GhostBSD 26.2 takes the fright out of FreeBSD with a friendlier installer

GhostBSD 26.2 brings a more user-friendly experience to FreeBSD, addressing the challenges of its initially complex installation process. Based on FreeBSD 15.1, this update introduces a new installer, supports full-disk encryption, and offers a smaller installation image. The desktop tools have also been refined to improve user experience.

Despite the initial plan to include KDE Plasma directly from the setup program, the feature was not ready, leading to the creation of an alternative, keyboard-driven tiling desktop called Omarchy. GhostBSD focuses on providing a familiar Linux-like desktop experience to FreeBSD users, including a live graphical environment, a graphical installer, and tools for managing software and updates.

The default edition includes the MATE desktop, while an alternative version with Xfce is available. The release also includes improvements for Intel AX200 Wi-Fi cards, open networks, password alerts, and non-ASCII network names, along with default USB HID support. Despite the absence of Gershwin in this release, the project's lead, Joe Maloney, explained that its active development and the challenges of packaging it for GhostBSD made inclusion difficult.

Meanwhile, Eric Turgeon, another project lead, is developing his own desktop environment, Mocka, which, when ready, will become GhostBSD's default desktop. For now, users can expect a dark theme and the classic MATE desktop layout, with tools like BE Station for managing boot environments, Software Station for browsing and installing applications, and Update Station for updates.

While GhostBSD offers a more accessible route to FreeBSD for Linux users curious about the operating system, it's important to note that proprietary Linux apps like Chrome and Slack are not available, and hardware compatibility may require additional checks. Nonetheless, GhostBSD aims to make the transition to FreeBSD a smoother and more welcoming experience.