[0xcde4c3db]

In my estimation, mostly a mix of:

- Those running network infrastructure (router, firewall, VPN gateway, mail server, etc.)

- Those who want a simple Unix desktop with no gimmicks and low hassle

- Hardcore Unix geeks who don't like the other flavors for $REASONS

In a more general or vague sense, OpenBSD is often appealing to people who care more about cohesiveness and correctness than about the sheer magnitude of performance and features. If you've ever thought that you might prefer to have an indefinitely supported version of Windows 7 because Windows 10 seems to be crawling with gratuitous changes, bugs, and dubious "features", the appeal is a bit like the Unix equivalent of that.

[Galanwe]

> - Those who want a simple Unix desktop with no gimmicks and low hassle

This! When you are using OpenBSD, and wonder how a particular piece of the kernel works, you just open the source code, read it, and you can usually have a good idea of the inner workings with some days studying it. Trying to do the same thing with linux, you would need months to grasp any idea of how it works. Linux is developed by thousands of people all around the world at the same time. OpenBSD on the other hand is developed by a few power developers, which gives the code a unique consistency and readability.

[irundebian]

Just use Debian GNU/Linux minimum-installation without desktop environment. I doubt you're much faster in studying the OpenBSD kernel compared to the Linux kernel. I'm also not sure if some days are enough for both of them.