Date: Mon, 14 Jun 2004 08:43:25 -0400 From: Bill Moran <wmoran@potentialtech.com> To: "Spuds" <spuds@allstream.net> Cc: freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.org Subject: Re: Some Simple Questions Message-ID: <20040614084325.25fdff7e.wmoran@potentialtech.com> In-Reply-To: <000a01c451c8$044d4b60$1e999a8e@3ey7m> References: <000a01c451c8$044d4b60$1e999a8e@3ey7m>
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[Please read http://www.lemis.com/questions.html] "Spuds" <spuds@allstream.net> wrote: > Hello, > > My name is Bryan and I am interested in using FreeBSD on my computer. Before I > do so, I have a couple of questions I was wondering you could answer. > 1) Is FreeBSD truly free, as in I don't have to pay for it and can download it > at no charge or is FreeBSD just a name? FreeBSD is just a name, however FreeBSD is both free (as in beer) and free (as in speech). > 2) Is FreeBSD in any way affected by the SCO lawsuits against Linux > distributors and commercial users, as I am aware that FreeBSD is based on > Unix? I believe it is the fact that Linux may have Unix code, but I am not > sure, as I have read many different opinions. Yes. If people continue to pay SCO when threatened, SCO is going to find other people to sue, and FreeBSD is a logical target. No, FreeBSD does not contain any code that SCO would be justified in suing over, but neither does Linux. > 3) Is FreeBSD compatible with Linux software? I believe I read that somewhere. Yes. Most Linux software will compile natively on FreeBSD. Most that won't compile, can be run under the Linuxulator. Whatever's left can be substituted. > 4) Can FreeBSD run on a laptop that is hardware compatible, as I know some > OS's cannot run on laptops but can on desktops? I don't understand this questions, but FreeBSD runs on a number of laptops. Use google to search for "+freebsd +laptop" and you'll find a number of sites dedicated to giving you detailed information. -- Bill Moran Potential Technologies http://www.potentialtech.com
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