From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Tue May 3 08:35:45 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 72B701065673 for ; Tue, 3 May 2011 08:35:45 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from nzp@riseup.net) Received: from mx1.riseup.net (mx1.riseup.net [204.13.164.18]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 4EDE08FC24 for ; Tue, 3 May 2011 08:35:44 +0000 (UTC) Received: from spoonbill.riseup.net (spoonbill-pn.riseup.net [10.0.1.64]) (using TLSv1 with cipher DHE-RSA-AES256-SHA (256/256 bits)) (Client CN "*.riseup.net", Issuer "Gandi Standard SSL CA" (verified OK)) by mx1.riseup.net (Postfix) with ESMTPS id 5292618D584; Tue, 3 May 2011 01:15:44 -0700 (PDT) Received: from [127.0.0.1] (localhost [127.0.0.1]) (Authenticated sender: nzp@spoonbill.riseup.net) with ESMTPSA id E53FB9F6C Date: Tue, 3 May 2011 10:15:39 +0200 From: Nikola =?utf-8?B?UGF2bG92acSH?= To: Louis Marrero Message-ID: <20110503081539.GA52916@sputnjik.localdomain> Mail-Followup-To: Louis Marrero , freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.org References: <000001cc091a$e041f380$a0c5da80$@com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Disposition: inline In-Reply-To: <000001cc091a$e041f380$a0c5da80$@com> User-Agent: Mutt/1.4.2.3i X-Virus-Scanned: clamav-milter 0.97 at mx1 X-Virus-Status: Clean Cc: freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.org Subject: Re: For My Edification X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: User questions List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Tue, 03 May 2011 08:35:45 -0000 On Mon, May 02, 2011 at 06:47:11PM -0400, Louis Marrero wrote: > > Here are some questions that can help my understanding: > > > 1. I know that Windows is an OS, and Linux/Unix as well as FreeBSD > are other Operating System. My very basic question is this: Is it even > possible to install a second OS, like FreeBSD on an existing Windows-based > computer? > Others have given you fine answers so I'll just point out something I think might be a good advice for a Unix novice: if you decide to install a Linux try to go with one of the more "traditional" distributions (I've recently read someone call then "time wasters" :)) like Slackware, Arch Linux or similar. The reason is they don't encourage you do do stuff the Windows way (like, for example, Ubuntu does). If you need to learn about Unix you'll learn much faster and better in such an environment. Both Slackware and Arch are BSD styled which is a little unusual in the Linux land. Of course, it's probably better to get the real thing and install one of the BSDs, FreeBSD probably being the sanest choice for a newcomer because of it's outstanding documentation (The FreeBSD Handbook is really a clear step-by-step guide to FreeBSD, and doesn't assume any prior Unix knowledge). > > > 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? > There is a number of servers that offer free shell accounts (a web server is a different thing) so you can practice and learn even without installing anything but PuTTY (an SSH client for Windows). I've never used any of them so I can't recommend any particular, but you can find a list of such servers on http://shells.red-pill.eu/ (it seems there are a few of them with FreeBSD). -- What is love but a second-hand emotion? -- Tina Turner