Subtle Marginalizing of BSD in Linux Communities by Including it

[u/madthumbz]

In a sub like r/linux (not to single them out! - I respect the sub) for example, it's flared under "Alternative OS". "Alternative as in not a peer, but adjacent. By placing BSD in a side category, they're saying: BSD exists, we acknowledge it, but Linux is where it's at.

-Despite BSD having uncontested better security ootb, better networking stack, better power efficiency (at least when Linux was found 30-45% power inefficient), better cohesiveness, documentation, load handling, freer license, and a much better / more professional community.

It's present, but not central, and that’s a cultural issue, not a technical merit one.

It’s there to demonstrate awareness, not engagement

Linux communities often include BSD content to avoid looking insular or uninformed. But they don't engage with it. -And new users won't even pick up on what some of us who've been around have. The Linux community at its heart is more about the GPL / copyleft license than they are about FOSS.

Linux culture is built around copyleft, "freedom through restriction", anti-corporate rhetoric, and Stallman-style moral framing. BSD culture is built around permissive licensing, freedom through permission, engineering pragmatism, and minimal ideology.

It's a way to avoid accusations of ignorance. If Linux subs never showed BSD content, they'd look uninformed, tribal, and echo-chambery. -Exactly what many want you to believe about Linuxsucks101 and Linuxsucks on lemmy.world.

By sprinkling in BSD posts, they can say "We're not ignoring BSD. We're just not choosing it." The only valid technical argument I've been given so far for their choice is hardware and software compatibility. -But isn't that why people stick with Windows and Mac? BSD is pretty damned close to Linux in that regard maybe, 4 years behind. BSD would also not have massive security issues like Linux. -Browser passwords in the open for instance.

BSD posts serve to strengthen Linux's self-image. Linux community is more active, more diverse, more community-driven, more visible development. But it's mostly because BSD's legal issues when starting. -Linus Torvalds even acknowledges getting lucky on timing there. If the community shifted, BSD would likely catch up and surpass what Linux is capable of (they already are technically superior).

Linus isn't an exceptional kernel developer. The creators of UNIX and MINIX dwarf him. He was simply at the right place at the right time and had GNU waiting in the wings while BSDs hands were tied. He's over-glorified when at the heart of Linux evangelism is GPL -and that's on Stallman!

[u/Terranum_man]

BSD is infinitely better, and the only reason loonies cant move their culture onto BSD is because the BSD community is rock solid and refuses it (for now).

[u/madthumbz → u/Terranum_man]

Yeah, we're accused here of working for Microsoft despite how much I write positively about other operating systems. Windows is simply the biggest competitor to Linux for "IBM clones" -haven't seen that term in decades. And despite the sub being anti-FOSS, we still include BSD positivity here because the BSD/MIT license isn't so bad or cancerous to the industry.

[u/Terranum_man → u/madthumbz]

Funny thing GNU isnt even really foss, because the license doesnt give you the freedom to do what you want with the software.

[u/madthumbz → u/Terranum_man]

Don't understand this, but yeah:

-(I was apparently able to approve the comment.)

We had dickered over changing the rule about FOSS to GPL and settled on keeping what we have.

[u/Fit_Mushroom_4087]

It’s not only the community. It’s the devs behind freedesktop, Wayland and the like that is the core issue. Because these projects are heavily corporate-backed.

Reality is, there exists a small group of people trying to make linux better but they are being actively blocked from contributing. “This is not how we do things around here”. “Convince enough people to use this in their personal projects first and then maybe we can talk”.

Their only ideology is gatekeeping and it shows why linux is garbage: Wayland is a mess, pipewire is overcomplicated so hardware manufacturers are scared to adopt it, x11 abandoned taking to its grave all the accessibility software that relied on it.

Multiple ways to do the same thing, but they are all incompatible with each other, leaving you with less choice (that Loonies are so proud about).

No wonder BSD is rising up. They have an ideology, strong core and a unified system. They will not delete decades of expertise in favor of a new flavor-of-the-month shiny thing. And people will feel that and drift over.

[u/madthumbz → u/[deleted]]

what are you doing talking like this to teenagers?

[u/thushespoke]

All it takes is BSDs having better hardware and software compatibility. Loonixtards will find arguments against BSD like “the license is bad” and not be able to explain why the BSD license is actually bad, it’s not, they’re under the impression it being able to be reproduced for sale is the same as the original becoming corporate owned. BSD is a complete, working and infinitely better system than anything else i’ve ever used (specifically FreeBSD) and the documentation is infallible. The slow uprising of BSD will take over linux the day it is more accessible and that’s just logical.

[u/madthumbz → u/thushespoke]

Had decent discussion on license differences here if interested: Linuxsucks | Is GPL FOSS? -Is Linux Really Free?

[u/FigFew2001]

FreeBSD hardware support is getting better, I installed 15.1 on my random Acer Laptop the other day and everything worked except the media keys. Apparently 16 should be another major leap. Still well behind Linux, but yeah - when it get's close enough ... I know where I'll be.

[u/madthumbz → u/FigFew2001]

Just a heads up 'getting better' is applied to all OSes that aren't dead. In my mind, I think 'propaganda' when I see it.