contrib/FAQ/FAQ-00



0.0 Preface
-----------

Welcome to the FreeBSD 1.1 FAQ!  This document tries to answer some of
the most frequently asked questions about FreeBSD 1.1 (or later, unless
specifically indicated).  If there's something you're having trouble
with and you just don't see it here, then please send mail to:

        freebsd-questions@freefall.cdrom.com


Some of the instructions here will also refer to auxilliary utilities
in the /usr/src/contrib/FAQ directory.  CDROM purchasers and net folks who've
grabbed the FreeBSD 1.1 `srcdist' will have these files.  If you don't have
the source distribution, then you can either grab the whole thing from:

        freebsd.cdrom.com:~ftp/pub/FreeBSD/FreeBSD-1.1

Or you can grab only those files you're interested in straight out of the
FreeBSD-current distribution in:

        freebsd.cdrom.com:~ftp/pub/FreeBSD/FreeBSD-current/src

0.0.1 What is FreeBSD?

FreeBSD is a UN*X type operating system based on William Jolitz's port
of UCB's Networking Release 2 to the i386, 386BSD.  It is no longer
safe to say that FreeBSD is only 386BSD with the patchkit applied!  There
have been large additions and bug fixes made through out the whole system.
Here are some of the highlights of FreeBSD:

   More robust device drivers and more of them
   SysV IPC
   Shared Libraries (Dynamic)
   Improved virtual memory code
   Addition of other utilities and applications


0.0.2 What are the FreeBSD mailing lists, and how can I get on them?

Here are a list of FreeBSD mailing lists.  For more information, please send
mail to majordomo@freefall.cdrom.com with a message body of help.

freebsd-hackers:   Useful for persons wishing to work on the internals.
freebsd-questions: General questions on FreeBSD.
freebsd-bugs:      Where bugs should be sent.
freebsd-commit:    This list carries the commit messages for freefall.  Useful
                   for tracking ongoing work.
freebsd-scsi:      Mailing list for SCSI developers.
freebsd-current:   This list is for persons wishing to run FreeBSD-current
                   and carries announcements and discussions on current.

0.0.3 What are the various FreeBSD news groups?

Presently there are no groups dedicated to FreeBSD, you may find the
following groups useful.

comp.os.386bsd.announce:     For announcements
comp.os.386bsd.questions:    For questions
comp.os.386bsd.development:  For working on the internals
comp.os.386bsd.bugs:         About bugs
comp.os.386bsd.misc:         For items that don't fit anywhere else

NOTE: These groups cover the *BSDs (FreeBSD, NetBSD, 386BSD).