Date: Thu, 8 Oct 1998 01:19:30 -0400 (EDT) From: "Woodchuck" <djv@bedford.net> To: swalk@anit.es (Steven Walker) Cc: questions@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: Newbie Message-ID: <199810080519.BAA04837@castor.chuck> In-Reply-To: <3.0.5.32.19981005225734.009a5780@sar.anit.es> from Steven Walker at "Oct 5, 98 10:57:34 pm"
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Steven Walker wrote:
> Hi guys,
>
> I have installed FreeBSB 2.2.7 (eventually) and it is up and running. I
> am not sure what I am doing as this is my first look at a Unix OS. I have
> looked at a number of NGs and have watched this one for a little while.
keep doing that, things will begin to fall into place. In six months, you'll
understand a LOT more than you do now. Much of this is like learning a
foreign language -- you need to begin to *feel* the rightness of an
answer -- and of a question. 'Learn to probe the boundaries of your
ignorance, learn its structure' -- know what it is you want to ask,
in other words.
> To be honest I rarely understand the questions let alone the answers. It
> is all too advanced for me. Sometimes beginners are not treated too
> sympathetically. I understand that you do not want to waste time
> repeating the "obvious" or elementary.
Sometimes very tricky or 'advanced' questions are ignored or treated
unsympathetically, too.
Greg Lehey makes a periodic posting about 'Getting the most out of
FreeBSD-Questions'. Read it, I think, next Monday.
The most exasperating question is the one that lacks information.
("I got an error message installing apache! Now what?")
> Can anyone tell me (and many others who seem to be in a similar position)
> where we may go for help on more elementary problems.
You'd be surprised: -questions *is* a good place for elementary
admin questions. Elementary user skills (how to run a program,
change current directory, that sort of thing), however, you should
probably acquire on your own.
Go to a library and/or a book store... I'm not being facetious.
Visit www.ora.com (O'Reilly Associates) and browse through some of
their titles for the new unix user and admin. If you're running it
at home, you're the admin, too. Pester your friends who know Unix.
Try "apropos" and "whatis" before posting. Get Greg Lehey's "Complete
FreeBSD". It goes into gratifying detail on many thorny subjects.
Moreover, the details nearly always work, too :)
As a last resort, read Linux materials, but have a salt shaker
handy. For many applications (sendmail, dns, X,...) Linux uses the
same software as BSD, although specifics (where a config. file resides)
may differ. Ditto for other Unix variants.
Sometimes very elementary questions are overlooked, because the
person who might answer assumes, "He's surely already gotten ten
answers for that."
www.geek-girl.com/resoures.html is a nice site.
Dave
--
Will hack for cabbages! Every day is Groundhog Day!
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