Re: Quimby Upgrade

["Robin S. Socha" <robin@socha.net>]

* Harry Putnam <reader@newsguy.com> writes:
> "Robin S. Socha" <rsocha@kens.com> writes:

>> > PS: I am looking for actual facts here, not flame bait. I
>> > occasionally need to recommend to people which of the free Unix
>> > clones to chose and, because /I/ don't know what the differences
>> > are, I go Debian.
>>
>> ... which AFAIK is a good choice if you go for Linux. The BSD system
>> of ports, packages and CVS to keep the core system up to date is,
>> well, very good.
>>

> He wanted facts Robin... "very good" doesn't quite fill the bill.

Right. But then again, how are we supposed to wage the OS war Lars asked
for?

> The BSD system of ports is overplayed bird hockey.  It lacks any
> serious method to uncover information about installed packages.  

man pkg_info

> Also there is lots of stuff unavailable.  (Giving Robin an opening
> here:) Try finding a sendmail port or pkg.  It must be done from
> FreeBSD source directory.  At least last time I checked.

Well, certainly. Same for Apache or lynx. They are part of the base
system.

> A full CVSup and build world is about the furthermost thing from
> `very good' as can be imagined.  

export CVSROOT=some.cvsup.server
cd /usr/
cvs co src
cvs co srcsys
cvs co ports
cd src
make buildworld
shutdown
make installworld

> Its an esoteric art form riddled with problems as can be seen on
> `FreeBSD-questions' constantly. With dozens of subjects like:
> `Build world broke/stopped/aborted/flailed/stymied/jitterbugged/
> quit/careemed/disembowled/flopped/thrashed....please help'

Yup. Lusers. Kill them all, let God sort them out.

> The group is one of the hardest on record to get help from, since the
> mailing lists are constantly swamped.  Clear evidence of something
> amiss.

Uhhh... Ever seen the SuSE ML?

> The full ports installation is some 80-90MB, yet lacks any real data
> keeping system other than the very meager offering under /var/db/pkg.
> which is little more than a list of the files in a package.

man pkg_info

> Someone familiar with the usefullness of rpm will not be impressed at
> all.

Right, like "I run SuSE but this RPM only exists for RedHat. Let's
install it anyway. *kawoom* *whine*". man alien for some real joy.

> Here is the kind of delima you can get into with FreeBSD.  I run it on
> my laptop (FreeBSD-4.0).  
[more whining]

I spent 3 days trying to get Linux to run on a Sony Vaio. I had it
running in 37m with FreeBSD. Different strokes. And Laptops are an
eternal pain.

> Fortunately, since I've retired from a lifetime of construction work,
> I don't use the laptop much any more.

Wouldn't, like, a hammer been more appropriate?

> It comes with a little jive editor called `ee'.  

It comes with vi. XEmacs is in the ports.

> FreeBSD uses this silly concept of a `slice' as distinct from a
> partition, making partitioning a disk a ridiculously complicated
> issue.  Try an `fdisk' on FreeBSD.  There is almost no usefull
> information displayed in a handy format.  I'd insert some here but
> can't get to my laptop right now.

man dangerously_dedicated - why run another OS on a FreeBSD machine? And
anyway, the concept is simple and straightforward. I installed my first
FreeBSD without any instructions via a Linux ftp server in my cupboard.

Anyway. This is boring. You are a clueless luser and deserve to run
EasyLinux until hell freezes over. Haha! EoT?
-- 
Robin S. Socha, Bastard Consultant From Hell <http://socha.net/>
Note to experienced users: Please don't encourage anti-support behavior.
Don't try to answer questions from users who don't provide the necessary
information. Guessing what they did is an incredible waste of time. (DJB)