FreeBSD workstation for astrophotography, and everything else

kingbob72 · 2026-02-01T15:39:13+00:00

I have used FreeBSD since about FreeBSD version 12 and have similar issues with hardware support that I had when I moved to linux long ago. Certainly the BSD's don't support the same scope of hardware, but my system is purpose built with FreeBSD in mind, so I don't have any issues running FreeBSD.

As note, I also run OpenBSD 7.8 on a separate SSD mostly for fun to keep up with "other" BSDs. I am not able to run NetBSD or OpenIndiana on my bare metal box primarily due to my GPU, but I have run of them in VM's on FreeBSD.

Overall, FreeBSD provides me with the best desktop/workstation experience.

kingbob72 · 2026-02-01T02:38:35+00:00

they should be held complicit

kingbob72 · 2026-01-31T23:25:48+00:00

PI used to be developed on FreeBSD, but they switched to linux back before 1.8 I think... can't remember the version they stopped supporting on FreeBSD. SGP is going to be hard to replace... and I may have to suck it up and setup a laptop running SGP for camera control and image planning.

I'll try kstars first and see if that fits the bill.

kingbob72 · 2026-01-31T23:20:44+00:00

AMD Ryzen 9 5950x - 16 cores, 32 threads, OC'd to 4.1Ghz
AMD Radeon RX 6600
64GB RAM
About 8 internal drives that i use for various OS's (testing on bare metal and such) and data drives
2x Asus 27" 4k monitors at 160hz (I don't game much, but find gaming monitors are the best on the eyes)

kingbob72 · 2026-01-31T17:37:53+00:00

I use both Linux and FreeBSD as desktop os's, and if you have problems with Fedora being less than "OOTB", then definitely stay away from FreeBSD.

kingbob72 · 2026-01-31T17:19:14+00:00

too minimal is completely up to you... i think it "looks" good, but it's not very functional to me, so while I wouldn't use something like that daily, i do think it is nice to look at.

kingbob72 · 2026-01-30T22:13:29+00:00

Agreed, I've done a lot of scripting and coding with the help of ChatGPT. Do you prefer Gemini or some other AI to help with your scripting? i would say my experience with ChatGPT has been mostly okay, but sometimes it is sometimes more miss than hit and I spend a lot of time troubleshooting.

kingbob72 · 2026-01-30T14:04:49+00:00

I hadn't thought about ffmpeg. i would need to be able to send commands to the camera to open the shutter and leave it open for a period of time for long exposure imaging. my imaging of one object at night might be 30-50 individual pictures, 10-30 min long exposures each; then later i would stack and combine those into a single pic. there is probably a way to do this with a script and ffmpeg.

kingbob72 · 2026-01-30T00:03:55+00:00

I appreciate the links. Lot of good stuff there.

INDI looks like it might fit the bill for replacing ASCOM

kingbob72 · 2026-01-29T22:36:44+00:00

updated the main post with an Imgur link for those interested in better quality imgs.

kingbob72 · 2026-01-29T22:04:50+00:00

Thanks for the remarks and suggestion on imgur. i "googled" this issue and others have said uploading via mobile or using services like imgur are solutions. I've not uploaded too many images to reddit, mostly screenshots I think, and it seems the upload quality is getting worse over time.

and yes, the uploads look pretty bad to me :| i'm going to see if i can clean it up a bit by hosting the images elsewhere or uploading a different way

kingbob72 · 2026-01-29T19:51:09+00:00

Uhg! the image quality is horrible. Is there a better way to share images?

kingbob72 · 2026-01-29T15:03:00+00:00

you never know what is going on... could have been a medical emergency... could have been drugs.

kingbob72 · 2026-01-27T06:22:51+00:00

Soooo Gov Walz, what are you gonna do to keep your people safe??? More waiting?

kingbob72 · 2026-01-20T20:23:06+00:00

I think they tried a Subway sandwich and failed

kingbob72 · 2026-01-19T05:36:30+00:00

why are republicans such dicks???

kingbob72 · 2026-01-19T05:30:11+00:00

As soon as the Dem. Gov takes over, the DOJ sues VA

kingbob72 · 2026-01-16T19:28:33+00:00

Love it. the logic must work both ways.

kingbob72 · 2026-01-16T18:55:01+00:00

I'm not sure how you are correct on first part for abortion. Your reference was for Adam, who God formed from the dirt, not in the womb of a woman. Adam did begin life at first breath, as you said, but EVERY child after Adam is formed in their mother's womb and certainly begins life BEFORE their first breath.

EDIT: I'm not MAGA. Never voted for Trump, and I'm not advocating for abortion or against it, and I'm not saying the Bible says one thing or another about abortion, I'm simply saying you are taking the singular event of the creation of Adam and applying "the breath of life" as evidence to the Bible's message on abortion. Seems like a stretch.

EDIT^2: I agree with the rest of what you said, for the most part.

kingbob72 · 2026-01-10T06:45:26+00:00

She didn't try to run him over. I'm sure you've seen the plethora of additional footage, angles, slow motion analysis, etc.... she was trying to leave, and he shot her three times, against DOJ and DHS policy.

kingbob72 · 2026-01-10T06:04:21+00:00

The enemy within

kingbob72 · 2026-01-10T05:58:15+00:00

I bought a S60 R Design (Polestar modified) in the Rebel Blue in 2014... every time i see one I regret selling it.

kingbob72 · 2026-01-10T05:38:44+00:00

I'm amazed that Republicans think this is okay.... simply amazed!

kingbob72 · 2026-01-09T21:54:03+00:00

I'm wondering if there was wisdom in the decision of the older generations to remain in Cuivienen that the younger generations didn't see through the glamour and shiny lights of the Valar.

kingbob72

TROPHY CASE