# what would be the best way for me to learn freebsd?



## curses (Nov 14, 2009)

First of all, I would read the freebsd handbook, but I have a neurological condition that prevents me from reading long text documents. Believe me, I've tried and failed.
Second, I live in a town where a "computer geek" is someone who actually knows how to turn on a computer and who plays video games 24/7. Nice people here, don't get me wrong, but they just aren't super computer savvy. I am not getting any help locally. Except maybe from my slightly insane DOS nerd Uncle.
What do you think the best way for me to master freebsd would be?


----------



## graudeejs (Nov 14, 2009)

Read the handbook
Or buy book about freebsd and read it

If you can't read long text, read it in small parts at time.

FreeBSD is for people who love reading.


I don't want to sound rude...
How come you can't read long texts?
Do you knock out, or all text in from of your eyes are blurry or something like that?

I didn't mean to offend you or anyone else


----------



## aragon (Nov 14, 2009)

Reading is essential.  If that's not possible, you'll probably need to find a tutor, or someone to read to you.


----------



## macbias (Nov 14, 2009)

just brush through books/manuals, then find something you like doing or want to do and read enough to get past each problem.
practice. bits come together eventually.


----------



## LateNiteTV (Nov 14, 2009)

maybe there are books on tape you can get your hands on. i did a quick google search and nothing really came up. they may be out there somewhere, though.


----------



## hitest (Nov 14, 2009)

If you are unable to read long texts I suggest that you have someone from a Unix user group give you a hand with the installation.
The handbook is required reading if you are to be successful with FreeBSD.  The book outlines a variety of problems, pitfalls that you can easily avoid if you read it.


----------



## Oxyd (Nov 14, 2009)

Perhaps some text-to-speech software?  Although I don't know how that works on stuff like commands.  But then, I heard of blind people using similar software for coding.

It all depends on what your condition is -- I'm not a doctor, so I wouldn't know.  I think killasmurf posted a good question: why can't you read long texts?  Do you lose concentration?  Do you lose concentration after a while even if you're doing something that doesn't require reading (e.g. listening)?

However, while reading _is_ essential, it isn't like "Read the whole Handbook and know everything then".  It's more like "I want to do this, let's see if Handbook has an answer -- yup, there's a section about it".  Invididual Handbook sections aren't that long, but I don't know what is long for you.

My learning usually constitues lots of trial-and-error -- I need to play with stuff, even if I break it.  If I can't get my hands dirty (even if in a very abstract sense, e.g. mathematics), I don't learn a thing.  So I suppose you could just grab a CD/DVD, install the thing and try and get it running?  On a computer that you can thrash, preferrably.


----------



## curses (Nov 15, 2009)

This would not be a problem if the handbook was not over 1000 pages. I'll have to send it to the print shop to get it in book format. I get good discounts, so that'll work. 
I was sort of wondering if there was a video I could watch or maybe some pictures, but I can read the handbook a couple of pages at a time. It'll get done eventually. Thanks for all your help.
I'm super duper ADD, not to mention I get killer migraines at the drop of a pin, so I have quite a bit of trouble sitting down and reading. I'll start reading Harry Potter and before I know it I'll be working on algebra and pretty soon I'm playing chess with myself. The headaches don't help a lot.
I do appreciate your concern and all the advice.
I don't get offended very easily, so don't worry about it. :e


----------



## dennylin93 (Nov 15, 2009)

It's not necessary to read everything in the Handbook. Just pick the parts that are relevant to what you want to learn. This way a lot of chapters can be left out.


----------



## zeiz (Nov 15, 2009)

Oxyd said:
			
		

> It's more like "I want to do this, let's see if Handbook has an answer -- yup, there's a section about it".


That's it. Buy official FreeBSD DVD and try to install it first.
Keep in mind that faulty DVD is a source of problems nobody can help with. 
You don't need to print all the Handbook, use it online. 
If your next step fails look in Handbook: an answer usually takes a quarter page or less.
In general there are 2 more sources: 
1. To search this forum for your problem;
2. To google the Internet. 
But alll of that doesn't mean though that nobody on this forum is willing to help you on your way.


----------



## zeissoctopus (Nov 15, 2009)

Reading the FreeBSD Handbook is the shorest way to familiar with FreeBSD.

I am a novice of FreeBSD, too. I found that Dru Lavigne's books are very comprehensive to beginners.


----------



## mickey (Nov 15, 2009)

I presume nobody has ever read the whole FreeBSD handbook at once?


----------



## dennylin93 (Nov 15, 2009)

zeiz said:
			
		

> That's it. Buy official FreeBSD DVD and try to install it first.
> Keep in mind that faulty DVD is a source of problems nobody can help with.



As far as I know there isn't an "official FreeBSD DVD" that is available for purchase. Just make sure the checksum of the ISO file matches the one on the mirrors.


----------



## wonslung (Nov 15, 2009)

The best way to learn in my opinion is to find a project which you can use FreeBSD for, say a router or a NAS, and re purpose an old machine for the job using FreeBsd as the OS.  Reading a guide to help, looking in the handbook for questions and then, when you get stuck, google about it.

This is how i learned FreeBSD (and i'm still learning!)  It's been great.  I feel like i learn more with FreeBSD every day than i did in 2-3 years of using linux.  Once you get the basic part down, then jump into jails.  Jails can really help you learn FreeBSD because they are a unique feature of FreeBSD that truly make the os shine.  You can use them for so many cool things, and when it comes to learning, theres nothing like making a new jail, installing some stuff, playing with configs and being able to make a new one if something goes wrong, or the ability to clone a jail and try a new config.  It's a GREAT learning tool.  When i needed to learn how to get a decent email server on FreeBSD, i made a jail, installed my software and played around with different configs.   I had to delete the jail 2-3 times or revert to earlier states (The power of ZFS snapshots really makes this easy)

Anyways, That's my advice


----------



## absolutezero1287 (Nov 16, 2009)

I learned about FreeBSD by doing. I'm more of a hands-on type guy so I learn by getting my hands dirty rather than by reading. Needless to say, the handbook is still a great resource but its huge. Just read the bits that you need. 

I dualbooted FB with Ubuntu Linux and set everything up. I have X and fluxbox installed and configured properly as well as a few of my fave programs. I'm still learning but at the very least I have the familiar GUI up.


----------



## wonslung (Nov 16, 2009)

absolutezero1287 said:
			
		

> I learned about FreeBSD by doing.




yah, i totally agree.  The best way to learn for me has been to use FreeBSD for stuff i hadn't used it for before.  I needed a nas, and wanted to learn FreeBSD so instead of buying a nas or using FreeNAS, i installed FreeBSD and hit google.

These forums and the manual have been an invaluable resource.  The great thing is that the more i learn, the more i want to use FreeBSD for other things.  I've replaced my NAS with FreeBSD and my router with FreeBSD and pf.  I've still got a ton to learn but doing this kind of thing has taught me more than any other method i've tried.


----------



## phoenix (Nov 17, 2009)

Use it, abuse it, break it, re-install.  Rinse and repeat.

The best way to learn the system is to just use the system.    When you get stuck, you flip open the Handbook (if you install the *doc* distribution, you will get a copy in various formats under /usr/share/doc/handbook).  Or, use *man -k keyword* to search the man pages for commands, and just read that page.

You don't have to spend a weekend reading the Handbook cover-to-cover.  A lot of what's in there you'll probably never need.  Just pop over to it when you get stuck.

On my first laptop (which was my first personal computer), I spent a couple of weeks just installing, trying, breaking, re-installing FreeBSD and RedHat Linux.

Unless you totally immerse yourself in the system, and seriously try to use it as your main system, you really won't learn it very quickly.


----------



## wonslung (Nov 18, 2009)

phoenix said:
			
		

> Use it, abuse it, break it, re-install.  Rinse and repeat.
> 
> The best way to learn the system is to just use the system.    When you get stuck, you flip open the Handbook (if you install the *doc* distribution, you will get a copy in various formats under /usr/share/doc/handbook).  Or, use *man -k keyword* to search the man pages for commands, and just read that page.
> 
> ...



That's why i like jails so much.  When i first started, and didn't know anything about jails, I'd do that too.  Install break it, reinstall, fix it.
but now, with jails, i can install it. update ports, install ezjails, break the JAIL install, and if i need, make a new jails.  It's a huge help.


----------



## curses (Nov 19, 2009)

Hi. I'm havin' some trouble here. I've been trying to install Freebsd and sysinstall toasted my hard drive 3 times.I'll try some other stuff, but it would seem that freebsd and I were not meant for each other. I haven't given up hope, yet, though.


----------



## jb_fvwm2 (Nov 19, 2009)

Two things I'd recommend:
Saving shell history across reboots, and
saving that .history (whatever) file so you
can re-use "2009-2010" commands again in, say,
2014 without re-reading instructions (using
grep).
2... using online guides with screenshots of
sysintall (I've seen some).
(Been using BSD since 2004, just learned about
*last week* that "...s1" "...s2" in /dev refer
to one of the bsd partitions ) -- a short version
anyway.


----------



## DutchDaemon (Nov 19, 2009)

Try not to mix/add topics. Create a separate thread for separate issues. Thanks.


----------



## graudeejs (Dec 5, 2009)

I think this could help you a lot
http://www.bbc.co.uk/accessibility/linux/seeing/talk/talk_gnome.shtml
http://www.bbc.co.uk/accessibility/linux/seeing/talk/talk_kde.shtml


Hope you'll read this


see more:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/accessibility/win/sub_root.shtml - for windows
http://www.bbc.co.uk/accessibility/linux/sub_root.shtml - for linux
http://www.bbc.co.uk/accessibility/mac/sub_root.shtml -for mac


----------



## bsdhosting (Dec 7, 2009)

Try setting up a FreeBSD machine or VPS, that is un-managed.  install stuff, break stuff then learn how to fix it.  The best tool (for me) to learn is not only reading, but hands on learning.


----------



## wonslung (Dec 7, 2009)

break stuff, haha, yah


i hear that.  I know i learn a lot from my grievous errors


----------



## graudeejs (Dec 7, 2009)

Stop spamming this thread, OP already have problem reading long blocks of text, and you ain't helping with this...

Say something if it's something useful! :<


----------



## wonslung (Dec 8, 2009)

who are you talking to? i know you aren't giving me a hard time for agreeing with someone.

My message was less spam than yours as far as i'm concerned.


----------



## DutchDaemon (Dec 8, 2009)

OP hasn't been back since Nov 21, so you might as well just move along, gentlemen .. no need to get testy.


----------



## jjthomas (Dec 20, 2009)

*Do things in sections.*

FreeBSD is inatalled in steps  The book is broken down in sections.  You can do the Pre-installation Tasks one day, get started on the installation the next day, finish the install the day after, etc.  Once you get the install done, the rest is just adding software and optimization, if you are so inclined.

On occasion, I get severe migraines and the only solution is a dark noiseless room.  Sometime I just need the dark for a couple of minutes.  Other times I just have to do something else for a few hours. 

As far a learning FreeBSD goes, the way I learned it was to install it and use it. 

-JJ


----------

