Re: Why Are You NOT Using FreeBSD?

On 07.06.12 13:58, Hartmann, O. wrote:
> ... in some cases this needs the deep knowledge of all ports/software
> provided and used and this is simply impossible, or at least null
> convergent probability.

Only God is required to know and be able to do everything. We humans can 
be imperfect.

> In some cases I see a dicrepancy between what is reality and what is
> predicated. If it comes to the evidence, that something has been
> mismanaged, then there is always this allmighty excuse: FreeBSD is a
> volunteer system developed by volunteers blabla. I'm also a volunteer
> using FreeBSD! And I spend a lot of time trying to help.

There was recently an very nice short announcement on how/why Netflix 
has decided to use FreeBSD as the base for their delivery infrastructure 
platform. You understand, that Netflix are serious about this. According 
to them, they have identified where the current state of FreeBSD needs 
help and contributed their fixes back to the community voluntarily (they 
are not required by the BSD license, unlike with GPL).

I didn't read any excuse on part of Netflix why they can't use FreeBSD.

> But at some points this gets very frustrating! Totally corrupted ports
> (not FreeBSD itself!), and so a corrupted system, no fallback mechanism
> although the problem is there for decades by now (as stated in this thread).

Why the whining?

I too am sometimes frustrated that the ports tree gets broken from time 
to time. Usually  this means I will have to spend more time on it. Time 
is something I don't have much to spare. But I know that whining does 
not help. Learning is faster.

I also know there *is* fallback mechanism here. One that was explained 
in this thread a number of times: sync your ports tree to a non-broken 
date. Usually, just the day before the announcement that broke it 
appears in /usr/ports/UPDATING is enough.

I also see your problem with Thunderbird and LDAP. But you didn't 
provide enough information, except "it does not work". So let's try to 
narrow it a bit:

- does the same setup work with another OS? (the same setup, same 
software versions)
- you imply interaction with Firefox. Is Firefox crashing too?
- have you traced the crash to specific library (there should be enough 
error messages, or at least core file to investigate)?
- have you considered that this all might be configuration problem of 
some sort? Or using some non-standard compiler like GCC 4.6? I know it 
is always FreeBSD's and not user fault, but still...

> I guess there are plenty of reasons as well as there are plenty of
> reasons of the opposit. But one very frustrating scaring thing is the
> arrogancy of several people here - leveling out the great help of those
> who wish to help.
I don't know about others, but I won't buy your attempt at social 
engineering here.

Like I said, you are either capable of doing certain job, or you are 
not. Blaming others for your lack of knowledge on certain subject is not 
very productive. Claiming that those who suggest the problem might be 
sometimes caused by the device in front of the computer are arrogant is 
even less productive.

By the way, asking a question politely is going to produce a lot more 
useful replies, than "tell me this, you bunch of arrogant FreeBSD users!".

Or to put it in summary: if you are not critical to yourself, there is 
no point being critical towards others, much less "FreeBSD".

Daniel