Skip site navigation (1)Skip section navigation (2)
Date:      Sun, 11 Nov 2001 16:15:59 +0100
From:      "Alson van der Meulen" <alm@flutnet.org>
To:        freebsd-questions@freebsd.org
Subject:   Re: Software on FreeBSD
Message-ID:  <20011111161559.A28312@md2.mediadesign.nl>
In-Reply-To: <3BEEA27F.C30FD33F@ozemail.com.au>
References:  <3BEEA27F.C30FD33F@ozemail.com.au>

next in thread | previous in thread | raw e-mail | index | archive | help
On Mon, Nov 12, 2001 at 02:08:31AM +1000, James Buchanan wrote:
> 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.
Not really a detection like windows does, but the kernel configures most
hardware (e.g. NICs, sound, etc) automatically as long as it's pci. For
some isa hardware, you might have to specify IO/IRQ
> 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?
http://www.freebsd.org/ports/
glibc is not used, freebsd uses it's own libc instead.
> 
> 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).
It's only a bit different, not hard to use IMHO.
(e.g. ttyv0-ttyvb instead of tty1-tty12)
> 
> Is FreeBSD at least as user-friendly as a good Linux distribution like RedHat?
More user-friendly as soon as you're used to it ;)
> 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?
http://www.freebsd.org/doc/en_US.ISO8859-1/books/handbook/
http://www.freebsd.org/FAQ/index.html

> 
> Lastly, since FreeBSD seems to be internet oriented, it has mail programs and a
> browser right? Oh, and emacs?
> 
Sure, look in the ports collection again.
> 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.
look at http://www.freebsd.org and the URLs mentioned above for more
info.

HTH,
Alson
-- 
,-------------------------------------------.
> Name:           Alson van der Meulen      <
> Personal:        alson@flutnet.org        <
> School:       alson@gymnasiumleiden.nl    <
`-------------------------------------------'
Hmm, maybe if I do this...
---------------------------------------------

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?20011111161559.A28312>