Date: Wed, 9 May 2012 16:56:30 -0400 From: Allen <KoggyBSD@comcast.net> To: freebsd-advocacy@freebsd.org Subject: Re: Ways to promote FreeBSD? Message-ID: <201205091656.30733.KoggyBSD@comcast.net> In-Reply-To: <D5CE1C14-34D4-471D-88BC-30D69C54833F@mosaicarchive.com> References: <CAHMRaQf=M0ULOH=KnqzOXvczSM0Lb6apCoQkJegqyU3e8%2BgShA@mail.gmail.com> <4F9AEFD9.3050107@FreeBSD.org> <D5CE1C14-34D4-471D-88BC-30D69C54833F@mosaicarchive.com>
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Before I reply the proper way without an annoying top post like this one, let me just point out, that I'm only top posting to say I'm sorry for replying to an OLD message. Well, maybe not THAT old, but none the less, I just got this email because I just recently got Email going again. So if you see this and wonder why someone is still replying, it's because I hadn't seen it yet. On Saturday 28 April 2012 09:43:33 am Andrew Young wrote: > > -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- > > Hash: SHA1 > > > > On 4/27/12 10:16 AM, Andy Young wrote: > >> After using Linux for almost 15 years, I only recently started > >> using FreeBSD. I own an internet startup and was looking for a > >> solution for implementing large-scale storage servers. In my > >> research I found ZFS and subsequently found FreeBSD. One of the reasons I wanted to reply to this message was simply because I personally don't own a company, nor do I make any money on what I do with Computers very often. So I thought it might be helpful if you had a sort of "From the other side" view of things. So basically, don't take everything I say to be true, as it's my opinion, and not only that, it's JUST an opinion. You should ALWAYS use what works best for YOU. No matter what ANY one of us might say, don't fix what isn't broken! I think that's one of those unwritten Unix laws somewhere :) So anyway, my experience with the world of Unix, Linux, and, of course, BSD Unix, started not long after I got my very first Computer. I'm fairly new to this world compared to some of the old timers who can actually remember when Vi didn't show you a whole screen of text. (I went to College with a guy who'd been a Systems Coder for 25 years and was back in school to learn all this crap all over again lol. We became friends fast because I have an interest in History, and he was one of those guys sitting at a 10,000 dollar Unix Workstation running a very nice version of BSD) Anyway, I got my first Computer in September of 1999. I know because within two weeks I'd signed up for a free account on a website that happened to keep the date you joined listed, so, I can actually say not only the year, but the month I started touching a Computer for my first time. It was a POS even by those standards; It came with Windows 95, which drove me nuts, but I knew nothing about these things, and didn't know you had a choice at all. Within 6 months I'd accidentally destroyed that Computer, and bought my very first Computer paid for with my own money. An HP Pavilion, with 128 MBs of RAM, 43 GB HD, Windows 98 SE, and even an Nvidia Video Card! It had an Internal CD-Writer, and Internal DVD-ROM Drive. I think it was 2,000 dollars. And another 1700 for the 17 inch Flat Screen CRT I bought with it. MAN how stuff has changed heh. Anyway, the reason I'm rambling on, other than the Morphine Xanax Cocktail I just got for my excruciating back pain, which makes me Happy, I wanted to give you background info about me so I'm not some no one stranger. Anyway, before I'd even bought this Computer, I'd been on IRC a lot, and I kept talking to some guys calling themselves "Hackers" and this REALLY grabbed my attention, because I learned through them, that a Computer can do WAY more than just what you tell it to do; It can do everything you want it to do, and if it doesn't do what you want, you can MAKE it do that. This is where I first heard about Linux. they ran Linux at the time, and I started reading about it. Remember, I'd only owned a Computer for a few months at this point, so I was more than overwhelmed by trying to figure out Linux. I eventually bought a "Teach yourself Linux in 24 hours" book, and it came with a CD. I admit I was scared because I'd lost everything before, but eventually, I tried it out. It was RIGHT around the time I was at Best Buy, and saw a "BSD PowerPak" which came with FreeBSD 4.0 on 4 CD-ROMS, and the 6 CD-ROM Toolkit, and "The Complete FreeBSD" by Grey Lehey. Third Edition. It's still one of my most Cherished books. The reason, was that while I was reading about Linux, one day, I saw an article about someone who wrote DeCSS, and saw he perferred FreeBSD. So then I started looking up FreeBSD. So not only was I learning about Linux, but now, I'm learning what FreeBSD is. I learned that FreeBSD, was one of many BSDs available, and that they are ALL based on, or came from, something called Unix. I remember my best friend and I trying so hard to get a copy of a True Unix. We couldn't afford it, but after some research, I'd made up my mind that FreeBSD, especially FreeBSD, had more rights to be called Unix than anything SCO was selling. I started out installing OpenLinux. From SCO. I like it but there was something missing. So I moved to buying Mandrake Linux 7.1, and RedHat for Dummies. Well, Red Hat became something I hated, but Mandrake was nice. Eventually I moved on to SUSE, which I LOVED, but I still wanted BSD. So one day I finally got it installed. This was when I finally learned that back then, the main difference between Linux and FreeBSD, was that FreeBSD was something you could set up and pretty much forget about. Years have now passed since this time. I'm currently sitting here in my own house now. I'm no longer 18 years old, and I'm no longer living at "home" with Mommy either. My Wife, who knows more about Solaris than any person I've ever met in person, and uses Vi (Which is why I Married Her, let's be Honest lol. The day She said She hated Gentoo, and Loved Vi, I said Marry me!) and we now have about 12 Computers here. I have my Server, which, happens to be that HP Pavilion I bought all those years ago. It's still running! I've upgraded some Hardware, like adding RAM to make it up to 384 MBs of RAM, and another HD, for space, and I installed Slackware 12.0 on it. It's fully patched, and has almost a year of uptime right now. My Compaq, which recently stopped running BSD because I needed a test Linux machine, is now running OpenSUSE 12.1, as is this machine, which dual boots with Windows 7, and then my Laptop runs PC-BSD 9, which I LOVE, and then, my other machine runs FreeBSD 9. By the way, if PC-BSD keeps going at the rate it is currently, I can almost guarantee it will supercede Ubuntu. I'm that confidant about it. I thought Mac OS X was the only BSD that could manage to make things easy to use, but it still isn't right. But PC-BSD, which, is basically FreeBSD with some custom apps, and aimed at the Desktop, does still allow you to use the Ports, and it's EASY. Anyway now that you know a little about me, and what I like, I'll try and keep this a little shorter: > >> As I learned > >> more about it, I was incredibly impressed. There are so many > >> elements of FreeBSD that I love, I've completely ditched Linux and > >> am deploying FreeBSD exclusively on my company's server > >> infrastructure. I can't help wonder why I hadn't heard all about it > >> before. Sure, I knew the name, but I had never seen it in use, > >> either in college or in over ten years as a software developer > >> since then. In contrast Linux is everywhere! Even though there are > >> so many applications where FreeBSD seems to be a better or at least > >> more mature solution. The reason is that, basically, there's a reason FreeBSD is known as the unknown giant. I mean you saw it and wet yourself, and you'd been using not only a Unix like OS, but an Open Source one at that, and STILL had never heard of it. I buy a lot of FreeBSD stuff, and I can count on one hand the number of times someone has said something about one of my FreeBSD shirts. It's just not that well known because FreeBSD Core people, tend to try and make it not only work, but be the best it can possibly be, which leaves VERY little time for the PR BS most Linux distros aim at. LOL for an example; Google ZFS Linux, and see if it even compares. RedHat especially is turning into the new Microsoft these days; They have lots of Web Sites and pretty brochures about how their product is gonna be the best of the best "When it finally ships" but in reality, I want FreeBSD on MY Servers. > >> What are the current efforts to promote and educate people on > >> FreeBSD? I'd love to help spread the word. I didn't get a chance to read every reply to this, but I'm glad, because it's going to let me give you an Honest answer: The BEST way you can spread the word about FreeBSD, is by USING IT! Use it, install it on your machines, and every time someone asks how you manage so much with so little hardware, THEN tell them. Oh, of course, there is another thing you can do: FreeBSD Mall! The FreeBSD Mall is an online store that sells FreeBSD stuff. My first order was over 2,000 dollars, and I got almost every book they sell, and some clothing. I can personally vouch for them as being not only legit, but VERY friendly. I not only ALWAYS get my orders on time, I normally get them early. I own multiple versions of the 4 CD-ROM sets of FreeBSD, but I also have basically every book they sell, and I have the Mouse Pad, Case Pins, TONS of stickers, and, of course, BSD Magazine, which I HIGHLY recommend to you as a new comer! You can order BSD Magazine from there, and I DO recommend you try this, as the info inside, is VERY nice. Oh and don't forget a FreeBSD tee shirt, Hat, Boxer Shorts, Mouse Pad, and, "The Complete FreeBSD" by greg Lehey. It's still the best book out there. The info is a little dated right now, but all around, FreeBSD doesn't change the core values so much that you wont learn anything. Order some of the books from the FreeBSD Mall, and read them. Also, I'm sure someone else here can point you in the direction of Greg's web site, because he has pretty much donated the book for all to download. I just can't remember the link. But I highly recommend you read it. Also, of course, is the FreeBSD web site itself. You can use "Powered by FreeBSD" logos, AND you have updated information and tutorials all at your finger tips. You also have Forums there, and this mailing list to point you in the right direction if you ever need help. One last thing: If you use BSD, or the Internet in general, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND SOMETHING ELSE! I put that whole thing in caps for a reason: Doctor Marshal Kirk McKusick! I had the pleasure of talking with him a few times in the past, and other than being incredibly funny, he's VERY interesting. He also has a DVD you can buy that I also own: "20 Years of Berkeley Unix". You can get the DVD either from his Web Site, or some other BSD online stores. The DVD is great. Basically, it's him doing a talk at a BSD Conference, and it's like 2 or 3 hours long. He's goes into detail not just about BSD but Unix and Multi User Operating Systems in general, and, he tells the story of how BSD came to be. I HIGHLY recommend ANYONE reading this to buy that DVD! I've watched it hundreds of times and I still laugh and learn something. -Allen -- --------------------------------------- We Are 138! FreeBSD - PC-BSD - SUSE - Slackware - Debian
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