Can I start using FreeBSD as desktop machine

[paragkalra]

Folks,

I have been moved to new project which is based on FreeBSD. So I was wondering best of way of mastering it would be to start using at home as a Desktop OS.

I have used Redhat, Debian, SLES & right now I am using OpenSUSE 10.3. I just have following requirements for my Desktop PC:

1.] I should be able to use Torrents. Thus should be able to install any GUI based Bit Torrent client.
2.] Should be able to install Adobe Acrobat reader. Can't compromise it
3.] I love watching movies. I watch around 3-4 movies a week. I have been using VLC player from past many years and have never looked back. It has been able to play movies of all codecs. But I won't mind using some other movie player as long as its able to play movies of all types from rm format to wmv format to avi format etc.....
4.] Like wise I want any light weight MP3 player capable of playing internet radio.
5.] Should be able to use Thunderbird but won't mind using some other email client.
6.] Should be able to use Open-Office
7.] Should be able to use Skype. Can't compromise it.
8.] I should be able to install VMware on it :-)

Is FreeBSD capable of providing above mentioned stuff and suffice my needs.?

[greencross]

1) Deluge, Transmission, Azureus etc.
2) Yes, you can install it using ports system. I prefer evince though.
3) There is VLC port for FreeBSD. And also xine, mplayer etc.
4) Amarok? (sorry, I'm not sure about this)
5) Yes you can use thunderbird. Also you could try claws-mail.
6) Installation of OO.org via ports can be a real nightmare. But you can use this package collection
7) Again yes. But you'd have to use at least linux_base-fc6 emulation port, instead of the default linux_base-fc4
8) Ops ))) (I don't know I mean)

[graudeejs]

1) for torrent i recommend rtorrent [text bases, but it's the best]
2) might use it with wine or linux emulation, you can use xpdf to read pdf files
3) you can have vlc and/or mplayer (with or without gui)....
4) I use mplayer in slave mode to listen to iradio, also watch movies, and listen mp3
5)You can use it, also got many more mailers.... see http://daemonforums.org/showthread.php?t=1345
6) we got OpenOffice and friends
7) can you sky with QT-static and linux emulation (skype will be very ugly... and might crash), i stay away from it
8) you can use it

[DrJ]

Originally Posted by paragkalra

8.] I should be able to install VMware on it :-)

This one will be your only problem. I assume that you want to use FreeBSD as a VMware host. The only version available is very old, Workstation 3.2.1. It does work, but you cannot use more than a single core when you do.

The only real options are qemu/kqemu and Win4BSD, which is based on qemu. Neither I find to be particularly fast (VMware is fine) but my hardware is rather old.

VirtualBox is making slow progress on a port, but it is not there yet.

If you *absolutely* require VMware, and the very old 3.2 version does not do it for you, then you are out of luck.

Now if you are talking about using a FreeBSD guest, then that works fine in VMware (but not in VBox).

[DrJ]

Originally Posted by paragkalra

2.] Should be able to install Adobe Acrobat reader. Can't compromise it

I should note one thing about the Adobe Reader (Acrobat is a different product). The program installs and runs fine with one exception: search does not work, at least not for me. It also has a tendency to not release "ld" if you exit it improperly. That is easy enough to kill, but keep that in mind.