PC-BSD on top of FreeBSD - does it matter ?

[jb]

Chuck Swiger <cswiger <at> mac.com> writes:

> ... 
> There are lots of people who are looking for turnkey / "no docs needed" 
> systems, with "give me simplified choices" but "handle obvious errors with a 
> nice dialog window or fix-it 'wizard'", instead of requiring CLI sysadmin 
> experience, reading error logs, and running diagnostic commands to fix things.
> ...

Well, the PC-BSD team set these goals for themselves:

"PC-BSD has as its goals to be an easy-to-install-and-use desktop operating
system, based on FreeBSD. To accomplish this, it provides a graphical
installation to enable even UNIX novices to easily install and get it running."

That's also an obligation to test it.
PC-BSD is a product, by a private company. The burden of proof is on them.

> ... 
> I suspect that the folks who define usability by such criteria are not using 
> FreeBSD (or PC-BSD) at all, or they quickly evaluate it and then move on at 
> the first major showstopper they come across.
> ...

There were many attractive features implemented.
I personally am irritated when I get a software product that breaks on a basic
usability test. The argument that something is offered to me for free and so
I can not expect it to function here and there does not fly with me. That's
a road to nowhere, considering that they do offer it freely.

I will test their next public release in more detail.
I would love to report back words of praise.
jb