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Usable? I've used FreeBSD as my only desktop for 20 years. I've built my own machines using all new, latest hardware. I've put it on Dell machines, Gateway, Com

Usable? I've used FreeBSD as my only desktop for 20 years. I've built my own machines using all new, latest hardware. I've put it on Dell machines, Gateway, Compaq, Thinkpads and so on without issue. People will go online and try and pick and choose their hardware for best performance for Linux and Windows. You do the same for FreeBSD and, in almost all cases, can pick the same hardware using the latest drivers. Broadcom, for example, does not supply drivers for some of their wifi or networking parts so that's an issue but there are workarounds with other just as good hardware. There are claims, here, that FreeBSD is "years behind" with software and drivers but that's mostly a false claim. Almost all software and drivers are up-to-date. A few may be a few days/weeks/months behind because FreeBSD maintains its own and doesn't rely on outside parties to do so. Why does this question or statement have to be an every other day posting somewhere on the internet?

sangnoir 3y ago
> People will go online and try and pick and choose their hardware for best performance for Linux I don't do this - I just buy hardware I like and blindly assume Linux will work.
blackhaz 3y ago
I disagree. FreeBSD desktop user here since 2018, mostly Thinkpads (T400, T410, X1 1st gen, now P14s). TBH, you have to be extremely careful with new hardware. My P14s barely runs 13.2. Wi-Fi is causing constant kernel panics and Alder Lake GPU is not supported at all, so have to use frame buffer driver. Ethernet NIC works only with jumbo frames. FreeBSD is significantly behind Linux in terms of hardware support. But it's awesome. :-)
- klibertp 3y ago
  I recently installed FreeBSD on an older HP Pavillon. The WiFi didn't work, but the bigger issue was lack of control over fans and cooling. It was meant to be always on and connected with a cable to a router, but it wasn't meant to always have fans on, even with load ~0.01 and the CPU temp ~40°C. Without WiFi, relocating it somewhere it wouldn't disturb my sleep proved challenging.

sangnoir 3y ago

> People will go online and try and pick and choose their hardware for best performance for Linux I don't do this - I just buy hardware I like and blindly assume Linux will work.

blackhaz 3y ago

I disagree. FreeBSD desktop user here since 2018, mostly Thinkpads (T400, T410, X1 1st gen, now P14s). TBH, you have to be extremely careful with new hardware. My P14s barely runs 13.2. Wi-Fi is causing constant kernel panics and Alder Lake GPU is not supported at all, so have to use frame buffer driver. Ethernet NIC works only with jumbo frames. FreeBSD is significantly behind Linux in terms of hardware support. But it's awesome. :-)

klibertp 3y ago
I recently installed FreeBSD on an older HP Pavillon. The WiFi didn't work, but the bigger issue was lack of control over fans and cooling. It was meant to be always on and connected with a cable to a router, but it wasn't meant to always have fans on, even with load ~0.01 and the CPU temp ~40°C. Without WiFi, relocating it somewhere it wouldn't disturb my sleep proved challenging.