Re: From Linux to BSD

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Date: 5 Nov 2005 08:41:18 GMT

Begin <dkhntt$eqf$03$1@news.t-online.com>
On 2005-11-05, Sabine Baer <baerks@t-online.de> wrote:
> Now the scene is FreeBSD 6.0-RC1 amd64 and I am far away from having
> that machine being the replacemant of the old Linux machine.

What are you missing, then? You seem to be using FreeBSD already?

> I am totally lost in that system.
> I am unable to find the relevant docs (and having found them I do not
> understand them).

If you have a browser, check [doc] and [handbook]. Note that if you've
installed the documentation set you can find most if not all under
/usr/doc as well. There are even german versions available for many
documents.

While I agree that manpages can be daunting sometimes, they really are
quite good for referencing, but starting out may be better with a good
book on unix.

> I do not know if I have to upgrade the whole system every week.

No.

You are free to do so anyway, if you wish, and it is fairly easy.
Easier and more reliable, in fact, than updating by RPMs used to be.

> I do not know how to install something without that damned 'ports'
> where I only know to type 'make install'. Well, no 'Mouse Click' at
> all but where is the difference?

What is wrong with the ports collection that you don't want to use it?

> I used to install something the way "tar -xzvf foo.tar.gz;cd
> foo;./configure;make;make install". That never worked under FBSD.

It often never works on any system but the authors' own. The auto* tools
are notorious for not being compatible even with their own older versions.
In fact, the ports collection was created for (ao) exactly that: it does
for you what you'd usually do yourself, PLUS it knows which bits aren't
working and how to fix that, PLUS it keeps track of what files go where
so you can deinstall and replace them with newer versions.

I used to do a lot of compiling myself, and the ports collection
would be pretty close to what I'd've wanted to build myself if I'd've
continued doing that. It is also (most of) the infrastructure used to
build packages (which are the FreeBSD equivalent of RPMs, and you can
use those too, and even mix&match pkgs and ports, if you want to).

> Well, there are those ports. Fine. They remind me 'the eye in the dark
> tower' looking all over the world searching for something I do not know
> about.

The ports collection is entirely driven by makefiles, and the
description of how to read and write those is documented in [PSD12].
Then there's [ports(7)] that documents what commands you can give to
make while in the ports collection.

> But sometimes it finds it and installs and sometimes not.
> I hate that
> "Stop in /usr/ports/blafasel
> *** Error code 1"

:-)

Remember that this is a volunteer effort and we need volunteers to
have the collection keep up with all the new stuff that continualy
comes out.

> Well, I stop now. I am an everlasting Newbie an tried something not
> appropriate.

What is not apropriate about learning how to use your system of choice?

> At my workplace they are always updating the Windows I am
> forced to use. But the FreeBSD gives me the same feeling, everyday
> upgrading, sometimes it works, sometimes not, no real 'Help' or
> documentation, neither on board nor on 'the net'.

I don't remember you asking here.

> I beg Your pardon for beeing that childish but I am til now very, very
> unhappy with FreeBSD.
> I forgot I needed some years to have the Linux I have.

:-)

Ever tried to get one of the various books on unix? Eg, [lunix5] or one
of the various FreeBSD books? It really helps if you know what you're
doing.

[doc] http://www.freebsd.org/docs/books.html
[handbook-en] http://www.freebsd.org/doc/en/books/handbook
              or /usr/doc/en/handbook
[handbook-de] http://www.freebsd.org/doc/de/books/handbook
              or /usr/doc/de/handbook
[PSD12] http://www.freebsd.org/doc/en/books/pmake
        or /usr/share/doc/psd/12.make
[ports(7)] Type `man 7 ports' (no quotes) on a prompt near you, or see
           http://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=ports&sektion=7
[lunix5] http://www.ora.com/catalog/lunix5

-- 
  j p d (at) d s b (dot) t u d e l f t (dot) n l .

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