k3b again

[Ian Smith]

On Fri, 9 May 2008, Richard Bown wrote:
 > On Fri, 09 May 2008 14:39:09 -0500
 > Thomas Donnelly <tad1214 at aol.com> wrote:>
 > > ><snip>
 > > > I'm sorry if my comments offend, they are not intended to.
 > > >
 > > >
 > > >   
 > > Well Richard, I am sorry to hear all of the problems you have been 
 > > having. Just a few side notes.
 > > 1. PC-BSD != Freebsd, I don't use PC-BSD for the same reason I don't 
 > > like Linux or Windows, they are overly user friendly and do
 > > everything for you, often with unintended side effects when doing
 > > advanced things.

 > The reason for the move to FreeBSD was to get away from the software
 > thats running all the time in the background and is a real pig to
 > disable, telling you what you can do and not do.
 > the distribution on the other HD is Mandriva 2008.1. I've been using
 > MDV since it was started about 5 ~6 years ago, but its got to the state

You don't say whether you tried installing FreeBSD, rather than PC-BSD?

 >  2. FreeBSD wasn't designed with workstation use as a
 > > primary goal, that has become much more popular in recent years, but,
 > > server use is and probably always will be the primary focus.

 > OK I accept that premise , but the same applies to nearly all the linux
 > disros. But seems with linux after the fork the desktop as it evolved
 > was readily accepted.

Lots of people use FreeBSD on their desktops successfully, including on
machines that also run many services.  A big part of learning FreeBSD is
finding out how to ask questions of the community in a way that helps
get to the nub of whatever problems you might have.  Others are using
k3b successfully, and they're the ones you want to be connecting with. 
Negative comparisons with varieties of linux isn't likely to help that.

 > > 3. Many of these programs (k3b and the like) were designed for linux
 > > and ported over to freebsd, there are bound to be some bumps along
 > > the way. 

 > I don't call non-functional a bump, if it was a case it would burn cd
 > and not all DVD s thats a bump, to not be able to burn anything is a
 > major obstacle 

So - except in the less likely event that your particular hardware is
not supported - you have some configuration problem.  If you focused on
resolving that, rather than assuming 'FreeBSD doesn't work', you'd most
likely do much better, but it may require more patience than you have.

 > 4.  If you say I will give it to this and such a time, you
 > > may as well just cut over now, you are looking for a reason to dump
 > > the OS.
 > 
 > Not so, I've made quite an investment so far, change the graphics card
 > as Xorg didn't want to play with  a standard Nvidia FX5500, PCI-express
 > graphics cards are not cheap, nor was the 250 GB e-SATA HD to put
 > FreeBSD on.
 > 
 > A week of sheer grief is not just giving up for the sake of it.
 > But I was aware someone would suggest that excuse

So you learned everything you know and need to know about linux in a
week?  If that's the case, you should indeed stick with it!  It took me
more than a week to become fairly familiar with the FreeBSD handbook.

 >  5. Part of the beauty of FreeBSD is simplicity yet
 > > complexity. It is not easy to learn, it is not user friendly, sharp
 > > edges are everywhere because the training wheels are off.
 > 
 > I've no objections to sharp edges if the end result works,
 > the only way I have of saving date to media is a floppy drive,
 > may be I should grateful that FreeBSD does support such modern thing as
 > 3 1/2" floppies, could have been 8"disks only

Being sarky, and confusing what you haven't managed to get going yet
with what FreeBSD does or doesn't support, isn't likely to elicit the
support you need from the very people you need it from, I'm afraid.

 > As a design engineer I very aware of sharp edges from either picking up
 > someone elses fag packet scribbling to taking it from my design to full
 > production.
 > And part of any design and application process, is to make the end
 > results repeatable and allow for tolerances.

Uhuh.  On a zillion dfferent hardware and software configurations.

 > You have only got to look at the installation of openoffice, how come
 > all the linux distros can manage to install it in the most an hour.
 > lets compare that process in FreeBSD, there's all the flaffing about
 > manually downloading the Sun packages, openoffice is GTK not java.
 > so once you done that, if of course Sun's site works properly, you then
 > get all the problems of changed dependencies, so if your lucky  a days
 > compiling.
 > That defies all logic,
 > Why not be sensible use precompiled libs, and just compile the
 > applications.

Even many hardcore source-only folks will stoop to installing openoffice
from the package rather than source :) but I guess in a week you haven't
had time to do the mailing list research needed to clue you in to the
best way of dealing with ports and/or packages installation/upgrading.

 > One of the reason for linux becoming slicker is the need to produce a
 > distro that is commercially viable, to give an effective alternative to
 > gatesware.

Yes there's that vibe in many discussions of linux as a 'better windows'
but few FreeBSD people find these sorts of competitive comparisons as
any good reason to consider using FreeBSD for their particular needs.

 > I can't see FreeBSD ever getting to the stage of commercial viability.

If you mean mass-market desktop commercialism, no, that's never been an
objective for most *BSD users.  Certainly there are plenty of heavy-duty
commercial outfits using FreeBSD at the core of their business - Yahoo
springs to mind - but for the one-click install then everything runs out
of the box market (largely imaginary aside from windows and OSX) you'll
find very little interest amongst FreeBSD (or indeed *BSD) enthusiasts.

 > And that's why I've put a cut off time of  midnight tonight as the time
 > when I can no longer afford to spend 18 hours a day trying to reinvent
 > the wheel, where as I can cut a few spokes out of an existing wheel to
 > get what I need.

Yeah there's not much use expecting to learn any new system in a week,
especially starting with unrealistic expectations, so sticking with a
linux probably makes most sense for you.  Whatever you use, enjoy! 

Cheers, Ian