Date: Tue, 21 Nov 2000 06:49:41 -0500 From: "J. D. Kent" <boris@froggernet.com> To: "freebsd-newbies@FreeBSD.ORG" <freebsd-newbies@FreeBSD.ORG> Subject: RE: slow is beautiful [was: FreeBSD on Macintosh] Message-ID: <01C05387.3DD2F620.boris@froggernet.com>
next in thread | raw e-mail | index | archive | help
Thank you Sue! I just joined this list, don't even have a system up and
running yet, and can't decide between FreeBSD or Linux. But what I
wanted to say is that your outlook and encouragement are a welcome
portal in a strange and brave new [computer] world.
==========================================
J. David Kent
Applying computer technology is simple.
Just find the right wrench to pound in the correct screw.
==========================================
On Tuesday, November 21, 2000 4:13 AM, Sue Blake
[SMTP:sue@welearn.com.au] wrote:
> On Tue, Nov 21, 2000 at 12:49:11AM +0100, Heiko Recktenwald wrote:
> > > > run a FreeBSD system on a 486 PC?
> >
> > Yes, easily. I think Sue Blake is an expert in running it on 386
;-)
> >
>
> Within limits, yes. I don't recommend it, though, unless you are
> willing and able to spend hours giving it TLC and already have the
> skills to do so without outside help.
>
> It runs better with very old versions of FreeBSD, which requires a
> lot
> of hand-updating to keep up with security, and means you can't
> install
> recent versions of software packages, only what came on the CD, and
> that too has security implications. So "don't try this at home kids"
> unless you just want to learn a bit of unix on a system that will
> never
> be networked (no modem or ethernet connection etc).
>
> Running a recent FreeBSD version on a 486 is probably something like
> running earlier versions on a 386. With some care in the setting up
> it'll make a fine router/nameserver machine, and with ongoing
> maintenance it can also be a great little mail and web server for a
> home or small business network. If it's in your bedroom it's a
> versatile alarm clock as well. Make cron your friend and add the PC
> speaker to the kernel some time when you're going out so that it gets
> a
> chance to do the compiling without you there watching the clock.
>
> If you're running on small ancient hardware, ditch all thoughts of
> GUI,
> have as much memory as you can and a ridiculously large amount of
> swap,
> I guess 50 megs more than RAM (I've got 100 and that's more than I
> need).
> Avoid running majordomo or anything that causes perl to flog the
disk,
>
> don't bother trying to compile stuff, put the radio on to entertain
> you during the wait for man pages to format for display, and clear
> out of there just before 2am or you'll be deaf by morning.
>
> Once you get in the swing of it, running a slow machine is like
> meditating. You might even start to enjoy the change of pace. Think
> of
> it as your country house where there is time to relax and enjoy the
> essence of unadorned unix. Remember that the machine is not there to
> amuse you; you are there to support the machine and to delight in
> each
> new puppy-dog achievement. Once you've been a contented 386 or 486
> user
> for a while, your friends will start to notice.
>
> When you upgrade to a very low end pentium you'll be able to do
> just about anything your heart desires, GUI and all. Just don't
> neglect RAM and never never skimp on swap space.
>
> If you're using FreeBSD to learn unix and you have a very old
machine,
>
> it will be good for your education. It's interesting to see how much
> more time some things take than others, without having to run a
> separate program to measure the small differences that you could not
> perceive on a faster computer. This makes a slow machine a good place
> to learn shell scripting, for example. I've been running a 386 at
> home
> since when they were fashionable, but at work I look after huge alpha
> servers. I'm sure I run these powerful monsters well because of
> having
> spent years forced to listen to what the heart of each machine is
> saying just to make the bloody thing run. It's a whole different
> approach, and you can apply it anywhere, even to people.
>
> --
>
> Regards,
> -*Sue*-
>
>
>
>
> To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org
> with "unsubscribe freebsd-newbies" in the body of the message
>
To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org
with "unsubscribe freebsd-newbies" in the body of the message
Want to link to this message? Use this URL: <https://mail-archive.FreeBSD.org/cgi/mid.cgi?01C05387.3DD2F620.boris>