While FreeBSD is popular as a server for its performance and stability, it is also suited for day-to-day use as a desktop. With over 24,000 applications available as packages or ports, it is easy to build a customized desktop that runs a wide variety of desktop applications. This chapter demonstrates how to install some popular desktop applications effortlessly using packages or the FreeBSD Ports Collection.
As FreeBSD features Linux® binary compatibility, many applications developed for Linux can be installed on a FreeBSD desktop. Many of the ports using Linux binary compatibility start with “linux-”. This chapter assumes that Linux binary compatibility has been enabled before any Linux applications are installed.
This chapter demonstrates how to install the following desktop applications:
| Type of Application | Application Name | Package Name | Ports Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| Browser | Firefox | firefox | www/firefox |
| Browser | Opera | opera | www/opera |
| Browser | Konqueror | kde4-baseapps | x11/kde4-baseapps |
| Browser | Chromium | chromium | www/chromium |
| Productivity | Calligra | calligra | editors/calligra |
| Productivity | AbiWord | abiword | editors/abiword |
| Productivity | The GIMP | gimp | graphics/gimp |
| Productivity | Apache OpenOffice | openoffice | editors/openoffice-3 |
| Productivity | LibreOffice | libreoffice | editors/libreoffice |
| Document Viewer | Acrobat Reader® | no package due to license restriction | print/acroread9 |
| Document Viewer | gv | gv | print/gv |
| Document Viewer | Xpdf | xpdf | graphics/xpdf |
| Document Viewer | GQview | gqview | graphics/gqview |
| Finance | GnuCash | gnucash | finance/gnucash |
| Finance | Gnumeric | gnumeric | math/gnumeric |
| Finance | KMyMoney | kmymoney-kde4 | finance/kmymoney-kde4 |
Before reading this chapter, you should know how to:
Install additional software using packages or ports.
Enable Linux binary compatibility.
For information on how to configure a multimedia environment, refer to . For information on how to set up and use electronic mail, refer to .