From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Tue May 3 00:44:30 2011 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:4f8:fff6::34]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id AC08D106564A for ; Tue, 3 May 2011 00:44:30 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from freebsd@edvax.de) Received: from mx01.qsc.de (mx01.qsc.de [213.148.129.14]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 3B3698FC0C for ; Tue, 3 May 2011 00:44:29 +0000 (UTC) Received: from r55.edvax.de (port-92-195-63-56.dynamic.qsc.de [92.195.63.56]) by mx01.qsc.de (Postfix) with ESMTP id 8B8883CAEE; Tue, 3 May 2011 02:44:28 +0200 (CEST) Received: from r55.edvax.de (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by r55.edvax.de (8.14.2/8.14.2) with SMTP id p430iR5V003719; Tue, 3 May 2011 02:44:27 +0200 (CEST) (envelope-from freebsd@edvax.de) Date: Tue, 3 May 2011 02:44:27 +0200 From: Polytropon To: "Louis Marrero" Message-Id: <20110503024427.2c0ace89.freebsd@edvax.de> In-Reply-To: <000001cc091a$e041f380$a0c5da80$@com> References: <000001cc091a$e041f380$a0c5da80$@com> Organization: EDVAX X-Mailer: Sylpheed 2.4.7 (GTK+ 2.12.1; i386-portbld-freebsd7.0) Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Cc: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Subject: Re: For My Edification X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list Reply-To: Polytropon List-Id: User questions List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Tue, 03 May 2011 00:44:30 -0000 Although others have already given you excellent replies, I would like to add a few comments. On Mon, 2 May 2011 18:47:11 -0400, "Louis Marrero" wrote: > Although I am familiar with basic computer operation, I've been trying to > understand a very experienced programmer friend that mixes Linux/Unix > terminology in his vocabulary under the assumption that everyone knows the > language. You can learn about this terminology, and I can really encourage you to do so, as it is a neccessary means to access the professional parts of Linux and UNIX, and if you want to "be into IT" more deeply, there is no way around it. With those basics, you'll be able to access and under- stand _any_ UNIX(-like) operating system as they share basics and have many things in common. > Being familiar only with general knowledge on the Windows XP that I use > daily, I've gone on the web to find out more information on some of the > terms used by this programmer, such as "BSD", Berkeley Software Distribution, from which FreeBSD is derived. There are other BSDs. > "shell terminal", A dialog terminal that runs an interactive shell, a command-line processor that you use to issue commands to the system. The term's origin is the "terminal", a stand-alone device (often called "dumb terminal") that served the same purpose - communicate with the computer - without being "a real computer". > "nc -u", The netcat utility. On a UNIX system, see "man nc" (local manual page). > etc. Since my friend knows that my computer is strictly MS Windows, when my > friend writes down something like "In a shell terminal type nc -u > 10.101.97.200 5555." it makes me wonder what I'm missing. You "miss" understanding of the terminology, that's nothing bad, as you can easily learn and understand it. > Here are some questions that can help my understanding: > > > > 1. I know that Windows is an OS, In this mentioning, it refers to a family of operating systems. :-) > and Linux/Unix as well as FreeBSD > are other Operating System. Correct. There are many Linux (fully correct. GNU/Linux) distributions, as well as different BSDs and UNIXes. > My very basic question is this: Is it even > possible to install a second OS, like FreeBSD on an existing Windows-based > computer? That's easily possible. You need to do a proper partitioning of the hard disk and then install FreeBSD into a free partition. You can also make use of so-called "Live systems", a thing not common to "Windows": This is an installed and configured operating system that you boot from a CD, DVD or USB stick. You do NOT have to install it. > 2. Is it possible to link my Windows laptop to a web server with > Unix or FreeBSD and exercise Unix/Linux commands. If so, how is that done? You don't usually communicate to a web server. A web server delivers web pages. What you mean is a dialog access, usually done by SSH. You can use PuTTY (on your "Windows" laptop) to access a FreeBSD system via SSH. It will show up as a terminal window to you. > I'd be grateful for any information. I may point you to the EXCELLENT documentation online: The FreeBSD Handbook and the FAQ. Those are QUALITY material not comparable to anything you find in "Windows" land. If you're dealing with IT matter, you'll have no problem to determine _what_ to read. Those resources can be easily accessed through the FreeBSD web page, but can also used locally (maybe on systems without Internet or web access). -- Polytropon Magdeburg, Germany Happy FreeBSD user since 4.0 Andra moi ennepe, Mousa, ...