Date: Tue, 23 Oct 2007 16:26:33 +0200 From: cpghost <cpghost@cordula.ws> To: "Donovan R. Palmer" <donovan@dmpnet.org> Cc: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Subject: Re: Is it difficult to move from Linux? Message-ID: <20071023162633.6ff8e1ed@epia-2.farid-hajji.net> In-Reply-To: <005501c814da$1b9cdc30$6543a8c0@DonovansLaptop> References: <200710221851.48278.mayank@in.niksun.com> <005501c814da$1b9cdc30$6543a8c0@DonovansLaptop>
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On Mon, 22 Oct 2007 19:33:57 +0100 "Donovan R. Palmer" <donovan@dmpnet.org> wrote: > I have been using Linux for over 10 years, but have for a number of > reasons become very interested in learning to use FreeBSD. Are there > any ex or current Linux users here and could you tell me how hard it > is to make the shift from Linux? Is there anything in particular > which has been written which would be useful to read? Here are the highlights from a sysadmin point of view: * FreeBSD = Kernel + Userland. All built from source /usr/src. You update the base system by synchronizing that source tree (with csup(1)), compiling it into /usr/obj and installing that with a couple of make(1) commands. See /usr/src/UPDATING. * Third party apps (including Xorg etc...) are easiest compiled and installed via /usr/ports into /usr/local. There's a clear separation between FreeBSD's own Userland and those third party apps: that's why you have e.g. /usr/local/bin/bash (a port app) vs. /bin/sh (a FreeBSD userland app). You update your ports by synchronizing /usr/ports (with csup(1) or portsnap(1)) and recursively rebuilding out-of-date or depending ports with tools like portupgrade, portmaster etc... See /usr/ports/UPDATING. * You configure FreeBSD and third party apps' daemons (which have startup scripts in /etc/rc.d and /usr/local/etc/rc.d respectively) by setting configuration variables in /etc/rc.conf. Default settings for FreeBSD's confvariables can be found in /etc/defaults/rc.conf; you just override them in /etc/rc.conf. The variables you need to add to /etc/rc.conf for ports are displayed when installing a port, but can also be found at the beginning of the /usr/local/etc/rc.d/* startup scripts. * FreeBSD's compiler is currently gcc + binutils, so you'll immediately feel at home. Gentoo has been largely inspired by FreeBSD and uses a similar compile-everything-from-source approach; though gentoo is IMHO less comfortable installing the first time and maintaining. Just remember that FreeBSD doesn't run the Linux kernel, doesn't use glibc etc...: it's a completely different code base. But for 95% of all third-party software, its APIs are POSIX-ish enough. Last but not least: don't forget to ask on freebsd-questions@ and other mailing lists. Community support is excellent: that alone would be worth switching. ;) -cpghost. -- Cordula's Web. http://www.cordula.ws/
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