Was going to install until......

[Recked]

Hello,

When I first read of PCBSD I was excited about it and was going to install it on both my laptop and Dell workstation, but then I read an article somewhere that questioned the way PCBSD is creating folders/directories for each application.

I am relatively new to gnu/linux so I don't claim to understand the full weight of the article, but the main point was that this method might cause issues with shared libraries (I believe that is what it said and now of course I can't locate the story!).

Can someone please let me know if this is the case or not. I have been searching a long while and would like to settle down with something and stop hopping from distro to distro.

thanks

Hello,

When I first read of PCBSD I was excited about it and was going to install it on both my laptop and Dell workstation, but then I read an article somewhere that questioned the way PCBSD is creating folders/directories for each application.

I am relatively new to gnu/linux so I don't claim to understand the full weight of the article, but the main point was that this method might cause issues with shared libraries (I believe that is what it said and now of course I can't locate the story!).

Can someone please let me know if this is the case or not. I have been searching a long while and would like to settle down with something and stop hopping from distro to distro.

thanks

My understanding of all this is that a shared libary scheme is the 'linux' way of doing this but I could be wrong...faik the 'shared' scheme is what libs are currently in the /usr/lib Directory tree and will stay as they are and not be added to thus making programs easier to produce for this OS. Programs that want to use their 'own' libs can easily do so by providing them in the app-dir like mac I believe does.

please someone correct me if I am incorrect.

cheers
nl

[scottro]

It'd be interesting to see the article. Standard FreeBSD creates records of installed programs in /var/db/pkg. PCBSD .pbi packages don't do this. There have been comments on these forums that .pbis should register in /var/db/pkg, but at present, it's on the things to do list.

That's not really an answer is it? What it means is that if you install the .pbi package for firefox, then install from FreeBSD ports a package requiring firefox, that program won't realize firefox is installed. This could lead to problems in the future, but in practice,
the people experienced enough with FreeBSD to use ports haven't been bitten--perhaps because we're aware of the issue and work around it.

I'm not sure if that helps. I'd say at least try a test installation, it installs in under an hour, and see what you think. :)

[Recked]

Hey,

I hope nobody thought I was trying to frag PCBSD because that wasn't my intention at all.

Being new to all this and having tried now 20 plus linux distros I guess I am to the point where I am more then happy installing something from a new group to the nix block, but of course I want it not to become more then my simple brain can handle.

The only other concern I have had regards other items I have read that once you install a BSD if you decide not to keep the os on your machine there are issues getting your hard drive(s) back to some point where you can install something else.

Again I am new to all this and might be making a mountain from a mole hill, but I thought I would ask.

I guess I will start with my Vaio laptop and see how things go.

I just wanted to say one other thing if I can be so bold.

For many of us who don't program etc. and don't know the inner workings of operating systems seeing a new nix distro start is a very exciting thing and for me at least I want very much to be able to help in some sort of way. Many of you folks are likely well versed in all this, but don't discard us noobs cause we can come in handy every once in a while and really I am sure there are many who for the very first time feel like somebody is willing to listen on what might make software work for them.

I hope PCBSD goes long......

[scottro]

And ~I~ hope I didn't come off as discarding the newcomer.

At any rate...
Although the BSDs work with disks a bit differently than Linux (or MS) I've never heard of it being difficult to install something else if you decided you wanted to get rid of it. As one who has several test boxes where I throw on various O/S's, I've never run into that.

PCBSD is still in BETA status. So, you will quite possibly run into problems--on the other hand, I think you'll find these forums helpful and newcomer friendly.

I would start with the desktop if you don't have anything essential on it. Also, what is your purpose? Is it to become more familiar with FreeBSD? Is it the search for a perfect desktop? These things make a difference of course.

From the end user standpoint, you might not notice much difference--some, though not all Linux distros might seem to be a bit faster on the desktop.

I don't think anyone took your posts as fragging the BSDs or PCBSD, at least I didn't. :)


As someone said, possibly a Zen martial arts saying, in the beginner's mind, the possibilities are endless, to the expert, there are very few. Often a fresh way of looking at things, or simply the question, Why isnt' it done this way? can lead to good things.

Actually, if you've installed a bunch of LInux distros, you're probably used to whatever problems the laptop might give you, so I withdraw my statement about starting with the desktop. (Heh, if I was less tired, I'd demonstrate it graphically by typing that sentence backwards, but...)

So, main points here. If you're doing this because you're interested in trying new O/S's because it's fun (and many of us are like that) or if you're interested in learning about the BSDs, PCBSD is probably a nice choice for you. If you're looking for the perfect desktop--well, it's good, but it is in BETA, and you might run into snags and you might want to wait.

If you decide you don't like it, I don't believe there will be any trouble in installing something else in that partition. (Keep in mind that the BSDs ~do~ need a primary partition)

Hope this helps

[Recked]

Scottro,

You didn't come off as discarding or anything like that. The forums have been very friendly so far.

Going to give it a whirl on the laptop only because I use my workstation for my photo business so I can't afford to have it crash just now. The laptop is for writing and music only and since I don't use or care about wireless networking with it that eliminates one of the possible install issues.

thanks for your thoughts....