Linux software
There were many people who said BSD didn’t have a ghost of a chance on the desktop. Mayank Sharma was one of them.
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SDs have all the hallmarks of server operating systems, but you wouldn’t think of running them on the desktop. GhostBSD is one of a small number of projects that’s working to change that perception. Unlike its peers, though, which just slap a desktop environment on top of a BSD base, GhostBSD puts in the effort to create a very approachable and functional desktop. For instance, GhostBSD boots straight into a live graphical desktop environment, which makes it accessible to users irrespective of their familiarity with BSDs. The OS uses the lightweight MATE desktop environment, and you wouldn’t even realise you’re running a BSD-based OS.
Behind the scenes though, it is still BSD. Until a couple of years back, GhostBSD was running on top of a pure FreeBSD base. It then shifted to TrueOS, which brought along several enhancements, in particular the OpenRC init system. GhostBSD is still based on TrueOS, but the project has dropped the CURRENT branch and instead moved to the STABLE branch for ABI stability, with the integration of the latest system update developed by TrueOS. With the 20.01 release it has re-based the OS to FreeBSD 12.1-STABLE.
GhostBSD uses its own homebrewed GBI installer to anchor the OS to the disk. While it isn’t particularly cumbersome to operate, when navigating it you’ll get the first signs you’re running a nonLinux OS. The installer recommends first-time users stick to the option of allowing the OS to take over the entire disk. There is an option for custom partitioning as well that has been improved in this release, particularly for UEFI-enabled machines. However, you must be well-versed with the UFS file system to venture anywhere near it. So the inclusion of a custom partitioner for an alien filesystem essentially forces you to stick to the recommended option. All things considered, this is a serious limitation, since many users wouldn’t have a spare machine to dedicate to GhostBSD.
NO GHOSTS IN THE MACHINE
The installer also gives you the option to install the GhostBSD Boot Loader. You should install this if you want the OS to take over the entire disk. The GhostBSD bootloader will also be able to boot Windows. However, if you are dual-booting GhostBSD with a Linux distro, it’s best to skip installing the GhostBSD bootloader and instead use your Linux distro’s existing one. In such a case, just install GhostBSD, boot into the installed Linux distro and run the update-grub command to add GhostBSD to the boot menu.
Outside of the installer, though, there is hardly anything that will appear alien to a Linux desktop user. In addition to MATE, the familiarity is further enhanced by the fact the application menu houses all the usual open source apps that you find on just about every desktop Linux distro.
Another big positive for the project is its range of custom apps for essential administration tasks. For instance, fleshing out the installation is a no-brainer thanks to the graphical Software Station app, which is a frontend to FreeBSD’s pkgng package manager. Similarly, you can use Update Station to track, fetch and install any updates to both the system and the installed apps. Another interesting custom app is Station Tweak, a fork of the MATE Tweak app, and will help you to customise the desktop by tweaking various elements of the UI.
GhostBSD is essentially a one-man project but has all the essential elements to succeed as a desktop OS. Its engineering efforts are backed up by a decent documentation and support channel that’s good enough to acclimatise new users.
“Has all the essential elements to succeed as a desktop OS. ”