A Hackaday writer experiments with switching from Windows to FreeBSD, citing frustration with Linux's fragmented distributions and Windows' declining viability. Using GhostBSD for an easier desktop setup, the author installs it on older hardware to compare against Manjaro Linux. The process highlights FreeBSD's coherent codebase but reveals challenges with gaming and proprietary software.
The author's journey begins with past tinkering: nearly switching to SuSE Linux in 1999 after Windows 98 SE, but opting for Windows 2000 instead. Subsequent experiments included QNX, BeOS, various BSDs, and Linux distros like Lindows. Recent discomfort stems from Windows 7's end-of-life and the perception that Windows as a desktop OS is nearing demise, with common alternatives being Linux or macOS. However, the author favors FreeBSD for its single codebase, avoiding the 'Chaos Vortex' of choosing among Linux distros like Debian, Arch, or RPM-based ones.
FreeBSD lacks distributions due to its unified structure, offering plain FreeBSD for advanced users or GhostBSD for a straightforward desktop install similar to Linux Mint. The author tests on two systems: a 2013 Ivy Bridge Intel-based Clevo W370ET laptop and a 2015 Skylake PC with Core i7 6700K, GTX 980 Ti, and 32 GB DDR4, both fitted with new SATA SSDs.
Installation on the laptop failed; the GhostBSD installer froze, linked to USB 3.0 issues, leading to a successful Manjaro Linux install instead. The desktop PC install succeeded using a USB 3.0 port, booting GhostBSD XFCE at 1080p.
For gaming, open-source software ports easily, but Steam and GOG Galaxy require workarounds. Valve's Steam supports only Windows, macOS, and select Ubuntu versions, so the author used linuxulator-steam-utils (chroot method) initially, but switched to Wine via Mizutamari GUI frontend after dependency issues. This allowed installing and playing games like Nightmare Kart, though with glitches such as Steam's flickering store page and restarts. GOG Galaxy 1.x worked, but the current version did not. Firewatch showed minor bugs, like mouse issues in one scene.
Broader annoyances include relying on Linux or Windows software versions, such as running DaVinci Resolve via chroot. The author notes porting applications like NymphCast to FreeBSD is feasible if code adheres to POSIX standards. Future plans involve testing native video editors and Linux compatibility layers further.
Comments reflect divided opinions: some praise Linux's reliability on distros like KUbuntu or Fedora, others defend FreeBSD's code quality but note hardware support limitations, like Broadcom WiFi on older MacBooks.