Date: Wed, 15 Aug 2007 03:17:19 -0700 From: David Southwell <david@vizion2000.net> To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Cc: support@kinetix.gr, Latitude <robertjx@ix.netcom.com> Subject: Re: Convince me, please! Message-ID: <200708150317.20486.david@vizion2000.net> In-Reply-To: <200708150314.09987.david@vizion2000.net> References: <46BA9682.7020203@ix.netcom.com> <46BAB22C.1060700@kinetix.gr> <200708150314.09987.david@vizion2000.net>
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On Wednesday 15 August 2007 03:14:09 David Southwell wrote: > On Wednesday 08 August 2007 23:20:28 Goltsios Theodore wrote: > > Well sorry if I'm getting annoying but I think you face the Unix > > world in the wrong manner. Well you expect to find something you are > > used to, or something like MS Win you only know. I advise that you > > should be more open minded, willing to read and spare time to get > > familiar to the Unix OSes that are around. But the advantages are and > > the power that these kind of systems offer, which is probably unlimited > > compared with the Windowz strict and limited way of operating. If you > > really don't want that kind of power (thus doing what you must faster, > > better and in a more efficient way) then you are in the wrong place. A > > good way to start solving all questions concerning the FreeBSD is its > > handbook or the perhaps the FAQ. > > > > http://www.freebsd.org/doc/en_US.ISO8859-1/books/handbook/ > > > > PS Try some googling or the freebsd official site for more resources. > > I'm sure all your questions will be satisfied. > > > > Theodoros Goltsios > > Kinetix Tele.com Support Center > > email: tgol@kinetix.gr, support@kinetix.gr > > Tel. & Fax: +30 2310556134 > > WWW: http://www.kinetix.gr/ > > > > Latitude wrote: > > > I'm interested in changing over to FreeBSD from Windows, but I'll have > > > to say, you guys don't really present a forceful argument to Windows > > > users of how easy the switch may be. I get knee-deep in FreeBSD jargon > > > the second I get to your webpage. I need to see an overwhelming > > > argument that FreeBSD is a perfectly acceptable alternative for home > > > desktop users who have previously known only Windows. > > > > > > For instance, if I download and install FreeBSD, will I instantly have > > > a desktop windowing environment that I can navigate in while I figure > > > out what's going on? Will I have a browser and way to setup an > > > internet connection right off the bat? How will I migrate files from > > > other operating systems? > > > > > > I understand you guys have been around for a while, but you don't seem > > > to understand the monumental "fear" involved in switching operating > > > systems. You need to address those concerns head on from the start. I > > > need to see several screenshots of apps that I can use as alternatives > > > to what I have. > > > > > > Help me (and yourselves) out. > > I see where both sides in this argument are coming from.. basically a lack > of understanding of the others point of view. As a user of multiple > operating systems..Freebsd, Windows 98, 2000, XP and XP 64, Linux and apple > I thought i might throw in a remark or two which is intended to help a > newcomer to a freebsd world. > > First lets think of the MS windows user. As a newcomer to a unix OS, such > as freebsd, you are faced with two very large sets of challenges or, as I > would like you to think of it, educational opportunities. > > Because the vendor of the operating system I mean here in the MS windows operating system! > is also the vendor of major > applications, including its most commonly used browser, office > applicatiions and compiler systems non-technically minded users do not > easily have a clear grasp of the distinction between the roles of an OS > and the role of applications. To use any Unix system effectively a clear > and reasonably detailed understanding of the way applications interact with > the operating system is essential. > > For its own commercial reasons Microssssoft are keen to blur that > distinction in the minds of its users to maintain a false notion that only > MS windows can fulfill its user's needs. > > Secondly because MS windows operates in a commercial environment it > fosters a dependency culture in which you pay for your OS, you pay for your > applications and in return you EXPECT a level of support and therefore > users are not encouraged to extend their capabilities beyond understanding > the applications they use. > > In the freebsd world most applications and utilities are there for > installing without charge. The users include people who develop and > everyone partakes in a foem of voluntary mutual support. It is a world in > which expectation of support is anathema and in which a combination of > striving for greater personal comeptency and voluntary sharing of knowledge > and responsibility is the dominant ethos. > > So if you plan a move to the unix be ready to learn to build a greater > understanding of how the operating system works, how applications are > installed and maintained and above all to realize your basic needs will not > be fulfilled in the same way as they are fulfilled in MS windows and that > that you will need to put in a lot of effort to understand how to benefit > from the much greater opportunities provided by OS's such as Freebsd. > > So your first first set of educational opportunities are to learn how > reconstruct your expectations and to construct a set of relationships that > will work for you in a unix world. > > The second set of educational opportunities are to study the > practicalities. You need to decide the basic things you need to get on > board freebsd. You need a browser.. that is no problem there are many to > choose from .. you need office tools well there is a complete office suite. > Whatever you need there will be a tool for you and the choices are a rich > but usually free!!. The draw back is being faced with the challenge of > learning how to choose. > > That is daunting challenge and those of us who are familiar with unix > system, and accustomed to communicating with other freebsd users, are often > guilty of failing to understand that people who come from an MS Windows > find the terse ways in which we tend to communicate to be abrasive. > > My suggestion to you would be to proceed without risk. Dabble with freebsd > alongside your MSWindows system until you reach the point at which you are > ready or not (as the case may be) to change over completely. You do not > need the latest hardware to get started. Freebsd is much less bloated and, > in that respect, more efficient than MS windows. Follow the instructions > and play with the system and see where you want to go with it. Like > countries all IT systems and applications have their own language. MS > windows has its own language !! Every territory has a language needed to > discuss its inhabitants understandings. If you use the pejorative term > jargon to describe a language you will need to learn you will never learn > to adjust. I recomend you treat this adjustment process is an educational > opportunity. > > If you are not willing to learn the words that describe how a world that is > new to you functions then, like a immigrant in a foreign land, you will not > feel you understand either the practical systems or the cultiure of your > environment. > > You will not find anyone here wanting to sell you the system!! The unix > world does not work like that. Those of us who have used unix since before > MSDos was developed do not easily realize just how difficult the adjustment > can be for those whose experience is limited to MS windows. Forgive us if > we seem terse or harsh at times. Our tendency is to indicate resources and > trust that others will put in the effort to use those resources to solve > their problems. That is because we have learned that way ourselves and > trust the process. The adjustment to this way of thinking is not an easy > path for newcomers. > > Good luck > > David > > > _______________________________________________ > freebsd-questions@freebsd.org mailing list > http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-questions > To unsubscribe, send any mail to > "freebsd-questions-unsubscribe@freebsd.org"
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