Why use bsd

A huge variety of software is available for Linux and BSD. Linux is a freely-available operating system. Really, Linux is a freely-available kernel -- the core, nucleus or center of a complete operating system. Basically, a kernel schedules and supervises how the computer's resources are used. Linux-based operating systems contain a variety of free software, including a lot from the GNU project. A variety of Linux operating systems are available for free and commercially for sale.

Some Linux operating systems fit on a single floppy disk, others include gigabytes of information and applications. Although there are differences in the Linux operating systems, most use the exact same standard utilities and software. These complete operating systems include graphical windowing interfaces, desktop office applications for word processing and spreadsheets, a variety of games, text and documentation processing tools, networking utilities and internet applications.

Thousands of programs for accomplishing almost all known computer tasks are available for Linux. Linux operating systems can usually replace most proprietary or mainstream operating systems, although some file formats differ.

In addition, under most circumstances, the programs from one operating system will not run under another operating system. Freely-available applications and utilities are available to run and use Windows applications and Microsoft documents under Linux. BSD operating systems are very similar to Linux operating systems. In fact, most programs developed for Linux systems run on BSD systems. And most programs developed for BSD systems work with Linux.

BSD and Linux systems can be configured to appear and act the same for end-users. And since most of the software is the same, administration is very similar and, in some cases, identical.

BSD has an older history started in the late 's than Linux, and it also uses a variety of the same applications and utilities. Linux is actually just a kernel which needs other utilities to truly function as an operating system.

FreeBSD is incredibly stable, and boasts good security to boot. Windows, on the other hand, has been constantly plagued by security flaws, and is a frequent target for viruses, worms, and hacker attacks. Windows used to be so unstable that until Windows was released, Microsoft reputedly used FreeBSD as the server for microsoft. Obviously the one major advantage Windows has to offer over FreeBSD is applications --no OS can compare to Windows in terms of the sheer number of applications written for it.

However, we believe that the vast majority of the applications used by the average Windows user can be replaced with equivalents or replacements on FreeBSD. The other advantage boasted by Windows is hardware drivers--Windows can use a lot of hardware that FreeBSD simply cannot. Companies have long recognized that the creation of de facto standards is a key marketing technique.

The BSD license serves this role well, if a company really has a unique advantage in evolving the system. There are times when the GPL may be the appropriate vehicle for an attempt to create such a standard, especially when attempting to undermine or co-opt others. The GPL, however, penalizes the evolution of that standard, because it promotes a suite rather than a commercially applicable standard.

Use of such a suite constantly raises commercialization and legal issues. It may not be possible to mix standards when some are under the GPL and others are not. A true technical standard should not mandate exclusion of other standards for non-technical reasons. Companies interested in promoting an evolving standard, which can become the core of other companies' commercial products, should be wary of the GPL. Regardless of the license used, the resulting software will usually devolve to whoever actually makes the majority of the engineering changes and most understands the state of the system.

The GPL simply adds more legal friction to the result. Large companies, in which Open Source code is developed, should be aware that programmers appreciate Open Source because it leaves the software available to the employee when they change employers. Some companies encourage this behavior as an employment perk, especially when the software involved is not directly strategic.

It is, in effect, a front-loaded retirement benefit with potential lost opportunity costs but no direct costs. Encouraging employees to work for peer acclaim outside the company is a cheap portable benefit a company can sometimes provide with near zero downside.

Small companies with software projects vulnerable to orphaning should attempt to use the BSD license when possible. Companies of all sizes should consider forming such Open Source projects when it is to their mutual advantage to maintain the minimal legal and organization overheads associated with a true BSD-style Open Source project.

Non-profits should participate in Open Source projects when possible. To minimize software engineering problems, such as mixing code under different licenses, BSD-style licenses should be encouraged.

Being leery of the GPL should particularly be the case with non-profits that interact with the developing world. In some locales where application of law becomes a costly exercise, the simplicity of the new BSD license, as compared to the GPL, may be of considerable advantage.

In contrast to the GPL, which is designed to prevent the proprietary commercialization of Open Source code, the BSD license places minimal restrictions on future behavior. In other words, the BSD license does not become a legal time-bomb at any point in the development process.

In addition, since the BSD license does not come with the legal complexity of the GPL or LGPL licenses, it allows developers and companies to spend their time creating and promoting good code rather than worrying if that code violates licensing.

Rosenberg, IDG Books, Table of Contents. Very Brief Open Source History Long before the term "Open Source" was used, software was developed by loose associations of programmers and freely exchanged. The origins of the GPL While the future of Unix had been so muddled in the late s and early s, the GPL, another development with important licensing considerations, reached fruition. Open Source licenses and the Orphaning Problem One of the serious problems associated with proprietary software is known as "orphaning".

The GPL attempts to prevent orphaning by severing the link to proprietary intellectual property. What a license cannot do No license can guarantee future software availability. BSD Advantages A BSD style license is a good choice for long duration research or other projects that need a development environment that:. Mail and web appliances, timer servers, routers, MIPS hardware platforms, etc. You name it! FreeBSD is easy to contribute to and all you have to do is to locate the section of the FreeBSD code base to modify and carefully do a neat job.

Potential contributors are also free to improve on its artwork and documentation, among other project aspects. FreeBSD is a non-profit organization that you can contribute to financially and all direct contributions are tax deductible.