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Date:      Wed, 23 Jan 2002 23:15:35 -0800
From:      chip <chip@wiegand.org>
To:        "Matthew D. Fuller" <fullermd@over-yonder.net>
Cc:        Terry Lambert <tlambert2@mindspring.com>, David Schultz <dschultz@uclink.Berkeley.EDU>, "f.johan.beisser" <jan@caustic.org>, freebsd-chat@freebsd.org
Subject:   Re: FreeBSD Intaller (was "Re: ... RedHat ...")
Message-ID:  <200201232316523.SM01952@there>
In-Reply-To: <20020124004312.A2760@over-yonder.net>
References:  <20020123114658.A514@lpt.ens.fr> <20020123223104.SM01952@there> <20020124004312.A2760@over-yonder.net>

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On Wednesday 23 January 2002 10:43 pm, Matthew D. Fuller banged out on th=
e=20
keys:
> On Wed, Jan 23, 2002 at 10:31:16PM -0800 I heard the voice of
>
> chip, and lo! it spake thus:
> > On Wednesday 23 January 2002 04:57 pm, Terry Lambert banged out on th=
e=20
keys:
> > > FreeBSD's disk "slicing" and "partitioning" really sucks.
> > >
> > > It's pretty damn unforgiving, in fact.
> > > Grrr.
> >
> > I know there are many other ways to set up partitions, with multiple =
OS's
> > etc, but it never was as difficult as I've read and been led to belie=
ve.
>
> [...]
>
> > Or, maybe I've just been 'lucky' and not had any problems? :-)
>
> I'd lean toward that option personally.
>
> The installer isn't terribly bad in the best-case scenario.  It just
> doesn't handle the edge cases very well at all.

That could be a big part of it, my machines are all older AMD K-6 series,=
=20
older 15" monitors, nothing new inside. So it's all supported.

> For instance, when using SLIP (or hardwired PPP or PLIP, I imagine),
> you're in deep trouble if you've never done it before. =20

Again, I must've been lucky. I got user PPP up and running in less than a=
n=20
hour, including attaching the external modem. I've read lots of messages =
by=20
people who just can't figure it out. The example file was mostly what I u=
sed,=20
and it just worked.

> You have to
> remember to put in the 'other ifconfig options' section the far-end
> address of the link, or it won't work; unless you've manually ifconfig'=
d
> SLIP lines a number of times, you'll forget.  Then it'll run slattach.
> If you don't get it right the first time, you're screwed, because it'll
> never clear the old attachment correctly.  Gotta reboot and start over.

I've never had a need to set up SLIP, is it even used anymore?

> The first time through, it can be kinda hairy just figuring out what yo=
u're=20
> doing). =20

I'm sure there are, especially setting up a dual-boot system. I just have=
n't=20
experienced any problems with the partitioning part of the install.

> Ever have that joy in places like the
> 'custom distribution choices' for the custom installation, where you're
> not quite sure whether enter or space is select, and the wrong choice
> will bump you back menus?

I seem to recall that happening, but not to the point of screwing up the=20
install or causing me to start over, just an inconvience.

> (Tried installing, then installing X?  It dumps on a few compat_* sets.=
 =20

I have always installed X during the initial OS install, except for when =
I=20
upgraded X to 4.01 or whatever the latest was a couple months ago.

> It works apparently smoothly in the best-case.  In most simple-cases, i=
t
> won't feel worse than rough-around-the-edges.  Start making mistakes, o=
r
> trying to get intricate, though, and it feels rather like wearing your
> high school sweater to your 30th reunion.

Maybe so. I have always done the install do a dedicated disk, and have=20
suggested the same to others, simply because it's so easy that way.
Once again, I guess I've just been lucky so far. Maybe as my experience=20
expands I'll start seeing some of what you describe (I hope not though) :=
-)

Regards,
--=20
Chip
<+><+><+><+><+><+><+><+>
Windows 95/NT - 32 bit extensions and a graphical shell for a 16 bit patc=
h
to an 8 bit operating system originally coded for a 4 bit microprocessor,
written by a 2 bit company that can't stand 1 bit of competition.
<+><+><+><+><+><+><+><+>

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