# TrueOS

> Unix-like, desktop-oriented operating system

**Wikidata**: [Q34182](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q34182)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TrueOS)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/trueos

## Summary
TrueOS is a Unix-like, desktop-oriented operating system originally developed as PC-BSD in 2006. It is based on FreeBSD and designed to provide a user-friendly desktop experience while maintaining the stability and security of a BSD system.

## Key Facts
- TrueOS was originally launched as **PC-BSD** on **April 29, 2006**, and rebranded to TrueOS on **September 1, 2016**.
- It is based on **FreeBSD**, a free Unix-like operating system, and uses the **Lumina Desktop** as its default graphical interface.
- The system was developed by **Kris Moore** and **iXsystems**.
- TrueOS is licensed under the **BSD licenses**, making it a free and open-source operating system.
- Notable versions include **10.3 (stable, released April 4, 2016)** and **18.03 (released March 30, 2018)**.
- The project was **discontinued on August 28, 2022**, as announced by TrueNAS.
- It supports **FreeBSD ports** for package management.

## FAQs
### Q: What is TrueOS?
A: TrueOS is a Unix-like, desktop-oriented operating system based on FreeBSD, designed to provide a user-friendly experience while maintaining BSD stability and security.

### Q: Who developed TrueOS?
A: TrueOS was developed by **Kris Moore** and **iXsystems**, with its origins tracing back to PC-BSD in 2006.

### Q: Is TrueOS still available?
A: No, TrueOS was **discontinued on August 28, 2022**, as announced by TrueNAS.

### Q: What desktop environment does TrueOS use?
A: TrueOS uses the **Lumina Desktop** as its default graphical interface.

### Q: What versions of TrueOS were released?
A: Notable versions include **10.3 (stable, 2016)** and **18.03 (2018)**.

## Why It Matters
TrueOS played a significant role in making BSD-based operating systems more accessible to desktop users. By providing a user-friendly interface with the Lumina Desktop and leveraging FreeBSD’s stability, it bridged the gap between traditional Unix-like systems and mainstream desktop computing. Its development highlighted the potential of BSD systems beyond server environments, offering an alternative to Linux distributions. Although discontinued, TrueOS contributed to the broader open-source ecosystem by demonstrating how BSD could be adapted for everyday use.

## Notable For
- **Rebranding from PC-BSD to TrueOS** in 2016, marking a shift in focus toward a more unified desktop experience.
- **Use of the Lumina Desktop**, a lightweight and customizable graphical environment designed specifically for TrueOS.
- **Discontinuation in 2022**, reflecting the challenges of maintaining niche operating systems in a competitive market.
- **FreeBSD-based architecture**, ensuring compatibility with a wide range of software and hardware.
- **Open-source licensing under BSD**, allowing users to modify and redistribute the system freely.

## Body
### Origins and Development
TrueOS began as **PC-BSD**, launched on **April 29, 2006**, by **Kris Moore** and later supported by **iXsystems**. It was designed to simplify the installation and use of FreeBSD for desktop users, offering a graphical installer and pre-configured desktop environment.

### Rebranding to TrueOS
On **September 1, 2016**, PC-BSD was rebranded as **TrueOS**, signaling a broader vision that included server and desktop use cases. The change was announced in a blog post titled *"PC-BSD Evolves into TrueOS"*, authored by Josh Smith.

### Technical Features
- **Based on FreeBSD**: TrueOS inherited FreeBSD’s stability, security, and compatibility with Unix-like systems.
- **Lumina Desktop**: A lightweight, Qt-based desktop environment developed specifically for TrueOS.
- **Package Management**: Used **FreeBSD ports** for software installation and updates.
- **Licensing**: Released under **BSD licenses**, ensuring freedom to use, modify, and redistribute.

### Versions and Releases
- **10.3 (April 4, 2016)**: A stable release with improved hardware support and desktop features.
- **18.03 (March 30, 2018)**: A later version focusing on performance and usability enhancements.

### Discontinuation
TrueOS was **discontinued on August 28, 2022**, as announced by TrueNAS. The decision reflected shifting priorities in the open-source ecosystem and the challenges of maintaining a niche desktop operating system.

## Schema Markup
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  "@type": "Thing",
  "name": "TrueOS",
  "description": "Unix-like, desktop-oriented operating system based on FreeBSD.",
  "url": "http://www.trueos.org/",
  "sameAs": [
    "https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7121578",
    "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TrueOS"
  ],
  "additionalType": "https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q188786"
}

## References

1. [Source](https://www.truenas.com/trueos-discontinuation/)
2. [10.2-pre-release and 11.0-current Images Available for Testing](http://blog.pcbsd.org/2015/06/10-2-pre-release-and-11-0-current-images-available-for-testing/)
3. [PC-BSD 10.3-RELEASE now available!. 2016](http://lists.pcbsd.org/pipermail/announce/2016-April/000246.html)
4. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
5. [PC-BSD Evolves into TrueOS. 2016](https://www.trueos.org/blog/pc-bsd-evolves-into-trueos/)
6. [Source](https://www.trueos.org/blog/pc-bsd-evolves-into-trueos/)
7. Quora