Date: Wed, 05 Aug 2009 16:57:34 -0400 From: Michael Powell <nightrecon@hotmail.com> To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Subject: Re: upgrade 7.2 overwrites partitions Message-ID: <h5crnd$f9m$1@ger.gmane.org> References: <4A76FB32.9050601@videotron.ca> <20090803215319.8fad2441.freebsd@edvax.de> <4A798DF2.3020305@videotron.ca> <200908051651.53302.j.mckeown@ru.ac.za> <20090805203337.c6f74172.freebsd@edvax.de>
next in thread | previous in thread | raw e-mail | index | archive | help
Polytropon wrote: [snip] > >> Personally, I do think it's a pity, because FreeBSD (in my experience, >> since FreeBSD 4.5) is stable, easy to use (once you have the basic Unix >> concepts on board), and astonishingly well-documented. It's also >> supported by one of the friendliest and most knowledgeable communities I >> know. > > In relations to most Linusi and MICROS~1 stuff in general, FreeBSD is the > MOST EXCELLENT documented OS I've ever used - and I have used many OSes > during my "career". The FAQ, the handbook and especially the manpages are > great. Of course, that's my point of view as a developer. For a "normal > user", this might look a bit different, but finally, there's this very > helpful and friendly list. > Many people's only familiarity with computers in general will be from a Windows centric perspective. Somehow there is a tendency to believe that inserting a CD, booting, and then proceeding to click "OK" in a dialog box a few dozen times makes them some kind of expert when they successfully get Windows installed. Coming from a Windows centric environment myself I initially found that there was a great deal of material to be learned, and RTFM was the way to do it. I've noticed people who come from university computer science programs have a much better foundation upon which to build. Most computer users do not fit this category, myself included. While this deficiency can be overcome with self study, I am also aware that not everyone who reads documentation necessarily understands the material. If too much background education is missing the documentation just resembles gobbeldy-gook and is ignored, with the fall back position of "click OK a few dozen times and the OS will take care of it for me" expected to pick up the slack. I would not be where I am today in my understanding and use of FreeBSD if not for the excellent documentation and surrounding community. I feel I owe my success in utilizing FreeBSD to the people who took the time to write this stuff down for people like me to use. It is with a great measure of gratitude to these people I owe my success. [snip] -Mike
Want to link to this message? Use this URL: <https://mail-archive.FreeBSD.org/cgi/mid.cgi?h5crnd$f9m$1>