I need help getting into BSD.

**kaldor** · September 29th, 2008

I want to try out BSD, therefore I want a LiveCD version of BSD. I would like one with a GUI. I have tried FreesBIE, but it had no GUI.

So what are some FreeBSD/OpenBSD distros with live CDs?

**Thelasko** · September 29th, 2008

I'm in the same boat. I really like FreeSBIE, but I would like to try something installable and with a package manager similar to Ubuntu/Debian.

I found a project called Ging, it has a live CD and the Debian package management system. The screen shots show it running Gnome, but when I ran it, KDE came up (flagrant false advertising IMHO). I can't stand KDE, so I'm back on my hunt for the perfect BSD variant.

If you like or can tolerate KDE, try Ging.

**kaldor** · September 29th, 2008

I love KDE (apart from KDE 4)

This seems to be a great find. Thank you

Downloading it now. I will give updates later on.

**Le-Froid** · September 29th, 2008

I like PC-BSD. It's basically FreeBSD with KDE 4.1.1, a package management system (FreeBSD's ports and their PBI), and some tweaks to the core for desktop use.

edit: forgot link : http://pcbsd.org

**kk0sse54** · September 29th, 2008

DragonflyBSD I believe has a liveDVD with Fluxbox on it or you could also try using one of the BSD operating systems in a vm such Vmware server

**Sorivenul** · October 2nd, 2008

The DragonFly LiveCD is a great move for them, and definitely worth a test. BSDanywhere offers an OpenBSD LiveCD, though it is currently non-installable. PC-BSD has a VMware image, but no current LiveCD, AFAIK - you could also install PC-BSD in a VirtualBox VM using one of the install ISOs.

The big ones to start with are definitely PC-BSD and DesktopBSD. Both offer an easy-to-use interface by default and allow you to get to know FreeBSD from the outside in. If I had to suggest one, DesktopBSD would be it.

As far as Live goes, you could also try:
http://www.rofreesbie.org/
http://quetzal.matem.unam.mx/
http://www.jibbed.org/
http://www.truebsd.org/en/node/15

While some of these latter are less accessible for some, they offer an excelent sampling of what the *BSD systems have to offer.

Good luck!

**kk0sse54** · October 2nd, 2008

Thanks mate

,have to look into BSDAnywhere. OpenBSD is the last major BSD OS that I haven't tried yet in my current distro hopping quest

**Thelasko** · October 2nd, 2008

My big problem with most of these BSD live CDs are the fact they don't have any install option. They always refer you to the parent distro. I've tried installing FreeBSD it took hours and when I was finished, I didn't like the results. There needs to be a BSD with quick and easy hardware detection that installs to your hard disk. The only ones I've found KDE. I really don't like KDE. I really prefer Xfce or Gnome.