Date: Thu, 9 Aug 2007 10:22:51 -0400 From: Mark Moellering <mark@msen.com> To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Cc: Latitude <robertjx@ix.netcom.com> Subject: Re: Convince me, please! Message-ID: <200708091022.52692.mark@msen.com> In-Reply-To: <46BA9682.7020203@ix.netcom.com> References: <46BA9682.7020203@ix.netcom.com>
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There is a lot to your question that you may not realize. I think before=20 answering your question, a brief discussion of computers is appropriate. A computer is a phenomenally complex system of parts. If you go to the=20 website of a major Motherboard manufacturer, you will see a huge list of=20 specifications; including chipsets, ports (USB, ethernet, firewire)=20 connectors (SATA, EIDE, SCSI, etc) and so on. The operating system has to= =20 know how to talk to all these different systems. There is no real standard= =20 for all these parts, although many of the basic components are somewhat=20 standardized, there are specific drivers for USB, ethernet, drive connector= s=20 and especially video. Windows does an excellent job of running on almost any hardware. (how well= it=20 runs is up for debate) =46reeBSD is also pretty good at running on just about any hardware, howeve= r,=20 you may need to do some file manipulation to get your video display soundca= rd=20 or some other peripherals to work. Depending on what hardware you are running, FreeBSd may load and have you u= p=20 and running with a windows like desktop with a minimum of fuss. If you nee= d=20 to edit and recompile your kernel or hand edit your X windows configuration= =20 file , it will become a nightmare. =20 [ or to put it in english; if you have to specify a special driver so that= =20 the Operating System knows how to talk to a particular component of your=20 computer, then you need to change the kernel, which controls all of the=20 general hardware of a computer. =20 Unix systems are designed to be a command line OS. The 'X' windows system = is=20 what generates the GUI. If you have a non-standard video card and/or=20 monitor, you may need to specify things like horizontal and vertical refres= h=20 rates for the monitor, special settings for the video card driver, and othe= r=20 information found in a configuration file to get the GUI to run. ] =20 The general philosophy of most FreeeBSD users is that we are willing to spe= nd=20 time learning about the inner workings of the OS to get the computer to do= =20 what we want. =46rom your e-mail, it sounds like you are looking for something that will= =20 install as easily as windows and that is not FreeBSD. =20 I would suggest you look at http://www.openoffice.org, if you haven't alrea= dy,=20 which will show you some alternatives to the standard MS software that you= =20 can run on windows. =20 I hope this helps Mark Moellering Psyberation, inc. P.S. I tried to keep the hardware discussion at a basic level and i will=20 ignore any messages pointing out errors in my description of the kernel or = X,=20 etc ... On Thursday 09 August 2007 12:22 am, Latitude wrote: > I'm interested in changing over to FreeBSD from Windows, but I'll have > to say, you guys don't really present a forceful argument to Windows > users of how easy the switch may be. I get knee-deep in FreeBSD jargon > the second I get to your webpage. I need to see an overwhelming argument > that FreeBSD is a perfectly acceptable alternative for home desktop > users who have previously known only Windows. > > For instance, if I download and install FreeBSD, will I instantly have a > desktop windowing environment that I can navigate in while I figure out > what's going on? Will I have a browser and way to setup an internet > connection right off the bat? How will I migrate files from other > operating systems? > > I understand you guys have been around for a while, but you don't seem > to understand the monumental "fear" involved in switching operating > systems. You need to address those concerns head on from the start. I > need to see several screenshots of apps that I can use as alternatives > to what I have. > > Help me (and yourselves) out.
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