PC-BSD-Renamed TrueOS To Use LibreSSL, Linux DRM 4.7 Compatibility

[phoronix]

Phoronix: PC-BSD-Renamed TrueOS To Use LibreSSL, Linux DRM 4.7 Compatibility

In case you missed it last month, PC-BSD is completely re-branding itself as TrueOS, that's across the board for their desktop, server, and embedded editions while they will abandon the PC-BSD name. More details are coming to light on the inaugural TrueOS release...

http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=TrueOS-LibreSSL-DRM-4.7

[ElectricPrism]

I'm all for change when there are benefits. I'm really not sure what benefit there is in PC-BSD being named TrueOS.

PC-BSD instantly communicates what it is and why I would want it.

TrueOS? what is it and why would I want it.

Most BSD distros have the BSD suffix, so it's definitely breaking with tradition, it seems to me that to break that tradition would need some reasonable causation.

[starshipeleven]

PC-BSD instantly communicates what it is and why I would want it.

That it is a BSD derivative for PCs? And where does it state why I should want it?
It's sound is brutal and its meaning is just as brutally simple. Not evocative. Good for a server where you talk to engineers and sysadmins that are technical-oriented people.

For end-user-oriented stuff you need cool factor more than a self-explaining name, as in most cases the end user won't even know what the acronym even means at all.

TrueOS? what is it and why would I want it.

It is a true OS, don't you want a true OS for your PC? Why staying with a half-assed OS when you can install a true OS?

Most BSD distros have the BSD suffix, so it's definitely breaking with tradition, it seems to me that to break that tradition would need some reasonable causation.

*BSD isn't as good-sounding as a name that is chosen on good sound alone. Is that a good enough reason for branding change ?

[ElectricPrism]

Your reasoning is interesting and It does uncover some valid points suchas

1. TrueOS/PC-BSD's target demographic is users
2. Average users will not know or care what BSD is
3. Cool factor ?

Anyways, I'm not for off the hook naming conventions but I know what a BSD is, and the reason I would want it I suppose is because it's no Windows or Linux.

It just seems like from the user experience of PC-BSD currently that if it's goals were to be a popular user OS it would do more than just change the name, like ditch BSD for Linux or Android Kernel - and focus more on the GUI, Icons, Graphics, Workflow, instead of kernel drivers, and whatever else...

I guess that sort of begs the next question - on their website their second target demographic is Servers - why would anyone want to use TrueOS for servers?

I think they need to think about the user and the incentives and needs of their demographic to gain popularity.

^ 2 cents

[MaxToTheMax]

If I were to ever try a FreeBSD system, I'd want to start with the base FreeBSD and build up a desktop from there, just to get the full learning experience. But now that TrueOS actually has substantially better hardware support, that makes the decision harder. Is it possible to concoct some kind of FreeBSD "base" using the trueOS kernel?

[eidolon]

I'm all for change when there are benefits. I'm really not sure what benefit there is in PC-BSD being named TrueOS.

A name change isn't going to trip up the project, but "TrueOS" as a name is something so flavorless and pseudo suggestive it's hard to believe it's not the brainchild of someone with a marketing background.

Marketing people should be granted less communication privileges than people in prison.

[WalterCool]

LibreSSL + Qt5? That doesn't make any sense! QtNetworking is incompatible with LibreSSL, unless you modify some code before.

[starshipeleven]

Anyways, I'm not for off the hook naming conventions but I know what a BSD is, and the reason I would want it I suppose is because it's no Windows or Linux.

Wrong marketing strategy. You don't want to be the OS for those that don't want Windows or Linux.
You want to be a good OS, a OS with nice features, a OS that empowers the user, and so on. "Think different" man.

That's a good market strategy for more mass userbase. You must look cool on your own.

It just seems like from the user experience of PC-BSD currently that if it's goals were to be a popular user OS it would do more than just change the name, like ditch BSD for Linux or Android Kernel -

Aww come on, we don't need yet another mass-user-oriented linux distro, Ubuntu is making enough damage already.

and focus more on the GUI, Icons, Graphics, Workflow,

Try to guess who is developing Lumina, the first and so far only native BSD DE based off Qt libs?

instead of kernel drivers, and whatever else...

You cannot ignore that without kernel drivers most newish laptops don't work like at all (because everyone is using a Intel iGPU to drive the screen), and you can only install desktops with NVIDIA cards.

That's kinda bad for non-niche userbase.

I guess that sort of begs the next question - on their website their second target demographic is Servers - why would anyone want to use TrueOS for servers?

https://web.pcbsd.org/development/moretrueos/
As I said, server users are more attracted by actual meat, that is features, tools and pre-configured stuff than cool names.

Also they use OpenRC, which is the most advanced init available for them.

TrueOS is neat, It really looks like they want to break the tradition of BSDs and go in the right direction to become an OS that people might actually want to use in their PC without being systemd haters or permissive license fanboys.

[starshipeleven]

LibreSSL + Qt5? That doesn't make any sense! QtNetworking is incompatible with LibreSSL, unless you modify some code before.

They seem to use NetworkManager, as they have a Qt GUI for it in their main repos https://github.com/trueos/pc-networkmanager

Seriously guys how about using Google sometimes?

[starshipeleven]

If I were to ever try a FreeBSD system, I'd want to start with the base FreeBSD and build up a desktop from there, just to get the full learning experience. But now that TrueOS actually has substantially better hardware support, that makes the decision harder. Is it possible to concoct some kind of FreeBSD "base" using the trueOS kernel?

It's freeBSD that made the shim to run Linux drivers, TrueOS is a derivative.

https://www.freebsdnews.com/2016/05/13/freebsd-is-pursuing-a-compatibility-layer-to-make-it-easier-to-run-linux-drm-drivers/

So no, you can install freeBSD.