Date: Sat, 20 Sep 2003 19:17:36 -0400 (EDT) From: Jerry McAllister <jerrymc@clunix.cl.msu.edu> To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Subject: Re: Free operating system for home pc Message-ID: <200309202317.h8KNHaJZ005371@clunix.cl.msu.edu>
next in thread | raw e-mail | index | archive | help
> > Jerry McAllister wrote: > > >> I would like to find an open source operating > >>system to use for a personal computer. I have "WindowsXP" now, but I > >>feel I'd be at home with something at least a little in tune with my > >>personal philosophy, which "microsoft" is not.. Can anybody tell me if > >>there are any free open source versions available ? The computer I use > >>is a simple e-machine with a celeron processor (1.4ghz). > >> > >> > > > >You have come to the right place. > >Go to the FreeBSD web page and start learning. > > http://www.freebsd.org/ > > > >Starting on that web page there is a huge amount of material > >linked to tell you how to get started, download free installation ISOs, > >do the installations and configurations, add ports of useful additional > >utilities and manage the system. > > > >It will take some time and effort to get over the initial hump > >learning the basics, but you will find that it is worth it in > >the long run. > > > >Have fun, > > > >////jerry > > > >>Thank you, > >> > >>Frank > >> > > > Jerry > Thanks for all the useful info. I'm going check it out > now. Can you tell me though, would this mean my windows OS will be > replaced, or is it possible to segregate the two operating systems and > switch between them ( if I have the hard disc space)? I think I'd prefer > something else anyway, but I'm concerned about losing some gaming > options with games that might not work on a new platform. There is a whole section in the handbook and many other pieces of documentation and comentary on "dual booting" a machine with FreeBSD. I use a a couple of machines with some Microsloth Windows thing along with FreeBSD. You will probably have to also get a utility to move the MSwin slice around to make room on the disk for FreeBSD unless you happen to be lucky and have another bootable disk avilable to house the FreeBSD. Then the MS disk only needs to know how to boot either and FreeBSd has a MBR (Master Boot Record) that can be plugged in on the MS disk to do it without harming MS. So, have fun, Read a lot, ALso, by the way, besides the handbook and other documentation (man pages, howtos, tutorials, Email list archives on the FreeBSD web site or linked by it, there is a lot of stuff available by Google and other search engines. Almost every problem you will have has been had by someone else already and commented on and discussed voluminously in some online forum. So, as you get going, make good use of searches. ////jerry > > > Thanks, > > Frank > > >> > >> > >> > > > > > > > > > > > > > --825E216A4B3.1064099734/hub.freebsd.org--
Want to link to this message? Use this URL: <https://mail-archive.FreeBSD.org/cgi/mid.cgi?200309202317.h8KNHaJZ005371>