PC-BSD version 1.5.1 is now available for download as both ISO and updates from version 1.5. This version provides updates to the default port set, as well as numerous bug fixes to the system tools & utilities. Also, additional translations have been added to provide a more complete localized experience. Users currently running 1.5 may download a standalone PBI patch, or may simply check for updates via the System Update tool.
The same thing has happened to me more than once. I install a FreeBSD-derived operating system on the $0 Laptop (the Gateway Solo 1450) and I marvel at the way it manages the noisy CPU fan right out of the box.
Then, the next day, it’s all over. The fan blows. And blows. Even a complete reinstall won’t get back my fan-managed bliss.
Another thing that impressed me about PC-BSD 1.4 was the fact that the bouncing icon on my KDE cursor was rendered properly. Before 1.4, it was an annoying graphical blog that didn’t look anything like it was supposed to.
iXsystems announced today the release of PC-BSD Edison Edition. PC-BSD is a fully functional open source desktop operating system based on FreeBSD 6.3-STABLE. FreeBSD is one of the most used UNIX-like operating systems in the world and is widely renowned as the most stable and secure server operating system. PC-BSD has a Push-Button Installer (PBI) wizard developed exclusively for PC-BSD that lets users download and install a wide range of available applications in a self-extracting and self-installing format.
The PC-BSD development team has announced the release of PC-BSD 1.4.1, an update version of the FreeBSD-based operating system for the desktop: “An update to PC-BSD was released today, version 1.4.1. This new version may be obtained from our download page, additionally users who are running version 1.4….
Jan Stedehouder has used PC-BSD for thirty days to see what living with it is like. On day thirty, he concludes: “Does PC-BSD have the potential to be a serious contender for the open source desktop? I answered that question with a yes, because the potential is there. The solid FreeBSD roots, the very strong and very accessible information, the friendly and mature community and the PBI system provide the foundations for that potential.
The PC-BSD team is pleased to announce the availability of PC-BSD 1.4. This release is made available via the efforts of many developers and testers, who have spent the past months refining and improving upon the core PC-BSD experience. This release of PC-BSD includes several notable highlights: moving the FreeBSD base version to 6-STABLE; X.Org 7.2; KDE 3.5.7; CompizFusion 0.5.2; support for Flash 7 in native BSD browsers. (Konqueror, Opera, Firefox); official NVIDIA drivers to simplify activating hardware acceleration.
The PC-BSD team is pleased to announce the availability of PC-BSD 1.4 (da Vinci edition)! This release is made available via the efforts of many developers and testers, who have spent the past months refining and improving upon the core PC-BSD experience. PC-BSD 1.4 retail editions are now available to be purchased via our store provided by freebsdmall.com, or it may be freely downloaded on the 1.4 download page.
This release of PC-BSD includes several notable highlights, including:
* Moving the FreeBSD base version to 6-STABLE * Xorg 7.2 * KDE 3.5.7 * Compiz-Fusion 0.5.2 * Support for Flash7 in native BSD browsers. (Konq, Opera, FireFox) * Official NVIDIA drivers to simplify activating Hardware acceleration.
For more information about this release:
The release candidate for PC-BSD 1.4 is now ready for testing: “After a month of refinement, the PC-BSD team is pleased to make available the 1.4RC release. This update addresses many of the reported bugs from 1.4BETA, as well as adding working i18n support for many languages.” From….
I have been a fan of PC-BSD for sometime now; however, it was after discovering this page that had me disturbed. Using PC-BSD’s awesome packaging methods, the webmaster of this site has apparently packaged some applications that might cause some licensing concerns. Not in violation of the GPL, as this is the BSD license in force here. No, rather the fact that we are seeing potential piracy, or at the very least, an over zealous user distributing ‘trial’ versions of Photoshop and MS Office ‘97.
The new PC-BSD 1.4 beta, released last week, offers 3-D desktop support via Beryl as well as late-model components such as KDE 3.5.7, FreeBSD 6.2, Xorg 7.2, a selection of fresh GUI tools and utilities, and a variety of optional components, as detailed in the full release notes.
PC-BSD is a desktop-oriented distribution based on FreeBSD, similar to DesktopBSD, but outside the official FreeBSD project. It strives for user-friendliness primarily via a graphical installation program and a KDE graphical interface. “PC-BSD has been designed with the ‘casual” computer’ user in mind,” according to the project Web site.
FreeBSD along with OpenBSD and NetBSD form the triumvirate of BSD operating systems. Traditionally these BSDs are server centric operating systems - ie. those which are tuned to be run on a server rather than to be used by the end user as a desktop. Still, with a bit of tweaking and configuration, all the three of them can be used as viable desktop operating systems. PC-BSD is a direct
If you haven’t heard of PC-BSD by now, then you must be living in a box. PC-BSD is perhaps the best thing to come to the desktop BSD world in a very long time. But unfortunately, it looks as if this fantastic distribution is following the rest of the pack and will be trying to locate funds by competing with Linux for business customers. Why should this matter? Check this out…
The PC-BSD project has announced the availability of a bug-fix release of PC-BSD, version 1.3.01: “Version 1.3.01 of PC-BSD has now been made available on the download page. This update addresses several recent issues with partitioning, as well as fixes issues with certain hardware and HAL support. Users….
Just in time to ring in the New Year, the PC-BSD team is pleased to announce the immediate availability of PC-BSD version 1.3 for public download. This release incorporates many new features and options which make desktop computing easier than ever. Some of the new features include KDE 3.5.5, the “PF” firewall, HAL backend support, a new “Services” menu and much more! Additionally, the team is launching a web design contest for PC-BSD’s new web site. Don’t miss it!
After much hard work, the PC-BSD team is pleased to announce that version 1.3 BETA2 is now available for download. This version adds support for installing in languages other than English, and addresses many numerous bugs found in BETA1. 1.3 BETA2 can be downloaded from our beta download page.
NOTE: You will also need to download 1.3 CD2 if you wish to install in languages other than English.
Help make this the best PC-BSD release ever! Please report any and all unreported bugs on our BugsDB or our Forums.
Well, I thought it was about time I got around to doing this properly.
I’ve been using PC-BSD for approx. 10 Months so I’ve had enough time to see what life throws at me with it. My first install was 1.0 Release Canadate (RC) 1 and I currently run PC-BSD 1.2 (the current release) on my laptop and have a beta version of 1.3 installed on my desktop for testing. This will cover PC-BSD 1.2 and PC-BSD in general.
PC-BSD is primarly for desktops but makes a darn good laptop/workstation system. I won’t cover installation details as this is changing in future versions and often reviewed. My reviews sole interest is in a End User prespective (imho).
The Desktop. Well the default desktop on PC-BSD is pretty simple, it uses a program called “KDE” to put it simply to offer use a sweet system. The prepaired setup is what most users should feel comfortable with, bottom bar with a applications menu and a few icons (personal files and web browser/file manager IIRC). A system tray and a clock, taskbar in the bottom bar showing all running windows e.t.c. Trashcan and a few Icons on the desktop with (currently) a nice blue PC-BSD wall paper, in the old days there was a yellow field of flowers on a mounton top. For stuff a new user might not be familer with let me explain some stuff. We have a simple applications or “K-Menu” that you click on the icon (the red one, bottom left corner.) and it presents the usual. Neatly grouped into catagories such as Games, Internet, Multimedia e.t.c This is alot more logical then a certain other OS which tries to hide and poorly sort it’s start menu by default 
You should probably have a “House” like icon, clicking this opens Konqueror in file manager mode to your home directory. A home directory is a users personal space, by default you have folders such as Documents, Images, Music, e.t.c. You should have another icon next to this that when clicked should open Konqueror ether as a File Manager or a Web browser (it does both). You can think of Konqueror as the Windows/Internet Explorer and Finder/Safari of PC-BSD. It’s got a Mozilla Firefox feel to its web browsing but is not a Mozilla. Useful options for it include tabbed browsing (soon to hit Internet Explorer via Suggested Updates), spell checking, downloader, password/form manager, google toolbar and quick wikipedia lookups and more. In your system tray you should see a number of little icons. A clip board nammed “Klipper” that helps with cut, copy, and paste operations. You can cut (control+x), copy (control+c), and paste (control+v) like normal and you can highlight text with your mouse and press in the mouse wheel (button 3) to paste it without using your usual CC&P stuff -> And keep two things copied ! If you ever want to recall some thing you copied you can click on klipper and find it to use again quickly. It can also be cleared for privacy needs.
“With all of the BSD variants available for download, it’s easy to incorrectly assume all of them are pure, incompatible forks from each other. Actually, there are more shades of BSD out in the world than just separate forks. One in particular made the news a couple of weeks ago when it was commercially acquired. The BSD in question is PC-BSD. The company that bought it is iXsystems, a systems deployment and integrator firm out of San Jose that has pretty strong experience implementing *BSD, Unix and Linux systems for its customer base. So, why did the company up and buy PC-BSD?”
iXsystems is a leading provider of high-performance computing clusters, blade servers, rackmount servers, and storage solutions based on FreeBSD, NetBSD, OpenBSD, and Linux. iXsystems also recently announced its acquisition of the PC-BSD operating system.
I had the opportunity to interview Kris Moore, founder and lead developer of the PC-BSD project, and Matt Olander, CTO of iXsystems, about the acquisition.
The PC-BSD Team is pleased to announce the availability of PC-BSD 1.3 BETA1. This release gives users and testers the opportunity to test-drive the new PC-BSD install wizard, along with the updated base system, running KDE 3.5.4. Click here to go to the beta download page.
NOTE: This beta release supports English only. Upcoming releases will include various other translations.