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PC-BSD: An Easy To Use BSD Desktop: Dru Lavigne Community Manager, PC-BSD Project SCALE 2011

PC-BSD is a desktop operating system based on FreeBSD that includes a graphical installer and preconfigured desktop, applications, and utilities. Key differences from FreeBSD include easier installation and configuration for desktop usage. The upcoming 9.0 release will allow selection of desktop environments and include changes to the PBI software installation format. Community involvement is welcomed to provide feedback, documentation, translations, and more.

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865 views

PC-BSD: An Easy To Use BSD Desktop: Dru Lavigne Community Manager, PC-BSD Project SCALE 2011

PC-BSD is a desktop operating system based on FreeBSD that includes a graphical installer and preconfigured desktop, applications, and utilities. Key differences from FreeBSD include easier installation and configuration for desktop usage. The upcoming 9.0 release will allow selection of desktop environments and include changes to the PBI software installation format. Community involvement is welcomed to provide feedback, documentation, translations, and more.

Uploaded by

sfidvo
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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PC-BSD: An Easy to Use BSD Desktop

Dru Lavigne Community Manager, PC-BSD Project SCALE 2011

This presentation will cover...


How PC-BSD differs from FreeBSD How PC-BSD differs from Linux Current features New features in the upcoming 9.0 release Changes to the PBI format How you can help

How does PC-BSD differ from FreeBSD? Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words:

How PC-BSD differs from FreeBSD


Graphical installer that supports GPT, ZFS, encryption, and a live mode for testing hardware Desktop, video, network, sound, java, flash are pre-configured so you can immediately start using the system Provides GUI applications to perform common tasks which are specific to BSD (i.e. not provided by desktop environment such as KDE)

But, it is still FreeBSD "under the hood"

Uses same version numbers e.g. current release is 8.3 Anything you can do in FreeBSD, you can do in PC-BSD FreeBSD resources (e.g. Handbook, FAQs) are still an excellent source of information Many settings that you have to configure manually in FreeBSD "just work" in PCBSD

KDE for Default Desktop

Intuitive for new users Provides hundreds of GUI applications Supports desktop effects Very customizable

But what if I can't stand KDE?


Fluxbox is pre-configured and integrated into PC-BSD's utilities should you need a lighter weight desktop PBIs are available for GNOME, XFCE, and Enlightenment 188 window managers are available as FreeBSD ports/packages PC-BSD 9 will allow you to select desktop(s) during installation

PC-BSD GUI Applications


PC-BSD provides graphical utilities to manage common configuration tasks (e.g. networking, firewall settings, user management, and printing) Designed to understand BSD device names, expected paths, etc. Graphical utilities for functions unique to FreeBSD such as jail(8) management and geli(8) disk encryption

Tweaked for Desktop Usage

Customized kernel sysctl(8) and loader.conf(5) settings rc.conf(5) settings

Can browse all customizations at trac.pcbsd.org/browser/pcbsd/branches/8.1

How PC-BSD differs from Linux


Filesystems: UFS, UFS+J, UFS+S, ZFS Device names: e.g. ath0 or em0 instead of eth0 Some commands: e.g. kldload instead of insmod Switches: BSD instead of GNU (e.g. -l instead of --list) System startup: no run levels

How PC-BSD differs from Linux


Yet, much is similar: Many of the apps that run on Linux also run on PC-BSD (either through a port or Linux emulation) Both support Xorg (though GEM and KMS are a work in progress)

Current Features

Software/Update Manager
Uses PBI (Push Button Installer) system Recommended method for installing software on PC-BSD Even novice users can easily and safely find, install, uninstall, and upgrade software Provides a software browser for finding applications--simply click Download button in application's description

Software/Update Manager
Automatically detects platform and version and installs correct PBI Installed software is listed User automatically notified when new versions are available, for both software and the operating system OS updates include link to security advisory description

Ports Jail
Allows advanced users to safely use FreeBSD ports and packages without affecting the software installed with the operating system For more information about jails, see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FreeBSD_jail

Warden
GUI that allows advanced users to easily create, manage, and delete FreeBSD jails Makes it easy to clone a jail (save as .wdn file) Makes it easy to create and install inmates (.wit files) which are pre-configured server environments e.g. an AMP stack

Firewall Manager
GUI for starting and stopping the firewall and adding, deleting, modifying firewall rules Designed for pf http://www.openbsd.org/faq/pf/ May be replaced by fwbuilder in 9.0

Network Manager
GUI to view and configure network interfaces (Ethernet, wireless, PPP/PPPoE) Auto-detects interfaces Allows creation of wireless profiles Shows interface stats and IP addressing info for active interfaces

System Manager
GUI to view system info and generate a diagnostic report Kernel tab used to set boot delay Tasks tab used to install src or ports tree Misc tab used to customize boot splash screen

Printer Manager
GUI to configure and manage printers Auto-detects connected printers as well as printers shared over a network Auto-detects correct driver for the printer Provides print job management

User Manager
GUI to manage user accounts Simple view shows users only, Advanced view also shows system accounts Can be used to change root or users' passwords Can change user's home directory or shell Easy to add/remove users from groups

Life Preserver
GUI to backup entire system to a remote system using rsync and SSH Provides scheduler to automate backups and determine how many backups to keep Installation utility allows you to restore a system from a specified Life Preserver backup

PBI Builder
Command line tool for converting an existing FreeBSD package into a PBI Can be as simple as modifying a few variables to indicate the program's name and location in KDE menu Provides variables for advanced configuration Creates clean build sandbox for each PBI

pc-sysinstall

Scriptable backend to GUI installer Allows for the creation of custom and automated installations

Examples of custom configurations can be found in /PCBSD/pc-sysinstall/examples

Plans for 9.0

Plans for 9.0


Uncouple PC-BSD utilities from KDE so they can integrate into any window manager Allow the selection of more window managers during installation Early days yet, we're open to features users find useful (due out in summer 2011) http://wiki.pcbsd.org/index.php/ PC-BSD_9.0_TODO

Plans for 9.0


Overhaul the PBI structure to include incremental PBIs (download just the change instead of the whole PBI) http://wiki.pcbsd.org/index.php/PBI9_Format Overhaul the PC-BSD Users Handbook and include an off-line version with the release Provide translations of documentation resources

Changes to PBI Format

New PBI Format


Provide command line tools with names and features familiar to FreeBSD users (e.g. pbi_add, pbi_info, pbi_delete) Added digital signature verification and intelligent library sharing (i.e. PBIs are no longer entirely self-contained) Can be used with any (or no) window manager and on FreeBSD systems as well

New PBI Format


pbi_makerepo, pbi_addrepo, and pbi_deleterepo allow user to create custom software repositories pbi_listrepo allows user to prioritize repos or specify a repo to use with pbi_add convertoldmod.sh utility can be used to convert existing PBIs to 9.x format New format will be documented at
http://wiki.pcbsd.org/index.php/PC-BSD_9_Handbook

How you can Help

Community
PC-BSD is designed for users and takes user feedback seriously Many opportunities for user involvement:

Localization and translations PBI requestors, creators and testers Assisting others on forums, IRC

Community

Write or proof read documentation Become a beta tester

Details can be found at:


http://wiki.pcbsd.org/index.php/Supporting_PC-BSD

and
http://wiki.pcbsd.org/index.php/Tasks_Looking_for_People

Additional Resources

Additional Resources
PC-BSD Website: http://www.pcbsd.org PC-BSD Users Handbook: http://wiki.pcbsd.org/index.php/ PC-BSD_Users_Handbook PC-BSD FAQs: http://wiki.pcbsd.org/index.php/ PC-BSD_FAQS

Additional Resources
Official Blog: http://blog.pcbsd.org #pcbsd

PC-BSD on Freenode IRC: PC-BSD Forums:

http://forums.pcbsd.org

PC-BSD Mailing Lists: http://lists.pcbsd.org/mailman/listinfo

Additional Resources
Facebook Group: http://www.facebook.com/home.php? #!/group.php?gid=4210443834 LinkedIn Group: http://www.linkedin.com/groups? mostPopular=&gid=1942544 Definitive Guide to PC-BSD (Apress)

Questions?
[email protected] URL to slides: http://www.slideshare.net/ dlavigne/scale9x_sun

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