Articles: OpenBSD : why and how 2018-04-20

The only operating system I use on my computers is not Mac, not Windows, and not even Linux. It’s OpenBSD, and I love it so much. So I figured I should say a little something about why, and how you can try it.

It’s probably not for you.

It’s not for beginners. Most people should use Ubuntu.

It’s not for people who want to click a button and have the computer hide the details from you.

If software bloat doesn’t bother you — if every new Mac/Windows/Linux release you say, “Bring on the features! The more the better!” — it’s not for you.

But if you’re experienced, like to “look under the hood”, and prefer software that does the minimum necessary, OpenBSD is for you.

What is it?

It’s like Linux, but has different goals.

It’s known for its focus on security. But, like a well-engineered house will also be earthquake-proof, you don’t have to be paranoid about earthquakes to appreciate great construction. To me, the security features are just a side-effect of great coding.

OpenBSD comes with a secure minimal firewall, webserver, mailserver, and an optional graphical desktop. So if all you want is a few of those things, you do the default install, tweak one config file, and you’re done.

Why OpenBSD instead of Linux?

It’s uncompromising. It’s not a people-pleaser or vendor-pleaser. Linux is in everything from Android phones to massive supercomputers, so has to include features for all of them. The OpenBSD developers say no to most things. Instead of trying to make it do more, they keep it focused on doing what it does with more security and reliability.

They review and remove code as often as they add. If something is unused, unmaintained, or unnecessary, they’ll axe it. If it’s unwieldy, they’ll make a small simple replacement. For examples, see doas, OpenSMTPD, httpd, and LibreSSL. This is great for security, too. The more code, the more chance of a bug that could compromise your entire computer. The less code, the better. Each new release seems to be getting leaner by removing old cruft. No other operating system does that.

Great documentation is a top priority. The built-in man pages are amazing. So if you’re stuck on anything, searching the man pages on your own computer is going to give you a better answer than searching Google. (This makes it nicer to work offline, too.)

The installers are amazing. The initial installation takes like five minutes. Hit [Enter] to the defaults, make your username and password, and it’s ready to go. Then the software installer is ideal, too. Just pkg_info to search for something and pkg_add to install it in seconds. (Which also installs all of its documentation, too.)

Everything is rock-solid and just works. Hardware I couldn’t get working in Linux just works on a first try with OpenBSD. And because they don’t stay cutting-edge, keeping a cautious pace, it keeps working and doesn’t break. The whole system is carefully planned and consistent, instead of a hodge-podge of bits and pieces.

It’s all free and run by helpful volunteers. If you searched ports, but some application you need is missing or out of date, just contact the maintainer and offer some assistance or money to help get it updated or added. I’ve donated $3850 to the developers to help improve the OpenBSD port of Node.js, Elixir, Erlang, Anki, Ledger, and Qutebrowser.