FreeBSD weakness(It's not. hear my story)

[Lloyd Hayes]

I liked your story.

Here is mine. In the 1980s, I was offered programming jobs at Microsoft 
and Intuit, and few other companies. I wasn't sure if I was willing to 
commit to working full time on computers. Up until this point, writing 
computer programs had simply been a hobby. So, I went back to college 
and buried myself in a year of intensive computer classes. (No UNIX.) I 
came out of it with 4.0 grade average, job offers by the US Government, 
and an intense dislike of computers. I worked myself back into liking 
computers afterwards as long as it was a passive acquaintance. I like 
using computers for work, communication and recreation. I don't like 
spending all day, every day, on them. Needless to say, I didn't take 
anyones job offer which related to computers.

As I have mentioned earlier, my only goal here is to setup some older 
computers of mine and keep them useful.

I'll repeat this so there is no misunderstanding. The people here have 
been great in their response to help! But there is also no getting 
around the fact that I am much older (54) and less able to absorb new 
ideas as fast....

Lloyd Hayes

Email: wyoming_antelope at yahoo.com
URL: http://TalkingStaff.bravehost.com 
E-FAX Number: (208) 248-6590
Web Journal: http://lloyd_hayes.bravejournal.com/



Mark Jayson Alvarez wrote:

>Hi Lloyd,
>
>   Let me share you my experience with learning
>freebsd. I promise you... you'll throw away those
>expensive books that you have bought after reading my
>story.. 
>
>    A few months ago, I was totally a Windows user.
>I've already heard about Linux from a friend but not
>exactly Unix.. That friend of mine was convincing me
>to use the same OS he's using but I refused to cause
>I've seen nothing graphical with he's OS(running the
>whole thing in Terminal without using any Desktop
>environment). But then something bright have sparked
>in my mind and decided to search Google for "best
>Operating System". And so I've landed on Windows,
>Freebsd, MacOS and, Linux comparison.. Of the four
>OS's featured, I've never heard anything about FreeBSD
>and so I went to their site to find out more... And my
>journey began there...
>   After finishing the installation of Freebsd(using
>only the handbook and nothing else) I've landed on
>this so called terminal.. Mind you, I'm completely new
>to Unix and I know not a thing, not even the "ls"
>command.. Learning that FreeBSD is a Unix like
>operating system, I began searching google for "Unix
>commands" and I've downloaded something in PDF format
>comparing the commands in MSDOS(which I'm used with)
>and those that are used in Unix..
>   And that's it!!! With a few resources at hand I was
>able to do all of the things I used to do in Windows
>without having too much trouble in FreeBSD.. 
>Now, I'm still reading FreeBSD's Handbook and I'm
>already on the Chapter 19-Advance Networking..
>preparing my self for a career in Networking being
>just a fresh graduate..
>  I tell you... learning one thing is not about the
>those fancy Documents and instructions that would help
>you out along the way... It's about having that
>willingness and passion to learn that thing.. It's
>about having the confidence that, "hey, if they've
>learned this, why can't I?!" Knowledge is a long race,
>and don't you worry my friend.. you're not the last in
>this race... 'cause no one has ever gone too far..
>
>   Hope this thought would help you out and all of
>those beginners like "us" whom would want to dwell
>into the simple but complicated world of Unix
>computing...
>
>Regards to all Mailers
>-jay:-)
>
>
>
>--- Lloyd Hayes <wyoming_antelope at yahoo.com> 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.
>>
>>I have decided that it is a very good operating
>>system which I need to 
>>learn more about. And yes, I have all of the links
>>that everyone sent 
>>me. Thanks for all of the info.
>>
>>-- 
>>
>>Lloyd Hayes
>>
>>Email: wyoming_antelope at yahoo.com
>>URL: http://TalkingStaff.bravehost.com 
>>E-FAX Number: (208) 248-6590
>>Web Journal: http://lloyd_hayes.bravejournal.com/
>>
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>>
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>>
>
>
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