A FreeBSD vs Linux anecdote: I've read several articles over the years talking about how Linux can breathe new life into old computers. After the last couple of weeks, I don't buy it.
After combining the hardware from 2 old computers (circa 1996 and 1998 -- anyone remember ISA cards, serial mice and AT cases?) I went through the process of finding a good operating system for it. The computer has a Pentium II 333MHz chip and 384MB RAM; so it's definitely worth keeping. I was unable to successfully install Fedora Core 4, SUSE Linux Professional 9.3, or Ubuntu 5.10. I was given the advice to try old versions of Linux; but how, then, does one deal with security issues? FreeBSD 6.0 and NetBSD 3.0 installed without any problems. The onboard sound chip was dead; so I swapped out the ISA modem for an ISA sound card, which was supported by both *BSD's. The onboard video is supported by both XFree86 and xorg. There are 3 PCI slots, so I added a D-Link Atheros wireless card and a USB2 card to get around most of the motherboard's limitations. For example, the hard drives connected via IDE are limited to ~8GB partitions; however, the computer seems to deal with a 60GB external, USB2 hard drive without problems. The computer is currently without keyboard, mouse or monitor. I am adding applications to the computer via ssh while I work. As soon as I get openbox and tightvnc installed, I'll switch to tightvnc so I can disconnect without disrupting jobs. (Hmm, I wonder if I'll have to add a mouse or keyboard at that point.) Andrew Gould _______________________________________________ freebsd-questions@freebsd.org mailing list http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-questions To unsubscribe, send any mail to "[EMAIL PROTECTED]"
