From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Wed Aug 5 20:57:39 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 7B454106566C for ; Wed, 5 Aug 2009 20:57:39 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from freebsd-questions@m.gmane.org) Received: from ciao.gmane.org (main.gmane.org [80.91.229.2]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 0B3458FC0C for ; Wed, 5 Aug 2009 20:57:38 +0000 (UTC) Received: from list by ciao.gmane.org with local (Exim 4.43) id 1MYnYE-000289-LK for freebsd-questions@freebsd.org; Wed, 05 Aug 2009 20:57:34 +0000 Received: from pool-70-21-5-173.res.east.verizon.net ([70.21.5.173]) by main.gmane.org with esmtp (Gmexim 0.1 (Debian)) id 1AlnuQ-0007hv-00 for ; Wed, 05 Aug 2009 20:57:34 +0000 Received: from nightrecon by pool-70-21-5-173.res.east.verizon.net with local (Gmexim 0.1 (Debian)) id 1AlnuQ-0007hv-00 for ; Wed, 05 Aug 2009 20:57:34 +0000 X-Injected-Via-Gmane: http://gmane.org/ To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org From: Michael Powell Followup-To: gmane.os.freebsd.questions Date: Wed, 05 Aug 2009 16:57:34 -0400 Lines: 48 Message-ID: References: <4A76FB32.9050601@videotron.ca> <20090803215319.8fad2441.freebsd@edvax.de> <4A798DF2.3020305@videotron.ca> <200908051651.53302.j.mckeown@ru.ac.za> <20090805203337.c6f74172.freebsd@edvax.de> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7Bit X-Complaints-To: usenet@ger.gmane.org X-Gmane-NNTP-Posting-Host: pool-70-21-5-173.res.east.verizon.net Sender: news Subject: Re: upgrade 7.2 overwrites partitions X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list Reply-To: nightrecon@hotmail.com List-Id: User questions List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Wed, 05 Aug 2009 20:57:39 -0000 Polytropon wrote: [snip] > >> 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. > Many people's only familiarity with computers in general will be from a Windows centric perspective. Somehow there is a tendency to believe that inserting a CD, booting, and then proceeding to click "OK" in a dialog box a few dozen times makes them some kind of expert when they successfully get Windows installed. Coming from a Windows centric environment myself I initially found that there was a great deal of material to be learned, and RTFM was the way to do it. I've noticed people who come from university computer science programs have a much better foundation upon which to build. Most computer users do not fit this category, myself included. While this deficiency can be overcome with self study, I am also aware that not everyone who reads documentation necessarily understands the material. If too much background education is missing the documentation just resembles gobbeldy-gook and is ignored, with the fall back position of "click OK a few dozen times and the OS will take care of it for me" expected to pick up the slack. I would not be where I am today in my understanding and use of FreeBSD if not for the excellent documentation and surrounding community. I feel I owe my success in utilizing FreeBSD to the people who took the time to write this stuff down for people like me to use. It is with a great measure of gratitude to these people I owe my success. [snip] -Mike