Date: Fri, 27 Aug 1999 11:57:46 -0500 (CDT) From: "M. L. Dodson" <bdodson@beowulf.utmb.edu> To: Jeff Baker <Jeff.Baker@ACADHOTLINE.net.au> Cc: freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: adopt a newbie program Message-ID: <199908271657.LAA21365@beowulf.utmb.edu> In-Reply-To: <199908271605.BAA00804@bow.portal.net.au> References: <199908271605.BAA00804@bow.portal.net.au>
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Jeff Baker writes: > Hi ML Dobson, > It's newbie here, I just wanted to thank you for your honest approach. > As a professional support peron (in another computer field) I > appreciate your > comments re time consuming. > > Only point I would not agree with you on is the researched question > point. > Right now I'm hunting for a jibberish dictionary, so I can try and > figure out > the difference between a grep and a psedo-device within a kernel which > I have to re compile so I can find a /dev/rfd0 > > My simple point being, I'm not sure I'm qualified to ask a sensible > question just yet.<g> > > Best I can do right now is: > Anyone point me to a simple jibberish dictionary,preferably with > some english in it.? > What about a tech doc on setting up a Freebsd Intranet server.....?? > > Regards > Newbie > In the real world trying to break out! > or > In the M$ world looking for an alternate lifestyle....... > or > Choosing between Pain and Bill > > > Well, since you seem to like the honesty bit, and I have no idea where to get the dictionary you want, let me attempt to enlighten you all (you all as we say in the American South, not just you as an individual) a bit on the deep dark secret to Unix: It is a difficult operating system to approach as a beginner. (By beginner I mean someone with no experience in Unix. You could be a world's expert on MVS and still be a Unix beginner.) It is a philosophy of computing as much as a piece of software, and you have to wrap your brain around WHY it is the way it is before you will begin to get it. Remember, this software was originally designed by people that knew what they were doing, not by some consumer focus group in Seattle, Washington, USA, who were concerned about whether the paper clip should wink or blink. It is only to be expected that the concepts should be somewhat subtle. After you get the WHY, it comes much faster. And the end product is well worth the effort, or we would not all be here doing all this keyboard pounding. Trust me on this one. For that there is no substitute for getting some reading materials and using them. You understand this and are asking for pointers to them, and I understand that you are, so this is not directed at you, per se, but to you all in the sense described above. For some, these materials may be the Handbook, Tutorials, and FAQ at www.freebsd.org, for others, they may be Unix for Dummies books, for others, something in between like Greg L.'s book. But there is no substitute. No mailing list, no mentor, nothing. There is no try, there is only RTFM. And there is no universal answer as to the right materials to acquire; you have to find your level on your own, grasshopper. (Switching metaphors in an Ugly American's attempt at humor for those who do not get the reference.) Go to a book store or library and look around, if you find you need hard copy. IMO, it is totally unrealistic to believe that you can skip the acceleration phase of the learning curve for an Unix system. This is not your father's Windows. Choose Pain, not Bill. -- M. L. Dodson bdodson@scms.utmb.edu 409-772-2178 FAX: 409-772-1790 To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-questions" in the body of the message
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