What is the difference between Linux and BSD?

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Linux. China-Open Source Chinese Community › Home › View Hot Talk › View content What is the difference between Linux and BSD?

2014-6-12 12:44| view: 6859| comments:| favorites: 3| share:

Source: Linux China Original: http://linux.cn/article-3186-1.html

Linux and BSD are free, open-source, Unix-like systems. They even use a lot of the same software. They look just like an operating system, so what's the difference?

In fact, the difference between the two, far beyond what we mentioned below, especially in the construction of a complete operating system and licensing of the philosophical thinking, is far from the difference. This passage will make it easy to understand the difference between them.

Basis

What many people call "Linux" is actually not Linux. Linux is technically just a Linux kernel, and a typical Linux distribution includes the Linux kernel and many software. This is why Linux is sometimes called gnu/linux. In fact, many of the software used on Linux is also used on BSD.

Both Linux and BSD are UNIX-like operating systems. We can find that Linux and BSD have different lineages by reading the Unix-like operating system history. Linux was developed by Linus Torvalds at a university in Finland. BSD stands for "Berkeley software distribution, Berkeley software Suite", which stems from a series of modifications to the Bell Labs UNIX developed at UC Berkeley, which eventually developed into a complete operating system and now has several different BSD branches.

Kernel vs. Full operating system

Strictly speaking, Linux is just a kernel. The job of making a Linux distribution is to bring together all the software needed to create a complete Linux operating system, combining it into a Linux distribution like Ubuntu, Mint, Debian, RedHat, or Arch. There are many different Linux distributions.

In contrast, the BSD name represents its kernel and operating system. For example, FreeBSD provides the FreeBSD kernel and the FreeBSD operating system. It is maintained as a single project. In other words, if you want to install FreeBSD, there is only one FreeBSD that you can install. If you want to install Linux, you need to choose between many Linux distributions first.

BSD includes a system called Ports, which provides a way to install packages. The Ports system contains the source code of the package, so if your computer wants to install the software, you need to compile them first. (If you've ever used a previously popular Gentoo, it's a bit like that.) However, packages can also be pre-installed in binary form so that you don't have to spend time and system resources compiling them to run.

License

A license is a typical difference, although it does not affect most people. Linux uses the GNU general Public License, which is the GPL. If you modify the Linux kernel and distribute it, you must release the source code of your modifications.

BSD uses BSD license. If you modify the BSD kernel or release, and publish it, you do not need to publish its source code at all. You are free to do whatever you want to do with your BSD code, you are not obligated to post the source code of your modifications, and of course you want to publish it.

Both are open source, but in a different way. People sometimes get bogged down in debates about what kind of license is "freer". The GPL can help users to ensure that they can own the source code of the GPL software and restrict developers from forcing them to open the code. The BSD license does not ensure that the user can own the source code, but rather gives the developer the right to publish the code, even if they want to turn it into a closed-source project.

BSD Branch

The following are the commonly recognized three "mainstream" BSD operating systems:

• Freebsd:freebsd is the most popular BSD for high performance and ease of use. It supports both Intel and AMD's 32-bit and 64-bit processors.
• NETBSD:NETBSD is designed to run on almost any architecture, supporting more architectures. The motto on their homepage is "take it for granted that we are running on NetBSD".
• The OPENBSD:OPENBSD is designed for maximum security-not just the functionality it claims, it's also true in practice. It is designed for the key systems of banks and other important institutions.

There are also two other important BSD operating systems:

• The Dragonfly Bsd:dragonfly BSD design goal is to provide an operating system that runs in a multithreaded environment-for example, a computer cluster.
• Darwin/mac os x:mac os X is actually based on the Darwin operating system, while the Darwin system is based on BSD. It is a bit different from the other BSD, although the underlying kernel and other software are open source (BSD code), but most of the operating system is closed-source Mac OS code). Apple has developed Mac OS X and IOS on a BSD basis, so they don't have to write down the OS, just as Google has built Android on Linux.

Why would you choose BSD instead of Linux?

Linux is obviously more popular than FreeBSD. For example, Linux tends to provide new hardware support earlier than FreeBSD. BSD has a Compatibility pack available that enables it to execute Linux binaries as native as most other software.

If you have used Linux, FreeBSD will not make you feel much different. If FreeBSD is used as a desktop operating system, you can use the same gnome,kde or XFCE desktop environment, and you can use most of the other software on Linux on BSD. It is important to note that FreeBSD does not automatically install the graphical desktop, so you have to spend more than Linux to take care of your BSD. BSD is a bit more conservative.

The reliability and stability of FreeBSD may be more appropriate as a server operating system. And vendors will choose BSD instead of Linux as their operating system, because they don't have to release the code they've modified.

If you are a PC desktop user, you really don't need to be too concerned about BSD. You might like Linux because it has more advanced hardware support, is easier to install, and features modern operating systems. If you focus on servers or embedded devices, you might prefer FreeBSD.

We may hear some people say that they are using FreeBSD on a desktop computer, and of course you may be one of them! But open-source operating systems like Ubuntu or Mint are more experienced and advanced for most users.

Article Source: http://linux.cn/article-3186-1.html

What is the difference between Linux and BSD?