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Date:      Tue, 27 Sep 2005 16:35:41 +0200
From:      jonas <jonas.de.buhr@gmx.net>
To:        freebsd-questions@freebsd.org
Subject:   Re: New user
Message-ID:  <20050927163541.688c485c@localhost>
In-Reply-To: <200509271404.j8RE47Uk006116@clunix.cl.msu.edu>
References:  <20050927092631.53935.qmail@web36213.mail.mud.yahoo.com> <200509271404.j8RE47Uk006116@clunix.cl.msu.edu>

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On Tue, 27 Sep 2005 10:04:06 -0400 (EDT)
Jerry McAllister <jerrymc@clunix.cl.msu.edu> wrote:

> Hi,
> 
> > Hi
> > 
> > I'm a new to UNIX, I got to know about your services recently.
> > Please tell me ware to start FreeBSD(UNIX) . Because I'm pissed off
> > with Windows .
> 
> One place to wstart is to break your lines in your messages at 
> about 70 characters.   It makes your posting easier to read and
> reply to from text based Email clients - used by many in the FreeBSD
> world.   Most Email clients can be configured to do this
> automatically. If yours cannot, then just hit a RETURN/ENTER about
> that point on each line.
> 
> Also, it is best to use plain ASCII text rather than any of the
> fancy types.   That works in all mailers.   The fancy ones only
> work on mailers that have that particular type available.   eg you
> cover a broader group of readers with plain ASCII text and that
> is what you want to do on a questions list.
> 
> As for getting started with FreeBSD,
> 
> First, it is a good idea.  Congradulations.
> 
> Second, it does take some effort to learn to use, but the effort
>   will be well rewarded in time.
> 
> Start by reading the FreeBSD handbook.   It can be read online or
>   downloaded freely from the FreeBSD website:  http://www.freebsd.org/
>   Handbook at:   
>        http://www.freebsd.org/doc/en_US.ISO8859-1/books/handbook/index.html
> For the US English version.
> 
> You may wish to purchase one or more books on FreeBSD.   There are 
> several good ones available.   Some that come to mind while I am 
> sitting here writing are:   "The Complete FreeBSD", "Absolute BSD"
> and "FreeBSD: An Open Source Operating System".   Other people may
> suggest some others.   Try to get the latest edition of any of them
> as they get updated a lot to follow the system upgrades (and correct
> errors).   The latest major version of FreeBSD that is getting near
> release is 6.xxx.    I don't know if any of the books have been
> updated for V 6.xxx yet.    The Handbook is constantly being updated.
> 
> Learn to look up things in the FAQs, list archives, search engines 
> such as Google and the many web sites and online publications that 
> have howto-s and narratives about doing various FreeBSD things.   
> Note, though, that almost all of these web articles are written from 
> the point of view of the person doing it and naturally contain all 
> the prejudices and presupositions of the authors.   Some of those may 
> not suit your situation or even be the most straightforward or
> efficient way of doing things.  But all contribute to the body of
> information.
> 
> Follow this list and possibly the Newbies list and others that might
> interest you.   Check the published material, either in paper form
> or online before splattering the lists with newbie questions.  The
> people on the lists are busy and get tired of answering the same
> questions that are well documented already.
> 
> Once you have tried to solve a problem with the documentation
> available then ask questions on the lists.  Don't waste time (yours
> or others) with diatribes and whining about how FreeBSD is this or
> that and some other OS is something else.   This is an Open Source,
> volunteer developed and supported system and the best way to get a
> feature or fix implemented is to write it your self and submit it as
> a PR.   
> 
> A nice friendly request also will get a better response that a 
> self-righteous whine.  The main contributers know that not everyone 
> is capable of, or has the resources for writing some of the 
> suggested/requested changes and can be persuaded to add things to 
> their [long] lists, but are more likely to do so if it seems 
> reasonable and the request is a friendly one.   Remember that they
> are volunteers, not staff ruled by a marketing department.
> 
> Now, we are about ready to get to doing it...
> Once you have a good idea of the process - you will never learn it
> completely from just reading;   You have to get your hands dirty and
> your carpal tunnel exercised - either purchase a CD set of the latest
> and greatest from one of the vendors who make them up and contribute
> a portion back to the FreeBSD project or just download the
> installation CD from the FreeBSD web site or one of its mirrors.
> All the information about doing so is well described in the above
> mentioned documentation. For starters, choose the latest RELEASE
> version available, which, at the moment, is FreeBSD 5.4 and will
> probably soon be 5.5.   For Newbies I would suggest waiting until you
> have had a little experience before diving in to a stable version.
> 
> If at all possible, try it all out on a machine that you can trash
> without incurring much consequence.   Then you can do an install and
> set things up and experiment and when you mess it up too much, you
> can just start from scratch.  Take notes, so you don't have to repeat
> mistakes too many times.    With a scratch machine, you can feel less
> inhibited about trying things just to see what happens.
> 
> If you don't have a scratch machine available (it doesn't take much
> of a machine to get a reasonable FreeBSD up and running - almost any
> old junker beyond a 386 will do), then read up on dual booting a
> machine. It is actually as easy as doing a dedicated FreeBSD machine
> even though some people seem prone to trying to make it confusing and
> difficult. That way you will still have a working system available to
> Email questions...
> 
> Download and install the full ports tree and the system source until
> you learn enough to decide for yourself what you don't need or want.
> The ports system is one of the more powerful features of FreeBSD
> and source lets you tinker and learn.   You can discover things by
> actually reading the code.
> 
> Maybe you expected more specific technical information that what I
> have written in this response.   But, actually, the things I have
> covered respond to the major mistakes people make getting started
> with FreeBSD.   The technical things are most easily covered by
> following the documentation either from the handbook or one of the
> good books on FreeBSD.
> 
> Good luck and have fun,
> 
> ////jerry
> 

i think this should be integrated into the FAQ :)

cya,
jonas



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