questions to decide

[Jerry McAllister]

> 
> Hello, I want to install a new operating system in to my new notebook.
> I don't want to install any microsoft operating system, and I was asking 
> myself what operating system could I install, but I'm not sure now.

Well, on this list people are going to (wisely) tell you to
install FreeBSD.   
> 
> Well, some of my friends told me that I have to install Linux, but the 
> opinions are so fragmented. Some of my friends told me that I have to 
> use Red Hat, others that I have to try SuSE, others Debian, and some 
> fiends told me about use Mandrake...

More reason to try FreeBSD.   There will be some learning effort, but
in the end you will be happiest.

> ... Some deleted
>
> Anyway I'm so much confused, because the only I want is install an operating 
> system that support my notebook's hardware.
> 
> AMD processor, Broadband network card, pcmcia and network pcmcia card 
> conceptronic, ATI Radeon IGP card, USB, serial and parallel ports... 
> iee ports... and all new hardware, but I can't found some drivers in 
> one or another distribution, and sometimes, in all distro...
> 
> I would like If you can tell me if I can install freeBSD 5.1 or newer to 
> support full features of my notebook.

If you are new to FreeBSD and if all the things you need are supported
by FreeBSD 4.9, that would be the recommended way to go.  It is the
production release.  Only go to 5.1 for now if you really need it to get 
support of some of your system. The 5.1 version is still a development
version, still a little unready for complete release, though it is getting
pretty good and will handle almost everything reliably.
If you go to the FreeBSD home page at:
                                       http://www.freebsd.org/
Then click on the 'Hardware Notes' item under 'Production Release 4.9'
and after that click on 'i386' on the next page. 

You will get a long list of the hardware supported by the 4.9 release.  
Some things have multiple names and/or a vendor may OEM the device - sell 
something built by another company, but put their own name on it.  In that 
case, usually you have to find out who really built the device and look 
for that in the list because they don't always have all the names vendors 
put on the essentially same product.

Good luck,

////jerry


> 
> The use I will do to my notebook is home and office use, perhaps to play some games, but most
> cases is to use any free office program and to develop software under c, c++ or kylix language...
> 
> Thankyou so much... Regards,
> 
> Jose Pedro Navarro
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