The following resources are some of those which &os; - newbies have found most helpful when learning to use &os;. - Please send corrections and additions to - FreeBSD-doc@FreeBSD.org.
+The following resources are some of those which &os; newbies + have found most helpful when learning to use &os;. Please send + corrections and additions to FreeBSD-doc@FreeBSD.org.
This web site is the main source of up to date information about - &os;. Newbies have found the following pages particularly helpful:
+This web site is the main source of up to date information + about &os;. Newbies have found the following pages particularly + helpful:
Search the Handbook and FAQ, the - whole web site, or the &os; mailing list archives.
Search the + Handbook and FAQ, the whole web site, or the &os; mailing list + archives.
The Documentation page has links to the - Handbook and FAQ, tutorials, information about contributing to the - Documentation Project, documents in languages other than English, - online manual pages, and much more.
The Documentation page has + links to the Handbook and FAQ, tutorials, information about + contributing to the Documentation Project, documents in + languages other than English, online manual pages, and much + more.
The Support page contains a wealth of - information about &os;, including mailing lists, user groups, web - and FTP sites, release information, and links to some sources of - &unix; information.
The Support page + contains a wealth of information about &os;, including mailing + lists, user groups, web and FTP sites, release information, + and links to some sources of &unix; information.
You should most probably look for the - latest mainstream release. - (See the Handbook for why you should not be tempted - by any of the other branches.) Before you begin, carefully read the - installation instructions, - as well as each one of the *.TXT files in the FTP directory - or on the installation CD. They are there because they contain information - that you will need. Also pick up the latest - errata file - from the web site, in case it has been updated.
You should most probably look for the latest mainstream release. (See + the Handbook for why you should not be + tempted by any of the other branches.) Before you begin, + carefully read the installation + instructions, as well as each one of the *.TXT files in + the FTP directory or on the installation CD. They are there + because they contain information that you will need. Also pick + up the latest errata + file from the web site, in case it has been + updated.
A number of short - articles and tutorials are available. The short tutorial, - For - People New to Both &os; and Unix, is popular with absolute - beginners. You do not have to know much about anything to enjoy - this one.
A number of short articles and + tutorials are available. The short tutorial, For People New to + Both &os; and Unix, is popular with absolute beginners. + You do not have to know much about anything to enjoy this + one.
There is a lot of documentation to help for setting up ppp. - You might start with the PPP and SLIP - chapter of the &os; Handbook and explore the - ppp page - for links to the other valuable information and the latest updates.
There is a lot of documentation to help for setting up + ppp. You might start with the PPP and + SLIP chapter of the &os; Handbook and explore the ppp page for + links to the other valuable information and the latest + updates.
The &os; Handbook and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) are the - main documents for &os;. Essential reading, they contain a lot of - material for newbies as well as some pretty advanced stuff. Do not - worry if you are unable to understand the advanced sections. The handbook - contains the installation instructions and also provides lists of - books and on-line resources, and the FAQ has a troubleshooting - section.
The &os; + Handbook and Frequently Asked Questions + (FAQ) are the main documents for &os;. Essential reading, + they contain a lot of material for newbies as well as some + pretty advanced stuff. Do not worry if you are unable to + understand the advanced sections. The handbook contains the + installation instructions and also provides lists of books and + on-line resources, and the FAQ has a troubleshooting + section.
Join the &os;-Questions mailing list to see the questions you - were too afraid to ask, and their answers. Subscribe by filling out - the following form: - http://lists.FreeBSD.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-questions. - You can look up old questions and - answers via the search - page.
Join the &os;-Questions mailing list to see the questions + you were too afraid to ask, and their answers. Subscribe by + filling out the following form: http://lists.FreeBSD.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-questions. + You can look up old questions and answers via the search + page.
The main newsgroup for &os; is comp.unix.bsd.freebsd.misc. - General UNIX questions are dealt with in the newsgroup comp.unix.questions and the - associated FAQ - from the RMIT FTP site. Newbies are likely to be most - interested in sections 1 and 2 initially.
Manual pages are good - for reference but not always - the best introduction for a novice. The more you work with man pages - the more familiar they become. Some are very good for newbies, so - always check them out. The ppp man page, for example, is more like a - tutorial.
Manual pages are good for + reference but not always the best introduction for a novice. + The more you work with man pages the more familiar they + become. Some are very good for newbies, so always check them + out. The ppp man page, for example, is more like a + tutorial.
PC-BSD is a &os; - derivative with a graphical installer and impressive desktop - tools aimed at ease of use for the casual computer - user.
Apple's Mac OS - X - is based - in part on &os; and includes a rich &unix; foundation in - addition to the proprietary Apple user interface.
Many of the problems we have as newbies come from being unfamiliar - with the UNIX commands, needed to fix our &os; problems. - Without a UNIX background you will be faced with two things to learn - at once. Fortunately a lot of resources are available to make this - easier.
+Many of the problems we have as newbies come from being + unfamiliar with the UNIX commands, needed to fix our &os; + problems. Without a UNIX background you will be faced with two + things to learn at once. Fortunately a lot of resources are + available to make this easier.
The &unix; - Basics chapter of the &os; Handbook covers the basic - commands and functionality of &os; operating system. Most - of the information provided in this document is also relevant for - any other &unix;-like operating system.
There are many easy books, such as the "Dummies" guides, in any - large book shop. If you want something really easy, take a look at - what is available and pick one that seems to speak your language. - Pretty soon you will want to move on to a book that gives more - coverage.
There are many easy books, such as the "Dummies" guides, + in any large book shop. If you want something really easy, + take a look at what is available and pick one that seems to + speak your language. Pretty soon you will want to move on to + a book that gives more coverage.
Another popular book is UNIX Power Tools by Jerry Peek, - Tim O'Reilly and Mike Loukides, published by O'Reilly and - Associates. It is organized as a series of short articles each of - which solves a problem, and these articles are cross-referenced to - other articles with related material. Though not specifically aimed - at newbies, the design makes it ideal for a newbie with a burning - question or the odd few minutes to browse. More elementary material - is near the front of the book, but there are short easy articles - throughout.
Another popular book is UNIX Power Tools by + Jerry Peek, Tim O'Reilly and Mike Loukides, published by + O'Reilly and Associates. It is organized as a series of short + articles each of which solves a problem, and these articles + are cross-referenced to other articles with related material. + Though not specifically aimed at newbies, the design makes it + ideal for a newbie with a burning question or the odd few + minutes to browse. More elementary material is near the front + of the book, but there are short easy articles + throughout.
A UNIX - Introductory Course from Ohio State University is - available online in HTML format.
+A UNIX + Introductory Course from Ohio State University is + available online in HTML format.
A UNIX - System Administration Course from Ohio State University - is available online in HTML format.
+A UNIX + System Administration Course from Ohio State University is + available online in HTML format.
UNIXhelp - for Users is another introductory guide which is available in - HTML at a mirror site near you, or can be installed on your own - system.
Many other web sites hold lists of UNIX tutorials and reference
- material. One of the best places to start looking is the
- little known search engine Many other web sites hold lists of UNIX tutorials and
+ reference material. One of the best places to start looking is
+ the little known search engine Google.
The X Window System is used with a number of operating systems, - including &os;. The documentation for X can be found at the - X.Org Foundation - web site. - Beware, much of this documentation is reference material which is - more likely to be difficult for newcomers to digest.
+ including &os;. The documentation for X can be found at the X.Org Foundation web site. + Beware, much of this documentation is reference material which + is more likely to be difficult for newcomers to digest.Before you can get X running exactly the way you like, you will need - to choose a window manager. - Visit the Window Managers for X - page and follow the link to the introduction to find out about window - managers, then return and read "The Basics". Then go back and compare - the different types that are available. (Bonus: there is another - beginners guide to UNIX there too.) - Most, if not all, of these window managers are available to - install from the &os; Ports Collection.
Before you can get X running exactly the way you like, you + will need to choose a window manager. Visit the Window Managers for X page and + follow the link to the introduction to find out about window + managers, then return and read "The Basics". Then go back and + compare the different types that are available. (Bonus: there is + another beginners guide to UNIX there too.) Most, if not all, of + these window managers are available to install from the &os; + Ports Collection.
Everyone has something to contribute to the &os; community, even - newbies! Some are busy working with the new advocacy group and some have - become involved with the - Documentation Project as reviewers. - Other &os; newbies might have particular skills and experiences to - share, either computer related or not, or just want to meet new - newbies and make them feel welcome. There are always people around - who help others simply because they like to.
+Everyone has something to contribute to the &os; community, + even newbies! Some are busy working with the new advocacy group + and some have become involved with the Documentation Project as + reviewers. Other &os; newbies might have particular skills and + experiences to share, either computer related or not, or just + want to meet new newbies and make them feel welcome. There are + always people around who help others simply because they like + to.
Friends who run &os; are a great resource. No book can replace chatting on the phone or across a pizza with someone who has the - same interests, enjoys similar accomplishments, and faces the same - challenges. If you do not have many friends who use &os;, + same interests, enjoys similar accomplishments, and faces the + same challenges. If you do not have many friends who use &os;, consider using your old &os; CDs to create some more.
-User groups are - good places to meet other &os; users. If there is no one nearby, - you might consider starting one!
+User groups are good + places to meet other &os; users. If there is no one nearby, you + might consider starting one!
Before talking to real humans about your new skills, you might - want to check the Jargon File.
- + want to check the Jargon + File.