From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Wed Aug 5 18:33:46 2009 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:4f8:fff6::34]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 052CA106564A for ; Wed, 5 Aug 2009 18:33:46 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from freebsd@edvax.de) Received: from mx02.qsc.de (mx02.qsc.de [213.148.130.14]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id B81AC8FC15 for ; Wed, 5 Aug 2009 18:33:45 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from freebsd@edvax.de) Received: from r55.edvax.de (port-92-195-59-134.dynamic.qsc.de [92.195.59.134]) by mx02.qsc.de (Postfix) with ESMTP id 164071E244; Wed, 5 Aug 2009 20:33:43 +0200 (CEST) Received: from r55.edvax.de (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by r55.edvax.de (8.14.2/8.14.2) with SMTP id n75IXbqO001580; Wed, 5 Aug 2009 20:33:38 +0200 (CEST) (envelope-from freebsd@edvax.de) Date: Wed, 5 Aug 2009 20:33:37 +0200 From: Polytropon To: Jonathan McKeown Message-Id: <20090805203337.c6f74172.freebsd@edvax.de> In-Reply-To: <200908051651.53302.j.mckeown@ru.ac.za> References: <4A76FB32.9050601@videotron.ca> <20090803215319.8fad2441.freebsd@edvax.de> <4A798DF2.3020305@videotron.ca> <200908051651.53302.j.mckeown@ru.ac.za> Organization: EDVAX X-Mailer: Sylpheed 2.4.7 (GTK+ 2.12.1; i386-portbld-freebsd7.0) Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Cc: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Subject: Re: upgrade 7.2 overwrites partitions X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list Reply-To: Polytropon List-Id: User questions List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Wed, 05 Aug 2009 18:33:46 -0000 Jonathan, I'd like to thank you for your polite words. I'm not sure I could have been able to express in the same way. Allow me a few comments: On Wed, 5 Aug 2009 16:51:53 +0200, Jonathan McKeown wrote: > On Wednesday 05 August 2009 15:49:38 PJ wrote: > > Well, whatever it was it sure screwed up my system > > You screwed up your system. Possibly that started when you tried to use > freebsd-update with a non-GENERIC kernel, but you then thrashed around, > apparently ignoring most of the help you were offered on this list and > getting into more and more trouble, while never explaining exactly what you > were doing. For any operating system is true: As long as you can't master it because you don't exactly know how to do things, it's always a little bit dangerous. > ``I can't use it, therefore it's rubbish''. That's fine, no-one forced you to > use FreeBSD in the first place and I doubt anyone minds that you don't want > to use it any more. I had a similar problem last year: My home directory is still gone and FreeBSD doesn't seem to be able to restore it. But I haven't found (a) a system that brings back my precious data and (b) can offer the same functionality and easyness of use FreeBSD does. This is, of course, a very individual problem. As you know from this list, most problems are of a less "important" nature. But failing to read the documentation - you can always ask if you don't understand what something might mean - has never been a problem. If you stick to the official handbook, no serious problems should occur. > Personally, I do think it's a pity, because FreeBSD (in my experience, since > FreeBSD 4.5) is stable, easy to use (once you have the basic Unix concepts on > board), and astonishingly well-documented. It's also supported by one of the > friendliest and most knowledgeable communities I know. In relations to most Linusi and MICROS~1 stuff in general, FreeBSD is the MOST EXCELLENT documented OS I've ever used - and I have used many OSes during my "career". The FAQ, the handbook and especially the manpages are great. Of course, that's my point of view as a developer. For a "normal user", this might look a bit different, but finally, there's this very helpful and friendly list. > Having said all that, I wish you well and I hope you find a system which suits > you better than the one you have trashed. I honestly second that. If FreeBSD isn't your cup of tea, try something else. I'm sure you'll find some OS that fits your needs better. -- Polytropon >From Magdeburg, Germany Happy FreeBSD user since 4.0 Andra moi ennepe, Mousa, ...