# Beginner Questions



## bsus (Jun 29, 2011)

Hi, I am new to FreeBSD and have some questions:

1. I want to use FreeBSD as a server OS. What is making FreeBSD better as a server system than Gentoo or Debian?
2. I can't really work with the sh shell so I installed bash and changed to there.

I like to use the Gentoo .bashrc because of the coloured higlighting:


```
cat .bashrc
# /etc/bash/bashrc
#
# This file is sourced by all *interactive* bash shells on startup,
# including some apparently interactive shells such as scp and rcp
# that can't tolerate any output.  So make sure this doesn't display
# anything or bad things will happen !


# Test for an interactive shell.  There is no need to set anything
# past this point for scp and rcp, and it's important to refrain from
# outputting anything in those cases.

if [[ $- != *i* ]] ; then
	# Shell is non-interactive.  Be done now!
	return
fi

# Bash won't get SIGWINCH if another process is in the foreground.
# Enable checkwinsize so that bash will check the terminal size when
# it regains control.  #65623
# [url]http://cnswww.cns.cwru.edu/~chet/bash/FAQ[/url] (E11)
shopt -s checkwinsize

# Enable history appending instead of overwriting.  #139609
shopt -s histappend

# Change the window title of X terminals 
case ${TERM} in
	xterm*|rxvt*|Eterm|aterm|kterm|gnome*|interix)
		PROMPT_COMMAND='echo -ne "\033]0;${USER}@${HOSTNAME%%.*}:${PWD/$HOME/~}\007"'
		;;
	screen)
		PROMPT_COMMAND='echo -ne "\033_${USER}@${HOSTNAME%%.*}:${PWD/$HOME/~}\033\\"'
		;;
esac

use_color=false

# Set colorful PS1 only on colorful terminals.
# dircolors --print-database uses its own built-in database
# instead of using /etc/DIR_COLORS.  Try to use the external file
# first to take advantage of user additions.  Use internal bash
# globbing instead of external grep binary.
safe_term=${TERM//[^[:alnum:]]/?}   # sanitize TERM
match_lhs=""
[[ -f ~/.dir_colors   ]] && match_lhs="${match_lhs}$(<~/.dir_colors)"
[[ -f /etc/DIR_COLORS ]] && match_lhs="${match_lhs}$(</etc/DIR_COLORS)"
[[ -z ${match_lhs}    ]] \
	&& type -P dircolors >/dev/null \
	&& match_lhs=$(dircolors --print-database)
[[ $'\n'${match_lhs} == *$'\n'"TERM "${safe_term}* ]] && use_color=true

if ${use_color} ; then
	# Enable colors for ls, etc.  Prefer ~/.dir_colors #64489
	if type -P dircolors >/dev/null ; then
		if [[ -f ~/.dir_colors ]] ; then
			eval $(dircolors -b ~/.dir_colors)
		elif [[ -f /etc/DIR_COLORS ]] ; then
			eval $(dircolors -b /etc/DIR_COLORS)
		fi
	fi

	if [[ ${EUID} == 0 ]] ; then
		PS1='\[\033[01;31m\]\h\[\033[01;34m\] \W \$\[\033[00m\] '
	else
		PS1='\[\033[01;32m\]\u@\h\[\033[01;34m\] \w \$\[\033[00m\] '
	fi

	alias ls='ls --color=auto'
	alias grep='grep --colour=auto'
else
	if [[ ${EUID} == 0 ]] ; then
		# show root@ when we don't have colors
		PS1='\u@\h \W \$ '
	else
		PS1='\u@\h \w \$ '
	fi
fi

# Try to keep environment pollution down, EPA loves us.
unset use_color safe_term match_lhs
```

More questions will follow.

Regards, bsus


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## pkubaj (Jun 29, 2011)

- FreeBSD has ~5 years of support for one branch
- it's considered more secure and stable than Linux
- it supports ZFS
- it has lots of software in ports. Of Linux distros, only those Debian-based have more. As for Gentoo, it has much less software in its Portage, than FreeBSD in ports.


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## bsus (Jun 29, 2011)

Thanks for the quick answer 

I didnt mentioned the ZFS Support - I am planning to set up a RAID6 out of five 2TB WD Caviar Green should I use for this already ZFS or is this still to small?

Is it better to use precompiled packages for a server or compile them from source?

What about the BASH questions?

Regards


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## UNIXgod (Jun 29, 2011)

bsus said:
			
		

> 2. I don't really come good with the sh shell so I installed bash and changed to there.
> I like to use the gentoo .bashrc because of the coloured higlighting
> ...[SNIP]...





			
				bsus said:
			
		

> What about the BASH questions?



I don't see a question there. Are you asking how to do color your console?


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## DutchDaemon (Jun 30, 2011)

Please don't put all of your questions into one single topic, it will become very chaotic within a day. One question per topic, and make sure it is asked in the right subforum.


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## jb_fvwm2 (Jun 30, 2011)

I would suggest either running 
	
	



```
bash
```
 after each login, or setting up a user to log on as, which has bash as the default shell. Other ways exist.  Zfs requires a lot of memory OR tuning... I've lots of examples saved on how well/how it works, but have never used it so am still unclear about the precise glossary. Posts on this forum may suggest Zfs alternatives to the raid6... there is even graid3, gjournal etc. (I've the most experience/success with gjournal so far.) The freebsd-questions list has multiple threads on server setups, but it may be easier to consult maybe the HowTo section here... (Hope those short suggestions are not too astray from something someone with more experience/time may suggest.)


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