Date: Tue, 23 Jun 1998 21:31:06 -0500 (EST) From: Andrew Short <Ashort@concentric.net> To: FreeBSD Questions Mailing List <freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG> Message-ID: <Pine.SUN.3.96.980623205657.24516D-100000@viking.cris.com>
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This past weekend was VERY eventful for me. I installed FreeBSD for the first (and second and third...) time. Every single problem that I had was the direct result of PHYSICAL hardware failure (one) or my own ignorance or stupidity (or combination thereof). This is (as far as I can tell yet) one _terrific_ OS. Most of my *nix experience is playing with Linux, and I've played with XFree86 in Linux, so I carry a VERY basic understanding from doing that, but I have to say that _2_ things helped me SEVERELY. 1. A VERY good friend of mine provided me with a "kid-tested, mother-approved" XF86Config file. As hardware goes, our XF86Config files SHOULD be identical, and they are. (Same monitor, video card, trackball, have I left out anything?) =) I had literally _0_ tweaking to do there...actually...I am now concerned with upping the sensitivity on the trackball because the monitor is uhhh....too big. =) 2. My ravenous appetite for reading anything FreeBSD right up to the time I started assembling the box. Some minor points. 1. I refuse to be beaten by this OS. It WILL work because I know it can. So far the OS hasn't issued much in the way of a challenge. I've cut my teeth (and a few gums) on Linux and it carries a lot of the blame for being "difficult" for me...unfairly...because it is what I "learned the basics" on. I banged my head on a few keyboards while trying to "grasp" unix in general, linux, AND XFree86, on old hardware that was never meant to run those things. (Packard <cough...sputter> Bell <wheeze...> yeah..I _know_) 2. I built this new box around the FreeBSD OS hardware list, With few variations (and NO violations) from the "norm". I went IDE against the advice of most around here...works great so far)... I've seen it written a few times (and deduced for myself) that deciding on the OS _first_ was a really good idea. =) I HAVE to agree. 3. MOST of my frustration over the weekend was over a BRAND SPANKING NEW hard drive that was bad right out of the box. And I am still waiting on the manufacturer to send me a new one. Right now I am running XFree and some other things on an old 405MB IDE drive. 4. User ppp is a terrific package. =) It is MUCH more straight forward than kernel ppp. I may or may NOT decide to switch to kernel ppp...I really don't have much of a problem initiating manual conenctions with user ppp. It's that easy. =) In closing....SO FAR...I really don't see why...in the grand scheme of things, that FreeBSD is seen as "more esoteric" than Linux. Given the PROPER hardware...this thing is a SNAP (pun intended? maybe...) =) The only real "weakness" is that FreeBSD is LESS likely to be cooperative on any given existing platform...spec the box yourself and it's been a breeze for me. And _READ_ like your life depends on it...your computer's life certainly does. (This is proper and sound advice no matter WHAT OS you run). >From what I have seen...I could support this on desktops once I became more familiar with it. I would PREFER supporting this to Lose95 ("We need a router in this office...guess Bobby's getting a 2nd NIC in his PC!"). And...I have one kick butt PC that was quite cheap as well. I mean really...EXCELLENT job Core team! (and committers too!) THANK YOU! ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Andrew Short Colossians 3:23 ashort@concentric.net http://www.concentric.net/~ashort/ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-questions" in the body of the message
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