FreeBSD for Linux users

[Bill Moran]

Ceri Davies wrote:
> On Wed, Nov 26, 2003 at 03:25:37PM -0800, bri an wrote:
> 
>>I am a Work-study at a University. I have allot of
>>staff using Redhat. I have been working on helping
>>people move to Freebsd. I have been using it for a two
>>months. I would love to help in anyway. I am not very
>>versed in Freebsd, But I know how to RTFM. I can be a
>>great tester to see what the document needs.
> 
> I think it needs writing. ;-)
> 
> Seriously, on the doc team we are all long term FreeBSD users, and lack
> the newcomer perspective to write this document.  A list of pointers to
> things that people migrating find difficult would be useful to start.

I recently gave a demonstration of FreeBSD at a Linux User's Group meeting,
so I have a _little_ insight.  I'll put forward what I can remember here,
as well as offering my assistance during the writing of such a document.

1) You'd be surprised how many hard-core Linux users drop FreeBSD just because
    the default shell seems to suck compared to bash.  They often give up
    before finding out how easy it is to install bash.  bash is so universal
    on Linux distros, that they don't even realize it's seperate from Linux
    and can be installed on any Unix-like system.  Just explaining how to
    install bash and configure it for use would be a good idea.
2) The lack of an easy way to set up X during initial install seems to annoy
    and confuse a lot of Linux folk.  Some explanation of how to install
    Gnome or KDE (along with kdm or gdm) would put them in a more comfortable
    environment in many cases.
3) Hard-core admins are confused by the fact that so much config info is in
    /etc/rc.conf.  They're even more confused by the fact that the rest of
    the config is in /usr/local/etc
4) /stand/sysinstall is not known by Linux users
5) The first thing a linux -> FreeBSD user is going to want to do is install
    their favorite apps.  A brief explanation of ports/packages as well as
    pointers to more information would speed things along.

Hope this helps.

-- 
Bill Moran
Potential Technologies
http://www.potentialtech.com