So I installed FreeBSD 8.2... now what? (noob questions)

I DO NOT WHY PEOPLE LIKE TILING!(yeah screaming) just don't get it!! perhaps u box is from obscurantism age?

ps i hate tiling wm's
 
sysop1911 said:
Can someone give me advice on which GUI I should install on my FreeBSD install? Which was is regarded as the best?
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There's no such thing as "the best", it just depends on what you want.

Some people prefer a simple tiling/stacking window manager that doesn't use too many resources, others don't mind something heavier if it means they can spruce up their desktops with gadgets and eye-candy. Some people prefer something that looks and feels good right away, others like tinkering endlessly with configuration options. Some people like it when tools and gadgets are integrated, others like to piece everything together themselves. Some people like a uniform appearance with every application and/or control panel having a similar look, others like diversity (and then some don't even care). Some people like it when their environment looks like something they already know (e.g. Windows), others find it important to "be different".

If you let us know what you want, we can recommend something that suits your needs.

Fonz
 
d_mon said:
I DO NOT WHY PEOPLE LIKE TILING!(yeah screaming) just don't get it!!
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No need to scream. Really.

Further, you might want to show a little bit more respect for people who have different tastes than you. Or even different requirements, for that matter. Tiling window managers are obviously not for you, but other people may have good reasons for using them.

Fonz
 
d_mon said:
I DO NOT WHY PEOPLE LIKE TILING!(yeah screaming) just don't get it!! perhaps u box is from obscurantism age?

ps i hate tiling wm's
Click to expand...

Enough with this juvenile behavior in every single topic you open on these forums. You're on notice. Read your PM.
 
One method I used when using fvwm2, is find .fvwmrc (files) on the web, download about six large ones, test each one, and adapt the seemingly best one as the new fvwm2 install. Saved having to learn the syntax of the file, configure the tweaks, etc. One can do that also with twm, etc etc usually, obtaining cpu load graphics, mail message notification icons, taskbars etc. Maybe not possible with the larger kde, gnome etc...
 
d_mon said:
perhaps u box is from obscurantism age?
Click to expand...

No not at all.
I use wmii because I _want_ to use wmii, not because some opinionated fool thinks it's because of "obscurantism".

This PC: AMD Phenom II 965 - 8GB RAM - GTS450 - 2x WD500GB RE4 | 3x Seagate 2TB
 
Need a little more help. I looked around the web, but I can't seem to do much.

1)How I change from the $ prompt to the # prompt? I already tried "su - root" but it gives me an error. I am currently logged in as the admin user I created during install

2)With $ prompt I can do a 'whoami', but not an ls or a cd or any of that.

3)How do I know what ports i have installed? During install, I looked the at port available, but there all foreign language translations of the main documentation. I assume ports are in /user/ports (a directory I can't get to).

Thanks for all the help.
 
sysop1911 said:
How I change from the $ prompt to the # prompt? I already tried "su - root" but it gives me an error. I am currently logged in as the admin user I created during install
Click to expand...
Add the admin user to the wheel group.

sysop1911 said:
How do I know what ports i have installed?
[snip]
I assume ports are in /user/ports
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The ports collection is in /usr/ports, you can install them from there. Ports (and/or packages) that you have installed show up in /var/db/pkg.

Fonz
 
Ok, I logged in as root and added my other account to the 'wheel' group. Now I can change to superuser when I'm logged in with the other account.

When I do a 'ls', I only see a bunch of files like, '.login', '.cshrc', '.profile', etc. How come there are no directories like 'usr' and 'etc'?
 
sysop1911 said:
Ok, I logged in as root and added my other account to the 'wheel' group. Now I can change to superuser when I'm logged in with the other account.

When I do a 'ls', I only see a bunch of files like, '.login', '.cshrc', '.profile', etc. How come there are no directories like 'usr' and 'etc'?
Click to expand...

ls() takes an argument which can be a path. Most commands work as so

command switch(s) argument(s)

In effort to navigate with looking around with ls you would type

# ls /

this shows you the content of the root of the file system.

pwd() is the present working directory and cd will take you to the directory which you provide the argument. cd provides some shortcuts as well. look at the man pages for more information
 
In effort to avoid the "debate" on which wm or de to use my best advice to you is to try as many as possible. Ultimately you will settle with one that allows you to work the way you want. For example though you may feel that icons are an important interface item today you may outgrow that concept and find them unnecessary tomorrow. The philosophy of open source is simple. No one can make the decision for you on which tools you prefer. Your freedom to choose which tools out-ways anyone elses position on what's best for you. You and only you can evaluate the tools to see which best suites your style and needs.
 
sysop1911 said:
Can you guys list some of the reasons one would use the command-line interface instead of the GUI?
Click to expand...

Once desktop environments have overly bloated themselves out of this dimension, all you will be left with is the command line... So get used to it and start using it NOW! ;)
 
kpedersen said:
Once desktop environments have overly bloated themselves out of this dimension
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You are mistaken. Desktop environments simply (try to) adjust to the resources available to them. See this article on KDE.

Fonz
 
I strongly recommend anyone who is interested in jumping into FreeBSD with little to no experience to buy a copy of Absolute FreeBSD (http://www.amazon.com/Absolute-FreeBSD-Complete-Guide-2nd/dp/1593271514) book or ebook available and give it a read from cover to cover. I've been on Windows, OS X, and linux the last 10+ years and every time I tried to give FreeBSD a shot I stumbled due to its differences from linux and quickly gave up. Once I read through the book it made so much sense about how the design and most importantly how to properly find an answer or ask for help. I run it on my new laptop and all of the stumbling/trial-error/compiling and querying for answers has quickly made me a competent user. If your looking for point and click with a pretty interface then use OS X. If you really want to have a sweet desktop on FreeBSD then you better roll up your sleeves and get ready to learn.
 
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