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Date:      Thu, 29 Jul 1999 09:18:24 -0600
From:      Wes Peters <wes@softweyr.com>
To:        Craig Varrichio <cvarrichio@yahoo.com>
Cc:        freebsd-questions@freebsd.org
Subject:   Re: Important Questions about FreeBSD
Message-ID:  <37A070C0.5B21B38E@softweyr.com>
References:  <19990729134318.23592.rocketmail@send205.yahoomail.com>

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That was sure an interesting disctribution list you came up with!

Craig Varrichio wrote:
> 
> I realize that you may not have time to answer some
> simple questions about Unix and FreeBSD, but I have
> been unable to find anyone who can answer all of my
> questions so I am just sending this around to see who
> may be able to help me.  I will make it short and
> sweet-
> 1.  Do FreeBSD and Linux use the same disk partitions
> and will any of the same programs run on both?

No, and yes.  FreeBSD and Linux use different native filesystem formats,
and therefore cannot share a disk partition.  FreeBSD can run many 
(perhaps most) Linux binary programs, and most of the open source apps
for Linux are available for FreeBSD in native format.

> 2.  Do Microsoft formatted disks function in FreeBSD
> or any other Unix variant?

Yes, FreeBSD and most other UNIX systems have the capability to read
most or all Microsoft-formatted disks.  Support for NTFS and VFAT is
less common than the original FAT16.

> 3.  Does FreeBSD have sound support for connected a
> MIDI keyboard through the serial port?

Yes, but it may not be in the release version yet.

> 4.  And finally, if Linux programs will not run on
> FreeBSD, is there a range of applications that are
> designed for FreeBSD?

Yes.  On the web page http://www.freebsd.org/ports/ we learn that the ports 
collection currently contains 2502 applications for FreeBSD.  These range
from new shells to word processors (some of which are Linux binaries with
FreeBSD port kits to install them) to CAD systems.

> I will greatly appreciate any help I can get.  You can
> also reach me at unclecraig@mail.utexas.edu.  Thanks
> again

Good luck.  Poking through the web pages at www.freebsd.org should answer
most of your questions, any others you may have can be answered by sending
mail to freebsd-questions@freebsd.org.

-- 
            "Where am I, and what am I doing in this handbasket?"

Wes Peters                                                         Softweyr LLC
http://softweyr.com/                                           wes@softweyr.com


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