@33MHz my work machine runs FreeBSD 11.1-Release, my laptop currently TrueOS Unstable. And my backup laptop OpenBSD 6.1. So, yes for two desktop machines.
@33MHz that's a FreeBSD-Derivate following current and has already the drm-next-patches compiled in and gives out of the box a desktop-experience (but still not as easy to use as the typical Linux-Distro) TrueOS.org
@33MHz FreeBSD has zfs which is great, OpenBSD is good to use but doesn't have VirtualBox. I like the better man-pages and some stuff like pf is not available on Linux. I am not a systemd-hater but if you are, that's the way to go. But FBSD feels like
@33MHz Linux 10 years ago. The experience is not as smooth. OpenBSD is better in that regard but has some shortcuts in terms of software because of its philosophy. But even better documentation.
@nielsk@jws and there are lots of distros to choose from, but there's a clear culture of choice in distros (I think), because there are so many options. Easy for me to choose when there are many shades vs black and white. :)
@33MHz well, it got easy for me: I dislike anything Debian-related, don't like the Arch-community, Gebtoo/Funtoo is source-based…so there is more or less only Fedora and CentOS ;) @jws
@nielsk You definitely want to s/pfSense/OPNsense as their community is better and they include security improvements from HardenedBSD (which is a security enhanced FreeBSD) // @33MHz@jws
@lechindianer ok, then I would prefer pfSense over OpenSense because it is based on OpenBSD. The Hardened BSD-people do. good work but imho I have a better feeling with what the OpenBSD-people are doing when the restrictions aren't a problem @jws@33MHz
@nielsk Sorry for the confusion. what I wanted to say is this: pfSense is based on FreeBSD, but they don't care about exploit mitigations, that's why you should run OPNSense (sec fork of pfSense) which includes HardenedBSDs security improvements
@jws but the big ones differ enough that you can easily choose by your needs imho: does it need to run on a toaster? NetBSD. Secure and opinionated? OpenBSD Runs as much software as possible on old hardware? FreeBSD Need HAMMER? Dragonfly @33MHz
@nielsk Dealing with storage and networks always feels clumsy to me. Sure it's user error. Don't know what to do with the tools we have now, never mind a decade ago. :\ Any good resources for practical machine/SOHO caretaking come to mind? // @33MHz
@jws soho? And storage-needs - hammer is for server-storage. I have for my mail backend several iscsi-servers and the imported LUNs are combined to zfs-mirrors which are exported as nfs. We are talking at least that level @33MHz
@jws Get a FreeNAS for storage-needs and some server needs. It is pretty easy to use and you can use it on commodity hardware. I use it at home and we have one at work as an iSCSI-backup-server until our Ceph is ready for that @33MHz
@jws and networking on that level. I don't know. A FritzBox (does that exist outside of Germany)? Something from Ubiquity? I heard good things about those. A machine for OpnSense? It depends on your needs actually @33MHz
@nielsk It's less that I have trouble with a particular piece of hardware than with understanding how to put everything together and keep it running as an ensemble. Missing the big picture of system, processes, network planning. // @33MHz
@jws take a piece of paper and start drawing. That's how I do it and how the people I know do it. We have several whiteboards which aren't allowed to be erased for months that only show the structure of a new complex setup @33MHz
@nielsk I'm a step behind even that. I've got basic questions like "what is a switch, when would I use it, and what does it do in terms of my diagram? What is this godforsaken box my ISP gave me, and can I replace it?" @33MHz
@jws ah, that level. If you would know German I could directly recommend a podcast. I try to think about a good book. I am mostly self-educated… @33MHz
@jws there is stuff with which you can ultimate things but that isn't cheap or needs usually yet another server and client-software etc. not worth the effort for smaller setups imho @33MHz