When did you start using OpenBSD?

[fvgit]

First contact was sometime in the 1980es typing a DOS-printout from a magazine that was supposed to move a cursor character around the screen by pressing the arrow keys. I made a small mistake and instead of a moving char I ended up with one that drew lines.

After that long time nothing, 1st PC around '92/'93 DOS/Win3.x, 1st Linux-install was SUSE 5.3 (which I didn't like) in '98 immediately followed by Slackware 3.6 (which I really liked) after a recommendation. And a year later I got my first OpenBSD CD: 2.6.

Over the years I've crossed swords with various Win versions up to XP, I also remember barely touching Netware 3.x, admining some Sparc machines 2.5-2.6ish. Although the Microsoft stuff actually was fun in a way. I remember setting up a Slackware-based Windows server with Samba & roaming profiles for Windows users on a variety of clients raging from W95 to W2K. Fun days.

Later I got lured in by a new OS called OS X, bought an iBook which later triple-booted into OS9, OSX & OpenBSD and when it died after seven years a macbook which I'm currently typing on and on which OpenBSD became my daily driver about 2-3 years ago.

My new year's resolution was to buy a new laptop with one of the new AMD cpus. But it seems I may have to wait a little longer after there weren't too many announcements at CES2020. Doesn't matter I'll get there...

[johnR]

I started using Linux for all my computing in 1999, first on Red Hat then Debian from 2.2 onwards. Fast forward to Debian 8, when I became increasingly concerned about the direction of mainstream Linux development. I think the widespread abandoning of Unix design principles is a mistake which will have unfortunate long term consequences.

I tried OpenBSD 6.2 on my desktop PC and was hooked. I've always disliked bloated desktop environments, and discovering cwm was a pleasant surprise, as was the clean and simple system configuration.

I still use Linux on a couple of dedicated audio workstations (I work in audio) as I need soft realtime and Linux drivers. In the long term I may look at FreeBSD or Dragonfly BSD for audio work.

[stealintv]

Computer experience began with DOS 6.2/Win3.1 similar to @acampbell. I always prefered DOS after my father taught me to learn the basics first. We had Macintosh at school, and I wanted to learn how that worked also. When researching how computers worked, I discovered UNIX, and that there was a free version to try, but I didn't have the internet to obtain it.

My friend had internet access at his house. Armed with blank discs, and a URL, Red Hat was obtained around 1995/6 (don't remember version), which was downloaded via 56k modem. I got it installed, but could never really make things work due to driver issues. I was in 6th or 7th grade, so my parents didn't understand buying new computer components when what we had already worked...

Mandrake 8 I purchased from the store which came with books. That is when I really started learning. I was able to partition my Windows 98 drive, and made it dual-boot. My friend told me about this other OS to try "FreeBSD" and graciously copied the install floppies. That sparked in interest in researching/trying other OSes.

OpenBSD 5 was my first, and I never looked back. I will still dabble with Manjaro linux or Ubuntu just to see how things are progressing in the gaming/desktop world of *nix, but I like the basic simplicity of OpenBSD, and how things just make sense.

Other than that. I have been a Raspberry Pi owner since the very first version came out, and own several of each version. OSes vary from Rasbian, Kali, and LibreElec, and I even started messing with Plan 9 for a bit, but life took over and my time is limited. It is always fun though. I also have a USB drive on my car keys with Puppy Linux just in case!

[JWJones]

Started with OpenBSD about the time I registered here, I think, which was 2014.

I've been using Linux since 1999. Started with Red Hat 5, I believe. Moved on to Debian from there, used Slackware most of my Linux years, tried about ALL of them worth trying (and many not).

Used BeOS back in the day. First computer used was an Apple II, back in 1977. Mac user since 1986 (this is what pays the bills, eight hours a day, five days a week). Never was a Windows user, except having to deal with it in the workplace, not personally at home.

I've tried the other BSDs, but they just don't grok with me. OpenBSD, ftw.

[gpatrick]

Got a job doing AIX in 1995 so wanted to learn UNIX at home. Tried all the Linux distros but never found one I really liked, then found a FreeBSD DVD/handbook combo and have used FreeBSD since 1995.

Started using Solaris on a job with US Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in 2003, and continued using AIX that was for a job with US DoD.

Have also used NetBSD, OpenBSD, OpenSolaris, OpenIndiana, OmniOS, SmartOS, Minix3, Plan 9, 9front, 9legacy, 9atom, Inferno, eComStation, ArcaOS.

Have personally ran web servers on Plan 9, OpenBSD, OpenIndiana, FreeBSD, and SmartOS. Have ran mail servers on OpenBSD, OpenBSD on KVM on SmartOS, ArcaOS, and Plan 9.

[Paianni]

October 2017 when I put my 'new' Opteron machine into service. Also employed on a newly-purchased HP Mini-Note 2133 (i386) from early 2018 although that thing was out-of-action from June 2019 to February due to a motherboard failure.

That left an old T510 that I've had from new, running Linux-based OSes for most of its life. Finally moved it to 6.6 late last year.

[jonsec]

in 2019. direct to OpenBSD. not using any other unix-like os.

[dmick1954]

I started working with Mandrake Linux around 2000 as a dual boot to Windows XP. I ended up going back to Windows in 2004 because Linux didn't have the ability to use my cell phone connection.

I came back to Linux full time in sometime in 2016 when I attempted to upgrade to Windows 10 and it ran very slowly. I ran primarily Debian Linux until around April, 2020. Then, I started playing with Freebsd and went to Openbsd in late 2020. I am using Openbsd today as my daily driver. I love it despite the challenges or, maybe, because of the challenges.

[girarde]

IIRC, I started using it in 2005. I've only used Linux if work required it; most of work is Windows.

[CiotBSD]

- Linux since Red Hat 5.2 fr, in 1998. I use always Linux, but Debian/Devuan or Linux Mint on stations
- Since OpenBSD 5.9, in 2016, on my homeserver with VMs. I abandoned on station.

[frcc]

cpm/dos Amiga os back in the day.
OpenBsd since 4.8 or so.....as my main learning and interest tool. In the past used it for my business
web sites.
I use Linux (several distros) as well for other interests/purposes.

[Mako_Elite]

FreeBSD and Red Hat on and off since 1998, than many flavors of Linux, few years of Mac OS X until Snow Leopard stop getting updates (10.6.8 my favorite release of OS X). On and off later versions of MacOS (didn't t like it)
OpenBSD on and off since 4.7.
Last few years OpenBSD 100% on my laptop and desktop , except when I need to do special photo and sometimes video editing for my wife Real Estate on 27" iMac 5K, other than that I never use the iMac or my 15" MacBook Pro. I prefer OpenBSD.

[hitest]

I started using DOS 5.0 on a 286 in the 90s. I started using Linux in 2002. My first version of OpenBSD was 5.0 in 2011.

[frakswe]

1988 > 1991 > 1998 > 2004 > 2008 > 2015 > 2019 > 2020 -

C64 > AmigaOS> Windows> AmigaOS4> Windows> Linux > FreeBSD > OpenBSD


Something like that, but hey..i got there in the end.

[daedwood]

I installed for the first time just over a week ago, so still a complete noob. Not sure how or why, but I recently started watching OpenBSD related videos on YT and got the urge to try it. Installed it on my TP X230.