系统与基础设施over-yonder.net
BSD 与 Linux（2005）
BSD vs. Linux (2005)
2010 — 2018，它一次次回到首页
黑点是上首页（≥ 50 分）的那次投稿，空心点是没冲上去的投稿，点越大分数越高。
导读
这是 2005 年一篇流传很广的长文，逐章比较 BSD（以 FreeBSD、OpenBSD 为主）与 Linux 在设计理念、基础系统与第三方软件的划分、包管理与源码构建、内核与驱动策略、开发模式等方面的差异。作者毫不掩饰对 BSD「统一规划、内聚一致」的偏爱，文章按主题分节，整体停留在原则与哲学层面而非具体技术细节。
为什么经久不衰：它最早也最清楚地说明了「BSD 与 Linux 是两种不同的世界观」，二十年后仍是理解两派设计取舍与社区文化的一篇经典入门。
HN 评论精选
怀念 BSD 基础系统与附加软件的清晰区分，但硬件兼容性把他推向了 Linux。
我长期使用 FreeBSD，大学时开始用，用了很久。后来买了新笔记本，BSD 认不出无线网卡，就转到了 Linux；家里的 Web 服务器又继续用 FreeBSD 几年，最后迁到 Dreamhost（实在没时间自己维护服务器了）。我喜欢 Linux，但仍怀念 BSD 系统的可预测性——你知道东西在哪、它们该在哪。刚用 Linux 时，基础系统和附加工具之间毫无区分，让我十分困惑。Linux 更像「有机生长」出来的，FreeBSD 则像经过架构和规划。这对 Linux 不是坏事。我的 FreeBSD 血统仍会显现：从源码装的东西一律放在 /usr/local :)
vivin查看英文原文
I was a long-time FreeBSD user. Started using it in college and continued for a long time. I started using Linux because I had bought myself a new laptop and BSD didn't recognize the wifi card. I continued using FreeBSD at home for a few more years on my webserver before ultimately moving to dreamhost (I just didn't have the time to keep maintaining my own server). I like using Linux, but I still miss the predictability of a BSD system - you know where things are, and where they are supposed to be. When I first started using Linux, I was absolutely flummoxed by the lack of distinction between the base system and add-on utilities. Linux definitely feels more "organic" and "grown" whereas FreeBSD seems like it was architected and planned out. Not that this is a bad thing for Linux. My FreeBSD heritage still shines through when I use Linux; anything I install from source sits in /usr/local :).
在小 VPS 场景下找不到 FreeBSD 相对 Debian 的实际优势：ZFS 内存开销、ports 编译成本、许可证和 base/ports 区分都不构成理由。
我很熟 Linux（Debian），想找个理由学 FreeBSD，却找不到任何 FreeBSD 有明显优势的严肃用例。我在 VPS 上跑小站，所以：一、没有几 GB 空闲内存喂 ZFS；二、没有 GB 级的 RAM、CPU 和硬盘去从 ports 编译一切，最重要的是也没这个必要。除了给 nginx 做应用层防火墙，ports 比 deb 包强在哪？全自己编译能省下多少 MB 内存和硬盘（还要花时间编译、因为没空盯着而推迟安全更新、祈祷别编译出错——这确实发生过一次）。三、许可证我不在乎，GPL 对我够自由了。四、base 与 ports 之分我为什么要在乎？Debian testing 对我来说足够稳定。
nixos查看英文原文
I know Linux (Debian) quite well and would like an excuse to try learning FreeBSD, but I just can't find any serious use-cases where FreeBSD would be of any advantage. I run a small site on a VPS, so: 1. I don't have GBs of free memory for ZFS 2. I don't have GB of RAM, CPU and HD space to build everything from ports, and most importantly, no need. Except for an Application Firewall for nginx, what does ports have over deb packages? All in all, how much MB of free RAM or free HD space will I win by compiling everything myself (taking time to do so, and pushing off security updates because I don't have the time to sit and watch the compilation, hoping nothing breaks (which _did_ happen once) 3. License - I don't care. GPL is free enough for me. 4. Base vs. Ports - Why should I care? Debian (testing!) is stable enough for me. Except for dist-upgrades, I never ran into issues, and then it may be faster to nuke the server from orbit. Now had BSD "appified" the /usr/local directory (rather than keeping the nginx binary in /usr/local/bin and conf in /usr/local/conf it would have kept everything related to nginx in a /usr/local/nginx) it would have been interesting, but now? If anything, I like how Debian maintains both base and ports, so I can get almost any software I need from apt-get, and don't have to worry about conflicts. 5. systemd? The reason Debian went with systemd was (IIRC) because they didn't have the manpower to undo all of RedHat's work in forcing all applications to integrate into systemd (such as GNOME). I don't know how FreeBSD is doing in that regard. I don't mind learning new systems. (see my username :) ). I actually understand what nixos or coreos, for example, bring to the table. But FreeBSD?
用「大教堂与集市」框定：Linux 靠混乱与快速迭代取胜，BSD 胜在内聚设计。
我认为最好也最传统的比较是《大教堂与集市》，作者几乎每个观察都能套进这个框架。BSD 有内置库和内聚的架构；Linux 流行恰恰因为它的混乱——在 Linux 上把某个功能拼凑出来极其容易，一开始可能很丑，但只要足够多人聚过来，它就会变好，甚至可能变安全。很明显 Linux 流行不是因为它最好，而是因为它是最快的发展路径。BSD 当然有它的用处，但如果你想开发新功能并把它发布出去（在操作系统开发里），Linux 是最省事的选择。
hacknat查看英文原文
I think the best, and most traditional, comparison is the Cathedral and the Bazaar[1]. Pretty much every observation the author makes can be framed in this comparison. BSD has built-in libraries, and has a cohesive architecture. Linux is popular precisely because of its chaos. It is incredibly easy to hack some feature together in Linux. It will probably start out as ugly, but if enough people glom onto it, it will become great and maybe even secure. It is pretty clear that Linux became popular not because it was the best, but because it was the fastest development path. Obviously BSD has its uses, but if you're looking to develop a new feature and get it out the door (in OS development) Linux is the easiest choice. [1]ESM https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cathedral_and_the_Bazaar Edit: I remember reading somewhere that Netflix uses BSD for all of its net-intensive servers as network performance tuning on BSD is, at least by reputation, better, but they use Linux as their workhorse. They employ some FreeBSD committers though (obviously not everyone can do that).
批评作者明显偏袒 BSD、文章停留在哲学层面；Linux 的混乱中自有秩序，多样性正是其优点。
文章有趣、写得也好，但作为长期 Linux 用户，我读不出 BSD 相对 Linux 的优势到底在哪。我同意作者写了免责声明说不会论证 BSD 更好——可他确实暗示了。作者的偏向很明显，比如在哲学层面比较时用「混乱 vs 秩序」「对 vs 错」这样的标题。读这让我想起 15 年前（Slackware 3.4）年轻的我，为用一个几乎不可用的系统而自豪，被自尊蒙蔽，替 Linux 辩护却根本不了解内部，也拿不出一个论点说明它好在哪。硬要总结，无非是「Linux 不一样」。但这正是 Linux 有那么多发行版的原因。混乱中自有秩序。PS：很想看一份更技术性的比较（文件系统、调度等）。
lockem查看英文原文
While this was an interesting read, and pretty well written. I - as a long time Linux user, wasn't really able to figure out the advantages BSD has over Linux. I agree that the author put a nice disclaimer warning us he will not be telling us why BSD is better - but he definitely mentioned that it is . It is rather obvious the author is biased towards BSD - For example - "Chaos VS Order" and "Right VS Wrong" as titles when comparing BSD and Linux from a philosophical POV. Reading this reminded me of how I was as a young Linux user 15 years ago (Slackware 3.4...) and was proud of using a barely usable OS - blinded by my own pride arguing in favor of Linux without any true understanding of the internals - and unable to hold a single argument of what makes it any better. If i wanted to sum everything i would basically be saying - Linux is different. But thats why Linux has many different flavors - It depends on what you like - and your level of expertise. If you like compiling everything - you could use Gentoo. If you want it to "Just work" - you could try out Ubuntu. If you need something Robust and supported - use RHEL. While it is true that Linux development might be more "chaotic" than BSD, there is order in the chaos. What seems to be unordered and unorganized in fact has its own way of making things play in harmony. PS. I would really love if anyone has a more technical comparison of BSD VS Linux (FS, Scheduling Etc..)
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