Date: Thu, 16 Aug 2007 01:04:19 -0700 From: David Southwell <david@vizion2000.net> To: Giorgos Keramidas <keramida@ceid.upatras.gr> Cc: support@kinetix.gr, Latitude <robertjx@ix.netcom.com>, freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Subject: Re: Convince me, please! Message-ID: <200708160104.20487.david@vizion2000.net> In-Reply-To: <20070815193917.GB3281@kobe.laptop> References: <46BA9682.7020203@ix.netcom.com> <200708150314.09987.david@vizion2000.net> <20070815193917.GB3281@kobe.laptop>
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On Wednesday 15 August 2007 12:39:17 Giorgos Keramidas wrote: > One of the best emails I've seen as a reply to a user coming from the > Windows world. > > Many thanks for taking the time to write all this :-) > > - Giorgos > > On 2007-08-15 03:14, David Southwell <david@vizion2000.net> wrote: > > I see where both sides in this argument are coming from.. basically a > > lack of understanding of the others point of view. As a user of > > multiple operating systems..Freebsd, Windows 98, 2000, XP and XP 64, > > Linux and apple I thought i might throw in a remark or two which is > > intended to help a newcomer to a freebsd world. > > > > First lets think of the MS windows user. As a newcomer to a unix OS, > > such as freebsd, you are faced with two very large sets of challenges > > or, as I would like you to think of it, educational opportunities. > > > > Because the vendor of the operating system is also the vendor of major > > applications, including its most commonly used browser, office > > applicatiions and compiler systems non-technically minded users do not > > easily have a clear grasp of the distinction between the roles of an > > OS and the role of applications. To use any Unix system effectively a > > clear and reasonably detailed understanding of the way applications > > interact with the operating system is essential. > > > > For its own commercial reasons Microssssoft are keen to blur that > > distinction in the minds of its users to maintain a false notion that > > only MS windows can fulfill its user's needs. > > > > Secondly because MS windows operates in a commercial environment it > > fosters a dependency culture in which you pay for your OS, you pay for > > your applications and in return you EXPECT a level of support and > > therefore users are not encouraged to extend their capabilities beyond > > understanding the applications they use. > > > > In the freebsd world most applications and utilities are there for > > installing without charge. The users include people who develop and > > everyone partakes in a foem of voluntary mutual support. It is a world > > in which expectation of support is anathema and in which a combination > > of striving for greater personal comeptency and voluntary sharing of > > knowledge and responsibility is the dominant ethos. > > > > So if you plan a move to the unix be ready to learn to build a greater > > understanding of how the operating system works, how applications are > > installed and maintained and above all to realize your basic needs > > will not be fulfilled in the same way as they are fulfilled in MS > > windows and that that you will need to put in a lot of effort to > > understand how to benefit from the much greater opportunities provided > > by OS's such as Freebsd. > > > > So your first first set of educational opportunities are to learn how > > reconstruct your expectations and to construct a set of relationships > > that will work for you in a unix world. > > > > The second set of educational opportunities are to study the > > practicalities. You need to decide the basic things you need to get > > on board freebsd. You need a browser.. that is no problem there are > > many to choose from .. you need office tools well there is a complete > > office suite. Whatever you need there will be a tool for you and the > > choices are a rich but usually free!!. The draw back is being faced > > with the challenge of learning how to choose. > > > > That is daunting challenge and those of us who are familiar with unix > > system, and accustomed to communicating with other freebsd users, are > > often guilty of failing to understand that people who come from an MS > > Windows find the terse ways in which we tend to communicate to be > > abrasive. > > > > My suggestion to you would be to proceed without risk. Dabble with > > freebsd alongside your MSWindows system until you reach the point at > > which you are ready or not (as the case may be) to change over > > completely. You do not need the latest hardware to get started. > > Freebsd is much less bloated and, in that respect, more efficient than > > MS windows. Follow the instructions and play with the system and see > > where you want to go with it. Like countries all IT systems and > > applications have their own language. MS windows has its own language > > !! Every territory has a language needed to discuss its inhabitants > > understandings. If you use the pejorative term jargon to describe a > > language you will need to learn you will never learn to adjust. I > > recomend you treat this adjustment process is an educational > > opportunity. > > > > If you are not willing to learn the words that describe how a world > > that is new to you functions then, like a immigrant in a foreign land, > > you will not feel you understand either the practical systems or the > > cultiure of your environment. > > > > You will not find anyone here wanting to sell you the system!! The > > unix world does not work like that. Those of us who have used unix > > since before MSDos was developed do not easily realize just how > > difficult the adjustment can be for those whose experience is limited > > to MS windows. Forgive us if we seem terse or harsh at times. Our > > tendency is to indicate resources and trust that others will put in > > the effort to use those resources to solve their problems. That is > > because we have learned that way ourselves and trust the process. The > > adjustment to this way of thinking is not an easy path for newcomers. > > > > Good luck > > David Thank you - such generous comments from you are really appreciated. Thanks again david
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