Date: Wed, 31 Jul 2013 01:49:41 -0400 From: "Sam Fourman Jr." <sfourman@gmail.com> To: petersontr@aol.com Cc: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Subject: Re: Glen Peterson from Wisconsin. Some questions Message-ID: <CAOFF%2BZ0amNB9VNYB-1Wm8fpW=YB=GFfCDVWebi1rY9jY6tzC8g@mail.gmail.com> In-Reply-To: <8D05BB0B1E35F93-A6C-CAD9@webmail-d137.sysops.aol.com> References: <8D05BAF9AC564D3-A6C-CA64@webmail-d137.sysops.aol.com> <8D05BB04C1E3633-A6C-CAB7@webmail-d137.sysops.aol.com> <8D05BB0B1E35F93-A6C-CAD9@webmail-d137.sysops.aol.com>
next in thread | previous in thread | raw e-mail | index | archive | help
On Tue, Jul 30, 2013 at 10:56 PM, <petersontr@aol.com> wrote: > Dear Sir: > > > I have been thinking about installing your FreeBSD onto some of my extra > PC's that I have laying around, just to see what that Unix OS can do on my > PC. I have a few questions, though, before I order your Install Disk to do > that. I spoke to your receptionist there on 30 July, and she suggested that > I write to you with my detailed questions before I went ahead an purchased > your well-recommended OS: > > > 1. I have a Dell Dimension 3000 PC with a 32-bit Intel processor in it. It > has 2G's of RAM, and a 250GB hard drive under Windows OS, currently. I use > A.T.&T. as my ISP and I have a DSL line supplied by A.T.& T. May I install > your OS onto an external 80 GB Seagate Barracuda ATA IV Model ST380021A > hard drive, and boot off of that into BSD and have it run on that Dell > computer? The BIOS Chip seems to support external drives and USB sticks, > since I have successfully used the later to boot this PC into Debian Linux. > > 2. Do you have a version of your free BSD program with a graphical user > interface (like that seen on Mac's and Windows boxes) that will run on that > same Dell Dimension 300, mentioned above? > > 3. How much does the install CD cost me, including shipping to the > Milwaukee area, for the Free BSD OS that will run on said computer? > > 4. I have another PC at work that has a 32-bit AMD chip in it with 1GB RAM > and 250 GB under Vista OS, currently. Do you likewise have a version of > your latest Free BSD that will run on THIS machine in a graphical > environment like that mentioned for the Dell computer above from the same > external 80 GB Seagate hard drive? > > 5. Does the OS come with an application, like I have observed with some > Linux distros, that enables me to get updates as they become available? > > Does your FreeBSD come with its own browser? If not, may I still connect > to the web by some means to obtain a BSD-compatible browser (e.g., Firefox) > that will run on this OS on either of the two computers above? > > Sincerely, > > Glen A. Peterson > Cedarburg, Wisconsin > (262) 780-1856 (W, C.D.T.)but OK to call there) > PetersonTR@aol.com > > Glen, First of all, FreeBSD is well FREE.. you don't need to purchase it, but you can donate to the FreeBSD foundation[2] a user friendly version of FreeBSD is available, it is named PC-BSD, they have dropped support for 32bit processors but you can still obtain old versions with 32bit support [3] you should note however, that unlike in the Linux world, PC-BSD is not a fork persay, it is plain vanilla FreeBSD under the hood, its just simply packaged in a way that makes it easy to "use" While The FreeBSD handbook is a great source of information, and everything you find there will apply to PC-BSD as well, there is a book that is very well written The Definitive Guide to PC-BSD [4] PCBSD provides updates via a graphical user interface, and they very closely track FreeBSD.. but as I stated earlier, while FreeBSD still actively supports the 32bit platform, PC-BSD has decided not to. on a side note, I am also from Wisconsin, feel free to contact me via gmail chat sfourman@gmail.com, I will assist you in anyway I can Have a Great Day, Sam Fourman Jr. [1] ftp://ftp.freebsd.org/pub/FreeBSD/releases/ISO-IMAGES/9.1/FreeBSD-9.1-RELEASE-i386-disc1.iso [2]http://www.freebsdfoundation.org/donate/ [3]ftp://ftp.pcbsd.org/pub/archived/8.2/i386/ [4]https://www.freebsdmall.com/cgi-bin/fm/pcbsdguide?id=MhtF3J72&mv_pc=194
Want to link to this message? Use this URL: <https://mail-archive.FreeBSD.org/cgi/mid.cgi?CAOFF%2BZ0amNB9VNYB-1Wm8fpW=YB=GFfCDVWebi1rY9jY6tzC8g>