# Noob tutorials



## Reptile (Dec 14, 2016)

This is meant to help the absolute beginner to UNIX-like operating systems get started with FreeBSD. Apart from reading the first chapters of the handbook I can also recommend reading this, or any other introductory material to UNIX, before starting with these.


*Colorized output from ls by default*

First go to your home directory:
`cd`

Open .shrc with `ee` (you may replace `ee` with `edit`):
`ee .shrc`

Add this line where the aliases are:

```
alias ls='ls -G'
```
Press ctrl-c and write `exit` to leave (and save).

"Source" .shrc to make the changes take effect:
`. .shrc`

Now try `ls`...

Tada! Now there is colors.

See ls(1) for more information on ls.


*Cd faster to Xorg-config*

Typing `cd /usr/local/etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/` every time you want to edit a configuration file for Xorg might be a little wordy. Here's an extremely simple thing you can do to make it easier:

```
Xconf=/usr/local/etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/
```
and
`cd $Xconf`
And now you're in the folder. If you want the Xconf variable to remain over account logins, add the assignment to a file like ~/.profile or ~/.shrc (see my previous tip if you don't know how to do that)


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## ANOKNUSA (Dec 15, 2016)

Reptile said:


> Well I didn't want to spam the forum with all my tips and tricks ...  Also. If you don't like it, you don't have to read it



Sorry, but this stuff doesn't belong anywhere on these forum. This is not free blog hosting, and you've misinterpreted what the "Howtos & FAQs" sub-forum is for. At this time, the first page in this sub has threads providing instructions on configuring, installing and managing a Windows 10 virtual machine in the FreeBSD hypervisor; configuring enterprise-grade multi-system monitoring; sharing a single ZFS pool between operating systems; setting up a mail server; running X inside a FreeBSD jail; and use the new full-disk GELI enceryption.

As for your thread: first, it describes a couple things that most Unix/Linux noobs learn from any of a hundred different places on the web (colorized output and variable assignment); and second, it recommends something that should actually be avoided for security and stability reasons (permanently assigning random environment variables that will never be used again).


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## wblock@ (Dec 15, 2016)

I'm sorry, I approved the first post while attempting to multitask and doing it poorly.  How about we move this thread to one of the more general categories?  As far as content, there are always new users encountering the same problems, the forums are here to help support them also.


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## Reptile (Dec 15, 2016)

Thank you. You can move it wherever you like

However. I remember visiting an old wiki, which were no longer maintained, where the author said anyone could contact him if they wanted to continue the project. I think I might just fit as a candidate but the wiki misses me now. It wasn't that long ago (just one or two weeks) that I visited it, but I've since changed OS so it's not in my history. If you know what wiki I'm talking about you could send me a link to it so I can contact him.

Never mind the wiki. I've just installed Ubuntu and intended to run FreeBSD on a memstick. However, the installer won't boot (tried three different USBs), so I don't know when I might run FreeBSD again. I think I will set up a Weebly blog or something however and "punch in my progress there". If you want to take this thread down I've got my articles saved with BB code. Also, I will try to get OpenBSD running instead, because I'd like some "under the hood" experience with a UNIX-like OS


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