Polytropon wrote: [snip] > >> Personally, I do think it's a pity, because FreeBSD (in my experience, >> since FreeBSD 4.5) is stable, easy to use (once you have the basic Unix >> concepts on board), and astonishingly well-documented. It's also >> supported by one of the friendliest and most knowledgeable communities I >> know. > > In relations to most Linusi and MICROS~1 stuff in general, FreeBSD is the > MOST EXCELLENT documented OS I've ever used - and I have used many OSes > during my "career". The FAQ, the handbook and especially the manpages are > great. Of course, that's my point of view as a developer. For a "normal > user", this might look a bit different, but finally, there's this very > helpful and friendly list. >
Many people's only familiarity with computers in general will be from a Windows centric perspective. Somehow there is a tendency to believe that inserting a CD, booting, and then proceeding to click "OK" in a dialog box a few dozen times makes them some kind of expert when they successfully get Windows installed. Coming from a Windows centric environment myself I initially found that there was a great deal of material to be learned, and RTFM was the way to do it. I've noticed people who come from university computer science programs have a much better foundation upon which to build. Most computer users do not fit this category, myself included. While this deficiency can be overcome with self study, I am also aware that not everyone who reads documentation necessarily understands the material. If too much background education is missing the documentation just resembles gobbeldy-gook and is ignored, with the fall back position of "click OK a few dozen times and the OS will take care of it for me" expected to pick up the slack. I would not be where I am today in my understanding and use of FreeBSD if not for the excellent documentation and surrounding community. I feel I owe my success in utilizing FreeBSD to the people who took the time to write this stuff down for people like me to use. It is with a great measure of gratitude to these people I owe my success. [snip] -Mike _______________________________________________ freebsd-questions@freebsd.org mailing list http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-questions To unsubscribe, send any mail to "freebsd-questions-unsubscr...@freebsd.org"
