Let's talk FreeBSD (finally) (Interview)

The Changelog: Software Development, Open Source

This week we’re joined by FreeBSD & OpenZFS developer, Allan Jude, to learn all about FreeBSD. Allan gives us a brief history of BSD, tells us why it’s his operating system of choice, compares it to Linux, explains the various BSDs out there & answers every curious question we have about this powerful (yet underrepresented) Unix-based operating system.

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Sponsors:

• Vercel – With zero configuration for over 35 frameworks, Vercel’s Frontend Cloud makes it easy for any team to deploy their apps. Today, you can get a 14-day free trial of Vercel Pro, or get a customized Enterprise demo from their team. Visit vercel.com/changelogpod to get started.
• Rocky Linux – From Flops and Threads - Episode #4: Ask Me Anything (AMA) with OpenELA — OpenELA will provide sources necessary for downstreams compatible with RHEL to exist, with initial focus on RHEL versions EL8, EL9 and possibly EL7. The project is committed to ensuring the continued availability of OpenELA sources to the community indefinitely. By welcoming other organizations and community members to join and contribute actively, OpenELA seeks to build a robust, community-driven standard that ensures impartiality and equilibrium in the EL ecosystem.
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Featuring:

• Allan Jude – Website, GitHub, LinkedIn, X
• Adam Stacoviak – Website, GitHub, LinkedIn, Mastodon, X
• Jerod Santo – GitHub, LinkedIn, Mastodon, X

Show Notes:

• The FreeBSD Project
• FreeBSD on Wikipedia
• Repology, the packaging hub
• Allan’s podcast: 2.5 Admins
• FreeBSD Mastery: Advanced ZFS (Amazon)

Something missing or broken? PRs welcome!

Capitole

1. This week on The Changelog (00:00:00)

2. Sponsor: Vercel (00:01:06)

https://vercel.com

3. Start the show! (00:04:35)

4. The setup (thanks Vladimir!) (00:04:52)

5. A brief history of BSD (00:05:43)

6. Why Allen chose BSD (00:12:16)

7. Why Allen stays with BSD (00:14:40)

8. Does Allen like Linux? (00:17:34)

9. Sponsor: Rocky Linux (00:18:22)

https://flops-and-threads.captivate.fm/episode/ask-me-anything-ama-with-openela

10. BSD & the OS pecking order (00:23:16)

11. BSD's relationship to ZFS (00:26:11)

12. The other BSDs (00:33:16)

13. Sponsor: Read Write Own (00:40:14)

https://readwriteown.com

14. Best starter BSD? (00:41:35)

15. BSD for homelab? (00:43:17)

16. BSD for Docker? (00:45:41)

17. FreeBSD & networking (00:50:01)

18. Allan's network use cases (00:51:18)

19. Load balanced Pi-hole's?! (00:53:51)

20. The totalitarian network (00:58:24)

21. Package availability (01:00:01)

22. Feeding the LLMs (docs) (01:02:26)

23. Interacting with the community (01:03:55)

24. FreeBSD governance (01:05:31)

25. Unlearning Linux (01:06:47)

26. Allan's take on macOS (01:09:43)

27. The Lego set criticism (01:11:28)

28. Weird Plex, but OK (01:13:03)

29. Allan's plugs (01:17:42)

30. Thanks! (01:19:10)

31. Up next (01:21:31)