Newbie - a couple quick questions for long-time users of "NI

[jakesully]

Hi,
I am "ok" with linux - newer to it but fairly technical. This system looks awesome, but I wanted a bit of info.

I like the idea of PC-BSD and love kde 4. I want to make a major switch from windows and have been using linux primarily for a couple months but I have done some unix work off/on for a few months.

I don't know the command line that well but want to really get good at it. I am looking for a system that will allow me to get off windoze and get onto linux/unix. I like MACs but wouldn't buy one, can't afford it

How much is the command line used in PC-BSD for installing packages like apt-get in debian?
How is the wireless support for a dell laptop with a broadcom b4312 card, video for an intel integrated card and dual monitors? The laptop is 1280x800 default and the external is 1440x900
My biggest other need is virtual support to host either virtual box or vmworkstation?
THen I have an IPHONE and would love to sync up to a calendar of some sort?

I would like to learn the NIX world and not just point/click and don't mind at all putting time in!

I have tried ubuntu, linux mint, (they both seem to easy and not great), crunchbang - fast but missing alot, sabayon I was going to try - but didn't want to get involved compiling a ton of stuff I do have to work on this laptop daily and can deal with some headaches, but can't be offline entirely )

Thx!!

[majnun]

the worst thing for you maybe would be the broadcom wireless ... I've got one of these (43911C or something alike) and the only way for it to work is by a NDIS (emulation or encapsulation or hell like that) driver, meaning: some bits of unstability and can't read the BSSID list, for instance ... crapy chipsets ... OpenBSD has a native driver, FYI

for the rest of your HW :

http://www.freebsd.org/releases/7.1R/hardware.html

there's nothing like apt, but we have ports and packages, and for PCBSD, the PBI system, much like OS X packages ...read the handbook :

http://www.freebsd.org/doc/en/books/handbook/ports.html

dunno about the iPhone, but Kmail can talk with google, so ...and you can run Qemu and even VirtualBox, AFAIK ...

regards

[TerryP]

You can generally use the command line as much as you want for FreeBSD tasks, most Pc-BSD specific crap is GUI only and tied to KDE.

You can learn much more about ports and pkgs by reading the FreeBSD handbook; pkg_add and related commands are the closet you will find to apt-get.

Wireless support is fine, but not for Broadcom cards in general. Intel Gfx depends on the card; I hear X3n00 work nice.

You will find nether VirtualBox or VMWare in a suitable state, if you require those, use GNU/Linux, Solaris, or Windows NT.

I don't own an iPhone, so I can't comment.

Hi,
I would like to learn the NIX world and not just point/click and don't mind at all putting time in!

The best way is to dive in, read lots, do lots, and only point & click when needed - while learning how to not point and click. UNIX in this day and age however, you can generally point and click almost everything if desired; I find CLI better on most OSes period.



If you don't want to get into compiling stuff, I would suggest Debian or OpenBSD; rather then PC-BSD / FreeBSD.