From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Thu Apr 6 15:02:41 2006 Return-Path: X-Original-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.FreeBSD.org (mx1.freebsd.org [216.136.204.125]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 491FB16A400 for ; Thu, 6 Apr 2006 15:02:41 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from jerrymc@clunix.cl.msu.edu) Received: from clunix.cl.msu.edu (clunix.cl.msu.edu [35.9.2.10]) by mx1.FreeBSD.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id E2DAB43D45 for ; Thu, 6 Apr 2006 15:02:40 +0000 (GMT) (envelope-from jerrymc@clunix.cl.msu.edu) Received: from clunix.cl.msu.edu (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by clunix.cl.msu.edu (8.13.6+Sun/8.12.2) with ESMTP id k36F2ZKr002447; Thu, 6 Apr 2006 11:02:35 -0400 (EDT) Received: (from jerrymc@localhost) by clunix.cl.msu.edu (8.13.6+Sun/8.12.2/Submit) id k36F2ZuY002446; Thu, 6 Apr 2006 11:02:35 -0400 (EDT) From: Jerry McAllister Message-Id: <200604061502.k36F2ZuY002446@clunix.cl.msu.edu> To: tzons@comcast.net (Tom) Date: Thu, 6 Apr 2006 11:02:35 -0400 (EDT) In-Reply-To: <000001c65907$42db76c0$6401a8c0@thomas> X-Mailer: ELM [version 2.5 PL7] MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Cc: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Subject: Re: Help? 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: Thu, 06 Apr 2006 15:02:41 -0000 > > I am just looking at Free BSD as a Windows alternative. I have a home > workgroup that I am out growing and wanting to do more with, but don't want > to give MS any more Hundreds of hard earned dollars. > > My first question is where can I find a site that will list all approved or > thoroughly checked out hardware to build a "box" (motherboards, and the > like). I don't have the time, or patience to get into major software > conflicts or bugs. I want to follow a A to B to C box build and software > setup. Is there someone (or more) to guide me through the process? Is there > a website with complete and accurate information on it? Is there a "BSD for > idiots" instruction book that's current? Is there a BSD project team working > with manufactures and touting their successes? Help! FreeBSD is a good choice. For information on hardware that runs FreeBSD, go to the FreeBSD web site and look under release information or latest releases. You will find a short (currently 2) list of currently supported releases. Under each you will find a link to hardware notes. Choose this and then choose the type of system - probably i386 - and you will see a list of hardware known to work on that version. As far as 'approved' goes, since this is a volunteer created and supported system and the copyrights allow people to do pretty much what they want with it, there is no formal approval process. The support process consists of trying what hardware that is available out and if it runs, then it is considered supported. There is a suit of things that is run on the hardware that is available to the developers to make sure it runs OK. Of course, the volunteer developers and the very large user community actually use it as their own systems as well, so together they give it a broad and rigorous workout. As far as step by step installation, the handbook is your friend. It does take things pretty much step by step. But, it is not as straightforward as click on install and come back in two hours. One of the best advantages of FreeBSD (after functionality, reliability, and security) is that you really can make it how you want it. But that comes with the requirement that you have to make a number of decisions about how to configure things. Some of those are how to divide the disk (and even if you want to have both FreeBSD and some other OS - yes, including possibly MSxxx - on the same machine), which services you wish to run, such as web server, compilers, interpreters, data base utilities, Email, proxies, etc, what sort of "desktop" environment you want and how tightly or loosly to secure the system, even which games you want on the system. Because those choices are completely open to you, installation requires some hands on work and that requires some pre-installation study and thought and preparation. Actually, after you have used FreeBSD a while and have a reasonable handle on your own needs and preferences, these choices become rather routine and you can run right through an installation. But the first couple of times will take some thought, work and patience as well as learning about a new type of environment and set of commands. The handbook, along with the man pages and some online publications such as Onlamp.com and others are very good in leading you through these things. There are several published books available they tend to follow the handbook as far as the technical information goes and add some more general background. They also tend to add the authors own preferences and prejudices as to what choices to make. That is very good background and frame of reference information, and is worth the price of the books, but you should keep in mind that it is generally not the final word as far as what you want your machine to be. The most controversial choices (those that get the most heated support for personal choices) seem often to be: how to divide the disk, which desktop to use and which Email MTA to use. People seem to be willing to fight to the death over their choices, but the truth is that each of the choices works well for some and not for others. I have posted my disk layouts with my reasons several times. I would suggest you start with Sendmail since it is the default and only change if and when you find you need something else. My desktop is simple. I just use AfterStep because I don't like or need all the extra junk that comes with some of the fancier ones. I also think mostly starting with defaults and/or the simpler ways and only moving on when you discover the need is the most useful path to system management enlightenment. So, good luck and welcome to FreeBSD, ////jerry > > Thank You > > Tom > > _______________________________________________ > freebsd-questions@freebsd.org mailing list > http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-questions > To unsubscribe, send any mail to "freebsd-questions-unsubscribe@freebsd.org"