Skip site navigation (1)Skip section navigation (2)
Date:      Mon, 31 Jan 2000 18:20:15 -0500
From:      Mark Hendriks <markh@lon.imag.net>
To:        freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG
Cc:        sansonvolmark@sudnet.com.ar
Subject:   Re: FreeBSD instead of Windows
Message-ID:  <00013118573300.00267@mymachine.imag.net>
References:  <38956724.2CBF94C0@sudnet.com.ar>

next in thread | previous in thread | raw e-mail | index | archive | help
On Mon, 31 Jan 2000, Sanson Volmark wrote:
> I'm very interested to know if it's possible to use freeBSD instead of
> Windowx 98.

The simple answer is yes.  Many people use FreeBSD instead of Windows,
just as many people use Macintosh instead of Windows, Linux instead of
Windows, OS/2 instead of Windows, etc.  There are also many people
(including myself,) who use FreeBSD instead of Macintosh, Linux, OS/2,
etc.

I presume that you use the phrase "instead of Windows" because, like many
people, Windows is the only operating system you have hands on experience
with.  If the computer market was a level, competitive playing field, then
there is no reason that any one operating system would have a majority
market share, any more than one particular vehicle dominates the auto
market.  If you were going to buy a car, you would not walk into a
dealership and ask "Can I drive a Dodge Dakota instead of a Honda Civic?"

Shop for an operating system the way you would shop for a car.  Consider
what your requirements are.  Consider what your preferences are.  Then
approach the various "dealers," and ask how their operating system meets
your requirements and preferences.

Unfortunately, if you are like many Windows users, then you many not
really have a good idea of what other operating systems are capable of. 
If this is the case, all you have to do is ask "What is your operating
system capable of?  What are the features of your operating system?  What
makes your operating system better than other operatind systems?"  Answers
to this last question should, of course, be taken with a grain of salt.

This mailing list is a good place to ask such questions.  There are also
mailing lists for Linux, and resources on the Internet for asking such
questions about Macintosh, OS/2, and BeOS.

I'm sorry that I couldn't give you a simple answer, but I hope that you're
starting to realize that (contrary to what Microsoft wants you to believe,)
there is no simple answer to which operating system you should use.

Mark Hendriks
markh@lon.imag.net


To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org
with "unsubscribe freebsd-questions" in the body of the message




Want to link to this message? Use this URL: <https://mail-archive.FreeBSD.org/cgi/mid.cgi?00013118573300.00267>