FreeBSD for the common man(or woman) (was: upgrade 7.2

[James Phillips]

--- On Fri, 8/7/09, freebsd-questions-request at freebsd.org <freebsd-questions-request at freebsd.org> wrote:

> Message: 6
> Date: Fri, 7 Aug 2009 02:04:16 +0200
> From: Polytropon <freebsd at edvax.de>

> On Fri, 07 Aug 2009 02:09:51 +0300, Manolis Kiagias <sonicy at otenet.gr>
> wrote:
> > Windows experience won't help much - mainly due to the
> fact Windows
> > forces the users (and admins) to a completely
> different way of thinking
> > than FreeBSD. 
> 
> That's true. It's even hard to communicate with "'Windows'
> admins"
> because of a completey different and misleading terminology
> - and
> sadly often the lack of understanding what they're talking
> about.

I don't believe half the windows dialog boxes. Why would "checking for available disk space" (win 98 installation) take more than 2 seconds?
> 
> 
> 
> > The various wizards abstract way too many parts of
> the
> > system, to the point where you can configure services
> you don't really
> > understand (i.e. a DNS server is a few clicks away and
> there are many
> > 'recommended' defaults along the way). 
> 
> Insecure mode: This is the mode you want. Select it NOW!
> :-)
> 

I completely understand the reasoning behind "disabled by defaul."

It means it doesn't work until you (hopefully) learn what you are doing.

That said, following the handbook, I managed to enable ssh twice: one as a stand-alone process, and once as part of inetd.
> 
> 
> 
> Yes. As I said (elsewhere), FreeBSD is a multi-purpose OS.
> It does
> not know what you are intending to use it for, and it
> doesn't make
> any assumptions. So you have to communicate your
> requirements to the
> system. This requires a certain knowledge, of course.
> 
Yes, I learned this with Linux. For Debian the install program works a little like a "wizard," but to maintain the system, you need to learn what you are doing. Reboots don't magically fix or break things.
<SNIP!>
> 
> Once taken the time to set things up, they make you happy
> running for
> a lifetime. :-)
> 

I love and hate that about *nix :D

-James




      __________________________________________________________________
Yahoo! Canada Toolbar: Search from anywhere on the web, and bookmark your favourite sites. Download it now
http://ca.toolbar.yahoo.com.