The OS Wars: BSD vs. Linux

While the BSD operating system, an open source variant of Unix, enjoys a loyal following, is freely available in several flavors, and has potential for wider deployment in the future, that is where its similarities to Linux end. In terms of industry acceptance, Linux has an edge over BSD, which lacks the enterprise applications and market noise Linux has generated.

“The difference I see between BSD and Linux is that Linux has fanfare and BSD is quiet,” Gartner research director Mary Hubley told NewsFactor. “The popularity [of Linux] is increasing. I don’t see that changing, and I don’t see BSD changing. BSD will probably be there in the back room chugging along, mostly with e-mail and Web servers.”