DesktopBSD
Unix-derived operating system
title: "DesktopBSD" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["freebsd", "linux-distributions-offering-kde-desktop-environment", "discontinued-operating-systems"] description: "Unix-derived operating system" topic_path: "technology/operating-systems" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DesktopBSD" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Unix-derived operating system ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox OS"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | DesktopBSD |
| logo | [[Image:Desktop bsd logo.png |
| screenshot | |
| caption | DesktopBSD default desktop |
| developer | DesktopBSD Team |
| family | Unix-like |
| source model | Open source |
| latest release version | 1.7 |
| latest release date | |
| package_manager | FreeBSD Ports |
| supported_platforms | amd64 and i386 |
| kernel type | Monolithic |
| ui | K Desktop Environment 3 |
| license | *FreeBSD license from FreeBSD base system |
| *Artwork collection, logos: Creative Commons [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/ CC BY-NC 2.0] Austria<ref name | "artwork" |
| working_state | Discontinued in 2015 |
| website | |
| :: |
| name = DesktopBSD | logo = [[Image:Desktop bsd logo.png|200px|DesktopBSD logo]] | screenshot = | caption = DesktopBSD default desktop | developer = DesktopBSD Team | family = Unix-like | source model = Open source | latest release version = 1.7 | latest release date = | package_manager = FreeBSD Ports | supported_platforms = amd64 and i386 | kernel type = Monolithic | ui = K Desktop Environment 3 | license = *FreeBSD license from FreeBSD base system
- Artwork collection, logos: Creative Commons CC BY-NC 2.0 Austria
- GPL from KDE | working_state = Discontinued in 2015 | website =
DesktopBSD was a Unix-derived, desktop-oriented operating system based on FreeBSD. Its goal was to combine the stability of FreeBSD with the ease of use of K Desktop Environment 3, the default graphical user interface.
History and development
DesktopBSD was a customized installation of FreeBSD, rather than a fork. It was based on FreeBSD's latest stable branch, incorporating customized, preinstalled software such as KDE and DesktopBSD utilities and configuration files.
DesktopBSD was not intended to compete with TrueOS as a BSD-based desktop distribution, although they were similar in structure and goals. DesktopBSD was started about one year before the PC-BSD project, despite the first PC-BSD release before DesktopBSD's. Neither project intended to rival the other, and they had independent, distinctive features and intended outcomes; DesktopBSD used ports and packages for additional software installation, and PC-BSD introduced PBIs.
The final release was 1.7, which became available on 7 September 2009. According to the release announcement, "This is the last and final release of the DesktopBSD project", because the lead developer could no longer contribute the time required to maintain it.{{cite web |url=http://desktopbsd.net/index.php?id=43&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=41&cHash=b6ad95fd57 |title=DesktopBSD 1.7 available |work=desktopbsd.net |date=2009-09-07 |accessdate=2009-09-27 |archive-date=2011-07-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723091532/http://desktopbsd.net/index.php?id=43&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=41&cHash=b6ad95fd57 |url-status=dead DesktopBSD was restarted under new leadership in May 2010,{{cite web |url=http://desktopbsd.net/index.php?id=43&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=42&cHash=2420638ccb |title=Advancement of the DesktopBSD project |date=2010-05-30 |accessdate=2012-08-21}} although development and announcements soon stopped. On 10 March 2013, a forum post said that the project was "in the process of being revived."{{cite web |url = http://desktopbsd.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2 |title = Welcome to DesktopBSD forums |date = 2013-03-10 |accessdate = 2013-03-21 |url-status = dead |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20131203001147/http://desktopbsd.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2 |archivedate = 2013-12-03
References
References
- "DesktopBSD Team Members". desktopbsd.net.
- "DistroWatch: DesktopBSD". distrowatch.com.
- "DesktopBSD Artwork Collection". desktopbsd.net.
- (2009-09-07). "DesktopBSD 1.7 release notes". desktopbsd.net.
::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::