Looking for Hell of Software

[Tsarevich]

I have been frequently quoting in other threads about my old computer which is a Pentium III. I have two out of three BSD CDs lying around while the third I lost to a filesystem damage . I had a bad experience of FreeBSD. Firstly, the installation is slow and not as independent as Linux OS's. I was very much attracted by the BSD's appetite, which said it needed 24 MB RAM minimum. Secondly, the KDE 4 desktop is on CD 2 and 3, while the other BSD'ers had (just) said you can enjoy FreeBSD from the first disk. I cannot enjoy without CD3 then! All good editors are on CD 3 as well. I became dis hearted and dropped the idea of downloading the third CD again. I saw very little amount of software on FreeBSD disks, unlike the overbrimming Linux disks.

I was looking for hell lot of software ........

I browsed the FTP repo of openSUSE 11 (which my friend will soon be bringing for me). I can't go on with Ubuntu any more because I hate downloading software. I want it right in my hands.

Maybe I am misinterpreting BSD!

Should I redownload BSD disc 3 and ENJOY it? Or should I install openSUSE?

[Freston]

When you install ports, FreeBSD can download and install any and all software available for FreeBSD. You don't need a full install from the CD's for that.

Mind, I compiled XFCE's source (from memory I'd say it's about 25MB) and it took ages on my 450Mhz. I don't know how long, but I started early in the evening and left it running over night. Next morning it was done. It could be five hours, it could be twelve. You can also install binaries, which is a couple of warp factors faster on a PIII. I found that out later


But if you don't want to download software through a repo or ports system, then I guess it isn't for you. You can download the third disk, but eventually you may want to install more software not on the disk. Rinse, repeat, same problem all over again...

Maybe you can explain why you don't want to download software? I mean, is it because it's slow, because you have a maximum download, or because you don't trust it? That matters a bit to decide how to deal with this question.

Anyway, I do not (repeat: do not) recommend OpenSuSE for a PIII. The decision is your of course and you can do whatever you like, but SuSE is a heavy distro designed to take advantage of the power of more modern computers. FreeBSD runs quite well on a PIII if all the hardware components are supported (otherwise, you're pretty much fscked) and Ubuntu (Xubuntu perhaps?) can run on a PIII but the default install is pretty basic as it comes on one disk and you are expected to download and install all the apps you need that didn't fit on that one CD. Thus...



Maybe a distro like Vector or Zenwalk or [insert alternative distro for older hardware] that have pretty much very complete functionality right from the default install?

[Tsarevich]

FreeBSD runs quite well on a PIII if all the hardware components are supported (otherwise, you're pretty much fscked)

Then FreeBSD should be the choice.

Maybe you can explain why you don't want to download software? I mean, is it because it's slow,

Yes that's exactly it. But maybe some software, like 70 MBs or so shall be no pain in the arse, and most are so.

Thanks for the advice. 450 MHz is exactly what I have. I loath compiling binaries. The one I did was probably a KDE 3 window style . The other I did was CRUX kernel. Would you also please tell which PC you have right now, and which one was the 450 MHz? (off topic).

[oz]

I can't go on with Ubuntu any more because I hate downloading software. I want it right in my hands.

I think Debian might have more software than BSD, or OpenSuse. If you don't want to download it, you can buy the full sets of Debian on CD (over 21 CDs, I think it is) or on DVD (about 5 dvds) from the various vendors found here:

Vendors of Debian CDs

[Tsarevich]

I think Debian might have more software than BSD, or OpenSuse. If you don't want to download it, you can buy the full sets of Debian on CD (over 21 CDs, I think it is) or on DVD (about 5 dvds) from the various vendors found here:

Vendors of Debian CDs

I don't need that much software . Maybe FreeBSD shall be it. Package management may be looking slow to me, on KDE 4, it may not be so! (Not in technical terms )

I have started downloading FreeBSD disc 3. I will burn it and enjoy BSD. I have already stuck a Powered by BSD logo on my box, now I have no way out!

[Rubberman]

Then FreeBSD should be the choice.



Yes that's exactly it. But maybe some software, like 70 MBs or so shall be no pain in the arse, and most are so.

Thanks for the advice. 450 MHz is exactly what I have. I loath compiling binaries. The one I did was probably a KDE 3 window style . The other I did was CRUX kernel. Would you also please tell which PC you have right now, and which one was the 450 MHz? (off topic).

I have an old Dell P-II 450 that I ran Gentoo on very happily. It has 384MB of RAM, but it ran very well with 256MB as well.

BSD is definitely a viable option, but if you want to run Linux, Gentoo's "configure and build the system from scratch" philosophy will definitely allow you to optimize the OS to your hardware. Chances are that other than a possible storage upgrade, you aren't going to invest in new hardware for the system, so that should work very well for you.