# Discourse doesn't work on FreeBSD
**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-doesnt-work-on-freebsd/30253
**Category:** Feature
**Tags:** docker
**Created:** [June 20, 2015, 8:25pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-doesnt-work-on-freebsd/30253 "2015-06-20T20:25:00Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@tux0r](https://meta.discourse.org/u/tux0r)
#### Post date: [June 20, 2015, 8:25pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-doesnt-work-on-freebsd/30253/1 "2015-06-20T20:25:01Z")
According to the docs, there is a rule about support:
> The only officially supported installs of Discourse are the Docker based beginner and advanced installs. We regret that we cannot support any other methods of installation.
If I’m not entirely mistaken, Discourse entirely uses OSS software like Ruby which are supposedly working alike on all operating systems. This rule basically doesn’t allow me - and a couple of companies and other users - to use Discourse at all **although** it would work flawlessly.
I only use FreeBSD and OpenBSD servers, and while I’m positive there would be not a single problem using Discourse right from the GitHub repository, the fact that the developers stated they won’t help me in case of issues (it’s a “we don’t want you to use Discourse with your server”, not a “Discourse will not work on your server”) prevents me from doing so.
I suggest you to lift the ban on sane operating systems just because they don’t support Docker or to provide alternative installation methods for \*BSD and/or Windows servers.
Thank you.
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### Author:  [@Mittineague](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Mittineague)
#### Post date: [June 20, 2015, 8:33pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-doesnt-work-on-freebsd/30253/2 "2015-06-20T20:33:46Z")
AFAIK, being open source, anyone is free to configure their set-up as they wish.
dependencies, required versions, processes etc.
If you have a sense that being able to do that so that everything works flawlessly isn’t so easy to set-up, let alone maintain, then I’m sure you can understand how much work would be involved for the Discourse team to do so for varied set-ups as well.
Sounds like an opportunity for some talented sys ops to start a non-default install support service to me.
America, the land of opportunity 🇺🇸
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### Author:  [@tux0r](https://meta.discourse.org/u/tux0r)
#### Post date: [June 20, 2015, 8:41pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-doesnt-work-on-freebsd/30253/3 "2015-06-20T20:41:25Z")
The problem is not that I can’t install it (I guess I could figure out how, although no official documentation is provided anymore), the problem is that I won’t get help if something breaks when I did, regardless of if it’s a bug in Discourse or in my setup.
That’s too risky; not because it’s “not easy to set up”. I assume it actually is.
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### Author:  [@RaceProUK](https://meta.discourse.org/u/RaceProUK)
#### Post date: [June 20, 2015, 8:42pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-doesnt-work-on-freebsd/30253/4 "2015-06-20T20:42:22Z")
You are aware you can run Linux binaries directly on Free/OpenBSD, right? Which means you can run Docker 😉
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### Author:  [@tux0r](https://meta.discourse.org/u/tux0r)
#### Post date: [June 20, 2015, 8:44pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-doesnt-work-on-freebsd/30253/5 "2015-06-20T20:44:32Z")
Technically that’s possible, but AFAIK Docker requires some Linux kernel modules.
Other than that, there is no official way to run Docker on \*BSD - which makes me suffer from the same situation in a different place. For **no sane reason** , again.
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### Author:  [@pl3bs](https://meta.discourse.org/u/pl3bs)
#### Post date: [June 20, 2015, 8:54pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-doesnt-work-on-freebsd/30253/6 "2015-06-20T20:54:02Z")
It seems the solution is in front of you, and no need to make a request on a ban that doesn’t exist. If BSD limits you from getting what you want, adapt.
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### Author:  [@RaceProUK](https://meta.discourse.org/u/RaceProUK)
#### Post date: [June 20, 2015, 8:54pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-doesnt-work-on-freebsd/30253/7 "2015-06-20T20:54:30Z")
Have you actually _tried_ running Docker on BSD?
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### Author:  [@codinghorror](https://meta.discourse.org/u/codinghorror)
#### Post date: [June 20, 2015, 9:03pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-doesnt-work-on-freebsd/30253/8 "2015-06-20T21:03:04Z")
In theory Docker can work on FreeBSD, even Windows, provided the interfaces are written. I don’t know what the status is of that though
> **[Docker drops LXC as default execution environment](https://www.infoq.com/news/2014/03/docker_0_9/)**
>
> With the release of version 0.9 Docker.io have dropped LXC as the default execution environment, replacing it with their own libcontainer. At the same time Docker now supports a much broader range of isolation tools through the use of execution...
It is very hard to find information on this, perhaps a topic on [https://forums.docker.com/](https://forums.docker.com/) might be a good idea?
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### Author:  [@tux0r](https://meta.discourse.org/u/tux0r)
#### Post date: [June 20, 2015, 9:04pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-doesnt-work-on-freebsd/30253/9 "2015-06-20T21:04:05Z")
BSD doesn’t limit me from anything, the Discourse team does. I could use Discourse, I just won’t get support for a very lame reason.
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### Author:  [@eriko](https://meta.discourse.org/u/eriko)
#### Post date: [June 20, 2015, 9:10pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-doesnt-work-on-freebsd/30253/10 "2015-06-20T21:10:43Z")
I have been running Discourse bare metal for a over a year based on the “how to develop docs” though I am moving to a docker instance for easier updates and support of multisite. So it is completely doable. You will just have to have a better understanding of all the moving parts. No one is stopping you from doing this other than yourself.
Much like ports will preconfigure stuff like database settings and installing dependencies the docker instances do something. To be honest Docker tries to make up the the lack of things like ports in the linux world.
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### Author:  [@sam](https://meta.discourse.org/u/sam)
#### Post date: [June 20, 2015, 10:50pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-doesnt-work-on-freebsd/30253/11 "2015-06-20T22:50:40Z")
> [@tux0r](#):
>
> the Discourse team does
That is 100% incorrect.
The Docker install is the only install **the Discourse team** supports on these forums.
Discourse is open source, you can get it to run just fine on BSD, but it takes a lot of skills and work.
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### Author:  [@tux0r](https://meta.discourse.org/u/tux0r)
#### Post date: [June 20, 2015, 10:52pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-doesnt-work-on-freebsd/30253/12 "2015-06-20T22:52:40Z")
> [@sam](#):
>
> The Docker install is the only install the Discourse team supports on these forums.
So, if BSD is not “officially supported”, who will support me when I have questions?
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### Author:  [@sam](https://meta.discourse.org/u/sam)
#### Post date: [June 20, 2015, 10:53pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-doesnt-work-on-freebsd/30253/13 "2015-06-20T22:53:44Z")
The “Install Discourse on BSD” community.
Same way as other open source stuff works… its just that I will not.
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### Author:  [@tux0r](https://meta.discourse.org/u/tux0r)
#### Post date: [June 20, 2015, 10:58pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-doesnt-work-on-freebsd/30253/14 "2015-06-20T22:58:01Z")
I’d assume there is no “Install Discourse on BSD” community (yes, I _did_ ask Google first), rendering my statement that Discourse is intended to be a Linux-only software valid. A “not supported platform” which “can be got to run” is not something I would risk in a real-world scenario, sorry.
I just saw that you’re a co-founder. I surely was hoping you were more interested in making your software available to a wider audience without them having to jump through hoops.
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### Author:  [@Mittineague](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Mittineague)
#### Post date: [June 20, 2015, 11:05pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-doesnt-work-on-freebsd/30253/15 "2015-06-20T23:05:50Z")
> [@tux0r](#):
>
> just saw that you’re a co-founder. I surely was hoping you were more interested in making your software available to a wider audience without them having to jump through hoops.
Money talks. Make an offer.
My bet is if it’s enough to pay for a larger support team’s salary it might just happen.
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### Author:  [@sam](https://meta.discourse.org/u/sam)
#### Post date: [June 20, 2015, 11:09pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-doesnt-work-on-freebsd/30253/16 "2015-06-20T23:09:58Z")
> [@tux0r](#):
>
> I just saw that you’re a co-founder. I surely was hoping you were more interested in making your software available to a wider audience without them having to jump through hoops.
I am interested, I just have limited time. That is all.
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### Author:  [@tux0r](https://meta.discourse.org/u/tux0r)
#### Post date: [June 20, 2015, 11:26pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-doesnt-work-on-freebsd/30253/17 "2015-06-20T23:26:31Z")
Money talks in Open Source? Discourse is a commercial system and its business model relies on Linux users willing to pay money for software?
Seriously?
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### Author:  [@tux0r](https://meta.discourse.org/u/tux0r)
#### Post date: [June 20, 2015, 11:27pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-doesnt-work-on-freebsd/30253/18 "2015-06-20T23:27:04Z")
sam, are you “the Discourse team”?
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### Author:  [@sam](https://meta.discourse.org/u/sam)
#### Post date: [June 20, 2015, 11:28pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-doesnt-work-on-freebsd/30253/19 "2015-06-20T23:28:46Z")
yes I am representing the Discourse team
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### Author:  [@sam](https://meta.discourse.org/u/sam)
#### Post date: [June 20, 2015, 11:28pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-doesnt-work-on-freebsd/30253/20 "2015-06-20T23:28:48Z")
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