Re: [TCLUG:17303] FreeBSD

[Daniel Taylor <dante@plethora.net>]

BSD works, there is just wierd stuff.  I don't notice the wierd stuff
so much anymore. OpenBSD would be a better choice in your position.

It isn't so much important which distribution you are running
as what you do with it after it gets loaded. With a domain name like
ardent-hacker.net you are going to attract every script kiddie in the
book. You need to have only the necessary ports open, always run
the latest versions of the services you do make available and
watch _ALL_ the security lists. I would advise using bsd-ftpd
and some other security rated applications for the services that you 
need.  By limiting (severely!) the ports open you limit the attack
possibilities by as much, then you make certain that you have the 
latest versions of the applications you _need_ and watch CERT and 
Bugtraq for any security issues with the applications you are using.

Don't forget to disable X and NFS and _DO_NOT_ use your exposed 
server as a workstation.

Daniel Taylor                Embedded and custom Linux integration.
dante@plethora.net           (612)747-1609

On Sun, 7 May 2000, Eric F Crist wrote:

> Ok then,
> 
> If FreeBSD isn't really that great as far as running linux compiled software,
> here's more of what I need to know.
> 
> 1) I need to be able to run some sort of MTA.
> 
> 2) I need to be able to run the apache web server package.
> 
> 3) I need to have better security 'built-in,' out of the box, as I'm still
> learning a great deal about *nix type OSes. 
> 
> 4) Until I can afford a third
> computer, this machine must also be able to operate as my desktop machine.  I
> would like to be able to run such software as web-browsers, multimedia
> utilities (shockwave, CD Player, RealPlayer, etc.)
> 
> Any advice, ASAP would be appreciated.
> 
> Thanks, 
> 
> Eric F Crist
> aka Slinky
> 
> 
> 
> On Sun, 07 May 2000, you wrote:
> > BSD != Linux, Linux != BSD. BSD is similar to UNIX, Linux is similar to BSD,
> > BSD is similar to Linux.
> > 
> > First thing to consider, Caldera OpenLinux (as well as Corel Linux) are
> > desined to be desktop distributions, not server distributions. RedHat does a
> > semi-decent job of being both. Debian does an excelent job of being a sever
> > operating system "out of the box" do to the extremely strict security
> > policies and stale but rock solid distributions. As far as the future goes,
> > I think all servers I set up will be of Debian's Stable distribution (or
> > frozen.) with distribution corss compiled (ie, compiling woody (v2.3) source
> > under potato(v2.2)) packages if the newer version has something I absoutely
> > have to have.
> > 
> > As a desktop Linux goes, Corel, OpenLinux, RetHat, and Turbo should be ok in
> > an office type setting.
> > 
> > If your looking to run applications and services that are developed under
> > and for Linux specifically, you probally won't be pleased with a BSD system
> > as it would suffer the same flaws as Slink (Debian 2.1) Stale software.
> > Check the development cycles for the critical software under BSD and compare
> > to Linux before you completely decide on BSD.
> > 
> > You'll encounter some "strangness" when you go to BSD, as in things under
> > /dev won't be familar to you (ethX is something completely different under
> > BSD.) Also your hard drive assignment will be quite different.
> > 
> > Example: Under linux, /dev/sda has a scsi ID of 5, under BSD it would be
> > /deb/sde, even if it is your primiary hard drive (I at least think I'm
> > right, I'm not that familiar with BSD so PLEASE correct me if I'm wrong
> > here.) But I'm rather sure that devices are given their sdX by their scsi ID
> > instead of by primiary and seconday hard drives.
> > 
> > I'm also farily certen the BSD requires you to boot from a primiary
> > partition even if you're doing fun lilo tricks. Linux is pretty happy to
> > boot from and drive, and wilt a few lilo tricks (or bios tricks) you can
> > boot Windows from your slave drive. BSD is pricky about that.
> > 
> > Also know BSD is NOT derived from Linux in any way. BSD is Berkly's
> > implementation of UNIX, and the current BSD distributions (FreeBSD, OpenBSD,
> > I think there are at least to more xxxBSDs...) are in some way based on
> > Berkly's BSD, hence the BSD in the name.
> > 
> > Anyway, the information I've typed out is only slightly more than you know
> > about BSD. I know just slightly more than you're next to nothing about BSD
> > and the history of, and I'm completely willing to admit that and learn from
> > those who have actually used BSD.
> > 
> > Pleas, those wilt more knowelge than me, politely correct my mistakes and
> > teache me more. Teache me the benifits of BSD over Linux, xontinue teaching
> > me the benifits on Linux over BSD. Continue teaching me the benifites of and
> > OS over another OS over any other. Continue teaching me the benifits of any
> > of (even a MS OS), but please, please, please, don't flame me and turn me
> > off from your OS of choice as so many try to do. Be open about what your OS
> > of choice does well as wll as be open about what it doesn't do so well. Give
> > me the pros, but don't leave me to discover the cons on my own.
> > 
> > We're all here to learn and share what we have learned, so unless I'm
> > completely missing the ideals behaind an open discussin UG (even if it is
> > supposed to be a Linux specific users group.) don't flame me. I don't see
> > any harm in discussing the merits of any other operating system over Linux.
> > 
> > I'm now very tired and in no shape to continue this debate (with myself) any
> > further.
> > 
> > Happy trails, Andy.
> > 
> > 
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