Date: Sun, 11 Nov 2001 11:06:34 -0500 From: "Joe & Fhe Barbish" <barbish@a1poweruser.com> To: "James Buchanan" <gnudev@ozemail.com.au> Cc: <freebsd-questions@freebsd.org> Subject: RE: Software on FreeBSD (Has FBSD4.4 grown up yet) Message-ID: <LPBBIGIAAKKEOEJOLEGOAEFPCGAA.barbish@a1poweruser.com> In-Reply-To: <3BEEA27F.C30FD33F@ozemail.com.au>
next in thread | previous in thread | raw e-mail | index | archive | help
To answer the general intent of your questions, NO FBSD has not grown up yet. It is just like all the other Unix like operating systems. Full of non-logical command names left over from the beginning. Documentation sucks, even the new updated FBSD 4.4 handbook is full of information that is not true for 4.4. There is no desktop per configured to replace all the command names with meaningful menu options or navigation short cuts like in SCO Unix. FBSD does not have access to most internal modems because there are no drivers available for the majority of the modems on the market, this is also true for all Unix like systems. Bottom line FBSD is a learning playground, that you will have to work hard to gain a understanding of what is going on. FBSD may be a very reliable and fast system once you get it up and configured the way you want it, but you had better be willing to invest mega time to get there. For a newbe with out any prier Unix background, 200 hours for bare bones out of the box, and 1500 hours for full system with mail, www, desktop, firewall, and IP to local PC with access to internet. You are on your own when it comes to technical support, this mailing list is very slow at producing results some times. If you are comparing FBSD to Redhat, there is no comparison, redhat is head and shoulders above FBSD when it comes to ease of use. Stick with redhat. The cheapest way to start with FBSD is to download the FBSD 4.4 handbook from the FBSD FTP site and then order the single FBSD install cd in the sleeve from http://www.bsdcentral.com/catalog/index.php?cat=113&id=CAF1712FD53DB706CF49D 8C2F693CA79 For $2.95. If the current release is not listed on this web page, then call the sales phone number to request it. If the current release is for sale in the jewel case then they also have the single install cd in the sleeve for $2.95. -----Original Message----- From: owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG [mailto:owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG]On Behalf Of James Buchanan Sent: Sunday, November 11, 2001 11:09 AM To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Subject: Software on FreeBSD Hi For a little while I've been using Linux only, instead of Windows. I've been doing my Bach in computer science degree working on Windows, so unfortunately my skills in UNIX are a little rusty. I was wondering if FreeBSD has an installer program that can detect hardware. Also, does FreeBSD come with the tools that Linux distributions do, for example: GCC (C, C++, Java, Fortran), glibc, libstdc++, libpthreads, autoconf, automake, make, sed, awk, perl, bash, texinfo, lout, latex, ghostscript, ghostview, flex, bison, and other GNU tools? Is there an easy to use setup program for X? What desktops come with FreeBSD, like Gnome or KDE? I'm a little worried about changing OSes since UNIX especially seems to be pretty hard to use (I mean, for me non-logical names for things, like TTYs. An ancient UNIX hang over). Is FreeBSD at least as user-friendly as a good Linux distribution like RedHat? Does the manual in the boxed sets tell how to setup a modem and make a dialup connection to an ISP, and how to connect and disconnect? Lastly, since FreeBSD seems to be internet oriented, it has mail programs and a browser right? Oh, and emacs? Sorry for the very low level questions. But I really can't afford to spend the money until I know what I'm doing and I can work on FreeBSD. Thanks guys. :) James To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-questions" in the body of the message To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-questions" in the body of the message
Want to link to this message? Use this URL: <https://mail-archive.FreeBSD.org/cgi/mid.cgi?LPBBIGIAAKKEOEJOLEGOAEFPCGAA.barbish>