FreeBSD weakness.

[Tom McLaughlin]

On Sat, 2004-06-19 at 15:40, Jorn Argelo wrote:
> Lloyd Hayes wrote:
> 
> > I finally decided that I needed to get more information on FreeBSD. I 
> > got it up and running, then I did something else and I start getting 
> > errors again....
> >
> > So I just ordered 3 books on FreeBSD from Amazon. In most of the 
> > reviews posted there about the books, people were complaining about 
> > weak documentation, too much information about things that they were 
> > not interested in, and errors in the in the books which seems to be 
> > the most common complaint. In my very short recent history with 
> > FreeBSD, I've formed the opinion that documenting FreeBSD is it's 
> > greatest weakness. FreeBSD needs someone who can actually type to 
> > write a good book for beginners who have never seen UNIX code. A book 
> > is needed with examples that actually WORK! Examples that are 
> > explained in plain English. There seems to be very few books on 
> > FreeBSD around.
> 
> Beginners who never seen UNIX coude shouldn't start with FreeBSD in the 
> first place, if you ask me. They should start Mandrake Linux or SuSe or 
> something of the sorts. FreeBSD isn't made to make an "user friendly" 
> operating system, as Mandrake Linux is aiming at. You just have to know 
> some Unix stuff before you even start with FreeBSD.

I would have to disgree having my first *nix experience five years ago
with Mandrake and switching to FreeBSD a number of months ago.  I
switched to FreeBSD because I felt my unix skills were getting rusty. 
When I started with Mandrake I did most of my system configuration and
administration from the command line and I learned a lot of unix in
those first few years.  

Over time with the inclusion of more GUI based tools that became
harder.  Files seemed to keep moving or configuration was spread across
too many files.  I believe you end up becomming too dependant on the
distribution specific configuration tools with Linux and you don't
truely learn the system.  For anyone who really wants to learn unix the
BSDs are the place to start.

Linux is for people who hate Micro$oft.
BSD is for people who love Unix.

Tom

> I have the book on the below link, and I must say it is very very good. 
> Good examples and clearly elaborated, though it lacks in-depth 
> information, which might be handy for more advanced users. It's good for 
> beginners who are comfortable in a Unix or Linux enviroment. Why don't 
> you give that one a shot?
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0072224096/104-0798845-8369533?v=glance
> 
> And what about our own FreeBSD Handbook? Don't tell me that that is bad, 
> because there is book that can beat it if you ask me.
> 
> http://www.freebsd.org/doc/en_US.ISO8859-1/books/handbook/
> 
> Cheers,
> 
> Jorn
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