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OpenBSD vs Ubuntu: What are the differences?

Key Differences between OpenBSD and Ubuntu

Introduction

OpenBSD and Ubuntu are two popular operating systems that are used for a variety of purposes. While OpenBSD focuses on security and stability, Ubuntu is known for its user-friendly interface and extensive software support. In this article, we will explore the key differences between OpenBSD and Ubuntu.

  1. Kernel Differences: OpenBSD uses its own kernel, which is known for its security features and simplicity. On the other hand, Ubuntu uses the Linux kernel, which is more versatile and supports a wider range of hardware and software.

  2. Security Focus: OpenBSD places a strong emphasis on security and has a reputation for being one of the most secure operating systems available. It includes features such as address space layout randomization (ASLR), secure memory management, and strict permission defaults. While Ubuntu also includes some security features, it may not be as strict as OpenBSD in terms of security defaults.

  3. Package Management: Ubuntu uses the Advanced Package Tool (APT) for package management, which makes it easy to install and update software from official repositories. OpenBSD, on the other hand, uses the pkg_add tool for package management, which may not have as extensive a package collection as Ubuntu.

  4. Community Support: Ubuntu has a large and active community of users and developers, providing extensive support and documentation. OpenBSD has a smaller community, but it is known for its helpful and knowledgeable users. Both communities have their own strengths and weaknesses when it comes to support.

  5. Default Configuration: OpenBSD aims for a secure and minimalistic default configuration, which means that certain features may be disabled or need to be manually enabled. Ubuntu, on the other hand, aims for a more user-friendly and feature-rich default configuration, which may include more pre-installed software and services.

  6. Hardware Support: Ubuntu has excellent hardware support and is compatible with a wide range of devices out-of-the-box. OpenBSD, on the other hand, may have more limited hardware support, especially for newer or less common hardware.

In summary, OpenBSD and Ubuntu differ in terms of their kernel, security focus, package management, community support, default configuration, and hardware support. OpenBSD prioritizes security and simplicity, while Ubuntu focuses on user-friendliness and versatility.

Decisions about OpenBSD and Ubuntu

Ubuntu is much more faster over Windows and helps to get software and other utilities easier and within a short span of time compared to Windows.

Ubuntu helps to get robustness and resiliency over Windows. Ubuntu runs faster than Windows on every computer that I have ever tested. LibreOffice (Ubuntu's default office suite) runs much faster than Microsoft Office on every computer that I have ever tested.

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Jerome/Zen Quah
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UbuntuUbuntu
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CentOSCentOS

Global familiarity, free, widely used, and as a debian distro feels more comfortable when rapidly switching between local macOS and remote command lines.

CentOS does boast quite a few security/stability improvements, however as a RHEL-based distro, differs quite significantly in the command line and suffers from slightly less frequent package updates. (Could be a good or bad thing depending on your use-case and if it is public facing)

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Simon Aronsson
Developer Advocate at k6 / Load Impact · | 7 upvotes · 262K views

At the moment of the decision, my desktop was the primary place I did work. Due to this, I can't have it blow up on me while I work. While Arch is interesting and powerful, Ubuntu offers (at least for me) a lot more stability and lets me focus on other things than maintaining my own OS installation.

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Pros of OpenBSD
Pros of Ubuntu
    Be the first to leave a pro
    • 230
      Free to use
    • 96
      Easy setup for testing discord bot
    • 57
      Gateway Linux Distro
    • 54
      Simple interface
    • 9
      Don't need driver installation in most cases
    • 6
      Open Source
    • 6
      Many active communities
    • 3
      Software Availability
    • 3
      Easy to custom
    • 2
      Many flavors/distros based on ubuntu
    • 1
      Lightweight container base OS
    • 1
      Great OotB Linux Shell Experience

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    Cons of OpenBSD
    Cons of Ubuntu
      Be the first to leave a con
      • 5
        Demanding system requirements
      • 4
        Adds overhead and unnecessary complexity over Debian
      • 2
        Snapd installed by default
      • 1
        Systemd

      Sign up to add or upvote consMake informed product decisions

      What is OpenBSD?

      It is a free and secure UNIX-like operating system that emphasizes portability, standardization, correctness, proactive security & integrated cryptography.

      What is Ubuntu?

      Ubuntu is an ancient African word meaning ‘humanity to others’. It also means ‘I am what I am because of who we all are’. The Ubuntu operating system brings the spirit of Ubuntu to the world of computers.

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      What companies use Ubuntu?
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      What are some alternatives to OpenBSD and Ubuntu?
      FreeBSD
      An operating system for a variety of platforms which focuses on features, speed, and stability. It is derived from BSD, the version of UNIX® developed at the University of California, Berkeley. It is developed and maintained by a large community.
      Linux
      A clone of the operating system Unix, written from scratch by Linus Torvalds with assistance from a loosely-knit team of hackers across the Net. It aims towards POSIX and Single UNIX Specification compliance.
      pfSense
      It is an open source firewall/router computer software distribution based on FreeBSD. It is installed on a physical computer or a virtual machine to make a dedicated firewall/router for a network.
      CentOS
      The CentOS Project is a community-driven free software effort focused on delivering a robust open source ecosystem. For users, we offer a consistent manageable platform that suits a wide variety of deployments. For open source communities, we offer a solid, predictable base to build upon, along with extensive resources to build, test, release, and maintain their code.
      Debian
      Debian systems currently use the Linux kernel or the FreeBSD kernel. Linux is a piece of software started by Linus Torvalds and supported by thousands of programmers worldwide. FreeBSD is an operating system including a kernel and other software.
      See all alternatives