I had a server running at home 20 years ago which ran OpenBSD. It was the most pleasant and consistent system I have ever worked with. Splendid documentation and predictable release cycles, with...
I had a server running at home 20 years ago which ran OpenBSD. It was the most pleasant and consistent system I have ever worked with. Splendid documentation and predictable release cycles, with an update procedure that just worked every time with a comprehensive list of all the changes you might need to be aware of and how to handle them. And every release comes with a catchy song. I probably won't use OpenBSD again, but the really old-school approach to Unix systems does have its appeal.
I also had a server at home 20 years ago running OpenBSD. Still do, in fact. It's been very stable. I initially chose it over other options because of its reputation for security and the excellent...
I also had a server at home 20 years ago running OpenBSD. Still do, in fact. It's been very stable. I initially chose it over other options because of its reputation for security and the excellent documentation.
Curious, why wouldn't you use OpenBSD again? Do you nowadays prefer other *-BSDs? Or, does linux tend to scracth the itch, so to speak? My own experience with old school unix and BSD began at...
I probably won't use OpenBSD again
Curious, why wouldn't you use OpenBSD again? Do you nowadays prefer other *-BSDs? Or, does linux tend to scracth the itch, so to speak? My own experience with old school unix and BSD began at university, and then when i was first learning "web stuff" (back in late 90s/early 2000s, websites hosting was only available on unix or BSD machines). So, just curious - if you don't mind sharing? :-)
Mostly that I am not really interested in managing servers anymore and I have less need for it. I do have a small VPS which just run Ubuntu because I couldn't be bothered with anything else. At...
Mostly that I am not really interested in managing servers anymore and I have less need for it. I do have a small VPS which just run Ubuntu because I couldn't be bothered with anything else. At work, everything is containers running on kubernetes anyways. Back then I was heavily into tinkering with operating systems, and used both FreeBSD and Gentoo on my desktop and laptop computers, volunteered at conferences and was generally just more enthusiastic about the whole thing. Now I have just settled with a Mac for my work computer, and I am generally satisfied as long as I have a shell to work with.
I appreciate you sharing that! And, really liked your comment about "...and I am generally satisfied as long as I have a shell to work with." - which sorta rings true with me a little as well....
I appreciate you sharing that! And, really liked your comment about "...and I am generally satisfied as long as I have a shell to work with." - which sorta rings true with me a little as well. Thanks again! :-)
I’ve always used Linux as-is, buttoned up neatly by RedHat and managed by IT. Nor have I played in the self-hosting space, or even much in the personal project space. But I did enjoy the author’s...
I’ve always used Linux as-is, buttoned up neatly by RedHat and managed by IT. Nor have I played in the self-hosting space, or even much in the personal project space.
But I did enjoy the author’s take on learning and the friction we experience when trying to intake information that’s perpendicular to the worldview and assumptions we had previously.
I had a similar experience when I was trying to set up a complicated* Azure DevOps pipeline.
* note: comparatively complicated for me

I find that I often come at these sorts of new challenges sideways. I’ve used a heavily-templated pipeline before, I just need it to do one thing differently, I’ve read almost none of the documentation but by gods this should be easy, and then six hours later I’ve wound my way through the help pages of thirty different features and have perhaps constructed the knowledge available from the introduction web page by way of the negative space left by the rest of them.
I’ve read almost none of the documentation but by gods this should be easy, and then six hours later I’ve wound my way through the help pages of thirty different features and have perhaps constructed the knowledge available from the introduction web page by way of the negative space left by the rest of them.
I had a server running at home 20 years ago which ran OpenBSD. It was the most pleasant and consistent system I have ever worked with. Splendid documentation and predictable release cycles, with an update procedure that just worked every time with a comprehensive list of all the changes you might need to be aware of and how to handle them. And every release comes with a catchy song. I probably won't use OpenBSD again, but the really old-school approach to Unix systems does have its appeal.
I also had a server at home 20 years ago running OpenBSD. Still do, in fact. It's been very stable. I initially chose it over other options because of its reputation for security and the excellent documentation.
Curious, why wouldn't you use OpenBSD again? Do you nowadays prefer other *-BSDs? Or, does linux tend to scracth the itch, so to speak? My own experience with old school unix and BSD began at university, and then when i was first learning "web stuff" (back in late 90s/early 2000s, websites hosting was only available on unix or BSD machines). So, just curious - if you don't mind sharing? :-)
Mostly that I am not really interested in managing servers anymore and I have less need for it. I do have a small VPS which just run Ubuntu because I couldn't be bothered with anything else. At work, everything is containers running on kubernetes anyways. Back then I was heavily into tinkering with operating systems, and used both FreeBSD and Gentoo on my desktop and laptop computers, volunteered at conferences and was generally just more enthusiastic about the whole thing. Now I have just settled with a Mac for my work computer, and I am generally satisfied as long as I have a shell to work with.
I appreciate you sharing that! And, really liked your comment about "...and I am generally satisfied as long as I have a shell to work with." - which sorta rings true with me a little as well. Thanks again! :-)
I’ve always used Linux as-is, buttoned up neatly by RedHat and managed by IT. Nor have I played in the self-hosting space, or even much in the personal project space.
But I did enjoy the author’s take on learning and the friction we experience when trying to intake information that’s perpendicular to the worldview and assumptions we had previously.
I had a similar experience when I was trying to set up a complicated* Azure DevOps pipeline.
* note: comparatively complicated for me

I find that I often come at these sorts of new challenges sideways. I’ve used a heavily-templated pipeline before, I just need it to do one thing differently, I’ve read almost none of the documentation but by gods this should be easy, and then six hours later I’ve wound my way through the help pages of thirty different features and have perhaps constructed the knowledge available from the introduction web page by way of the negative space left by the rest of them.
REPORT: I’m in this comment and I don’t like it