Date: Sat, 5 Jul 1997 00:02:20 -0600 (MDT) From: Wes Peters <softweyr@xmission.com> To: Support <support@harvi.net> Cc: questions@freebsd.org Subject: hello Message-ID: <199707050602.AAA02647@obie.softweyr.ml.org> In-Reply-To: <3.0.1.32.19970703204651.007ee3a0@207.55.155.2> References: <3.0.1.32.19970703204651.007ee3a0@207.55.155.2>
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support@harvi.net writes:
> I want to start up an ISP bussiness but i want to know if this software is
> good for that. Also i want to know if this is an operating system? is this
> unix? is it graphical? i only work on win 95 and win nt will i Be lost?
Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.
1) FreeBSD makes an excellent platform to run an ISP from. It comes
standard with all of the internet servers on the CD-ROM. You have
several web servers to choose from, including Apache, which dominates
the WWW; a recent survey found 42% of all web sites served by Apache.
You can also run Roxen, (www.roxen.com), and the BSD/OS version of
Netscape Commerce Server if you are into sending Netscape money for
something you can do better elsewhere. The FTP server that comes
with FreeBSD is good, but if you want to run a high-traffic ftp site,
install wu-ftpd from the 'packages.'
2) FreeBSD is a UNIX-like operating system. It is based on the 4.4BSD
operating system developed at the University of California at
Berkeley, and has more history than most computer companies. ;^)
3) See number 2. You can't be called "UNIX" unless you pay somebody a
"The Open Group", formerly known as OSF (for "Oppose Sun Forever") to
test your operating system and formally brand it "UNIX." On the
other hand, what most people consider UNIX is the BSD roots of
FreeBSD.
4) Is it graphical? No UNIX OS is really graphical, UNIX developers
still understand the difference between a window and a system call.
FreeBSD does come with a graphical user interface system called
XFree86, a port of X11R6 for x86 UNIX-like systems. If you're
familiar with X on UNIX workstations, you'll be right at home here.
5) You're new to UNIX, of course you'll be lost. On the other hand,
there are lots of people here and elsewhere who want to help you.
First take a look at a bunch of books from O'Reilly and Associates
(see www.ora.com). You'll need, at a minimum: Essential UNIX
Administration, TCP/IP Network Administration, and Administering DNS
and BIND. Basically, buy everything they have with a blue spine.
You don't necessarily need to read each one cover to cover, but
you'll end up needing each one before you're really comfortable.
While you're on your book-buying spree, you'll probably want a copy
of "Unix System Administration" by Nemeth, Synder, and Seebass,
published by Prentice Hall. It's the best book on BSD system admin
around. Please note that if you have an experienced UNIX admin
around that you can ask questions, you can probably skip several of
these. You should probably get the Nemeth et al book and the TCP/IP
Network Administration book as a starting point, and add others as
you need.
You're probably asking yourself "Self, what am I going to get in return
for all this hard work?" Good question. You'll get a rock-solid
internet server. Actually, you'll probably get a bunch of them. All
successful ISPs eventually grow to need multiples of mail servers, news
servers, web servers, login servers, etc. Plus workstations for tech
support, billing, account administration, and network administration.
Plus, you'll need off-line servers where you can test updates and new
versions of software before crashing customers with them. Isn't it nice
to know that as you add each of these machines, you don't have to put
another $1000 in Bill the Goats personal account? You just slip the
FreeBSD CD-ROM into the drive, or even install it from an FTP server
there at your site!
Welcome to FreeBSD, you're going to have fun.
--
"Where am I, and what am I doing in this handbasket?"
Wes Peters Softweyr LLC
http://www.xmission.com/~softweyr softweyr@xmission.com
help
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