBSD workstation. You know, that browser that’s one ./configure command away from being the same one you girls and guys use.