Hi ya'll,

Quick question: is there a quick, easy for-newbies install guide, perchance, for FreeBSD? I have the pdf for the handbook and faq, but I'd like to be able to print out something along the lines of Ubuntu's "Unofficial Ubuntu Guide", which was very oriented to taking care of getting you up and running, with all of the normal "how to configure X, how to install software, etc., all in one simple, well layed out guide that was not too big to print off. I know that a lot of technical details and stuff I can research in the handbook as necessary, but when you are in the middle of an install, it's easier said than done, and printing off the handbook, well, it's over 900 pages, so that's kind of out for a first-run at FreeBSD. I'm just looking for something written for someone who isn't that familiar with FreeBSD. I've installed a lot of linuxes over the years, and FreeBSD threw me for a loop while I was installing it.

Any help you guys could give me would be GREATLY appreciated!

Thanks so much,
Dan

Well you can try many of the online book stores.

amazon.com
booksamillion.com
www.freebsd.org
ect!

The old manuals will probably possess just about the same information regarding the newest releases. Try your local used book stores.

Thanks for the info, but I've checked them out already. Basically they are all way more than I was thinking of, kind of like trying to read a Hanes or Chiltons car repair manual to figure out which button operates a fog light when all I need right this moment is the Owner's Guide. But I guess that's the deal for now.

Maybe if I ever get decent with the system I'll write one myself for newbies. It's the only way the *BSDs will grow more popular with the new groups of folks looking for a step up from linux or windows. I know a lot of people don't want to deal with them, but it's going to happen more and more. Plus, if I (or someone) could write something quick like that, think what it could do for the *BSD movement in the future!

anyway, that's my 2 cents worth. Thanks for the help!

I've seen this so many times ... I figured it is necessary to do something about it. But since I don't have the skill to take on the Installer project, the least I can do is help create an Unofficial FreeBSD Install Guide. This is a rough draft and I was planning on keeping it private until it has more content, but now I'm posting it anyway.

There are still a lot of empty sections, but check back soon and you should see it grow. You can help already by pointing out what you want explained better.

Very nice...that's exactly what I had in mind, actually. You are answering the questions that a new user, who's never done this before, can use...yes, they can read up here and there when they need more info, but they need to be able to get up and running, first and foremost. Give them the links to the various places in the manual, that's a big help. Their learning curve will smooth out pretty fast. But if you aren't online yet, facing a black screen, and you don't have the luxury of another machine beside you that's working, then the only option is something you've purchased or printed (and to purchase one of the books that would work for a beginner would be between 30 and 50 dollars USD. Or print off 900 pages at work, and hope you don't lose your job over it. Or blow a couple of 40 dollar ink cartriges and 2 reams of paper. LOL. Seriously, something slender really helps at first, then you reference the "hardcore" stuff as needed. So you're really on to something. It would also be cool if there would be a way to have a script that could combine the wiki pages into a printable document; they could click the link, it would generate a doc or text file or something ready to print, and there ya go.

I'm finally starting to get some kind of progress going with my FreeBSD6 install. Got the X server working right, and compiled OpenOffice2.0 from ports (Never again, I might add...on my Celeron 750, it took, and I'm *not* joking, 51 hours...and that wasn't with also running a server or anything, just a desktop machine being left alone at night to compile, and during the day while I was at work). Basically I started the process on Friday night, and fired it up for the first time last night (Monday).

Then, as a total freebsd newbie...I did the *newbie* unthinkable...I compiled my own kernel and got it working. I actually am kinda proud of that one...got my sound working and everything. Under linux, as long as I used it, I never could get a kernel compiled properly. Always some library missing or some glitch that I never could figure out. Process was a lot less complicated than I thought...really just a list file of devices and options, then it does the rest, and installs it for you. I was very pleased. I wouldn't hesitate to do it again. And compile time was only 45 minutes or so, no big deal, really.

At any rate, got sound working.

Would you want me to record some of my "experiences" as I go and send it to you for your wiki?. Let me know your thoughts.

My only thing is...I'm not 100% sure I'm overly impressed yet with FreeBSD, even with an optimized kernel...performance on the desktop has been a little slower than with Debian (although bootup is faster). Plus it's a HECK of a lot of work to build those ports, manage dependencies, etc. And of course, the configuration. I'm giving it a run for it's money, though. And I'm toying with the idea of PCBSD to see how it's installer does...once I get to where it installs on my machine, that is. And it has been nice not to have Xorg crashing so much, I must admit.

I've got a long way to go. I still don't quite understand the Ports/Packages/Updating the Ports on your computer/What to update and not, etc. That's where APT has a lot of strength; you see it all, you pick what you want, it figures out the dependencies, and there you go. Although, I have a feeling that Ports can do that, too, I just haven't learned how yet.

And it doesn't help that my computer got tied up for a solid weekend in terms of playing with updating ports, etc! ;-)

Thank you for the kind words.

You can always print this guide, I suppose, and then print the pages you need. But yes, doing an install from scratch with no online access is going to be difficult.

Good for you! Frankly, I thing that is one of the better chapters in the Handbook; for me it was quite easy too. The only thing is, I never did understand what those "giant" thingamabobs were about.

Well, I have another page listing my experiences (see my sig), I had envisioned the guide more of a definite resource. But sure, if you can draw some *conclusions* from your experience, feel free to add your "lessons learned".

Yes, it's not a speed demon, that's for sure. But you aren't building ALL your ports, are you (might as well use Gentoo then....)? You do know about Freshports, and "pkg_add -r", right? Those are your friends!

Couldn't have said it better myself. Sadly, I never could get Debian installed on my box, otherwise I was very drawn by the package system.

Debian was really nice, actually. I always had trouble with it, until I played with Mepis and Ubuntu...they "cut" my teeth for me. Then I downloaded *all 14* of the disks, like a sick freak (took 4 days, before I had DSL; had to do it at the office). But after that, it was actually really easy..the new 3.1 version uses a much better installer than I remembered. I had it working on in the first try, bootloader and all, dual booting with windows 2000, although, I reinstalled later just to make sure that I hadn't just gotten lucky, so I'd understand what I had done during the process and not be scared of it again.

I found another website that I (for some reason) hadn't seen before: http://www.bsdguides.org/.

That site's got guides out the wazoo, that I couldn't believe how well done and *newbie* oriented they were. Shucks, if I'd had those in hand, I mightve gotten it installed in half the time, and felt better about it to boot.

Yeah, I plan on using pkg_add as often as possible. But for OpenOffice 2.0, it's in a transitional stage at the moment, and I had to do it the old fashioned way from ports to get the most recent version. It was a nightmare to compile; had to download all of the java stuff manually, etc. But it was just time consuming; it pretty much asked for everything it wanted and what to do with it when you got it, so it really wasn't all that hard. Just took forever.

Anyway, if I get a chance I'll document some of "I figured out how to do it, and this is what it takes" type of newbie stuff and send it along to you. I assume you are the "J" twin on your website?

And of course, as my wife will let me have time! LOL Bless her heart, she puts up with a lot when I get sucked into some computer issue that I'm toying with...

-d

Hahaha, why don't you do what I do: fiddle with the pc while Frasier is on tv. I know what you mean, though. This non-Windows-thing takes enough time as it is, even when it works right.

And yes, I'm "J".