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#! rnews 3118 bsd Path: euryale.cc.adfa.oz.au!newshost.carno.net.au!harbinger.cc.monash.edu.au!news.mira.net.au!vic.news.telstra.net!act.news.telstra.net!psgrain!iafrica.com!uct.ac.za!quagga.ru.ac.za!howland.erols.net!spool.mu.edu!newspump.sol.net!news.mindspring.com!cpk-news-feed3.bbnplanet.com!tomcat.msrcnavo.navy.mil!news From: "MARK HENSBY" <markh@griffin-sec.com> Newsgroups: comp.unix.bsd.bsdi.misc Subject: Re: Considering purchase of BSDI Date: 18 Sep 1996 12:14:38 GMT Organization: Griffin Securities Corp Lines: 62 Message-ID: <01bba55b$e6b74cc0$6303a8cb@compaq.griffin-sec.com> References: <5196me$1bq0@news-s01.ny.us.ibm.net> NNTP-Posting-Host: 203.168.2.10 X-Newsreader: Microsoft Internet News 4.70.1155 We were supplied FreeBSD by a supplier who invoiced us for BSDI v2.1 (cheek), anyway I investigated the difference and also have some experience of Linux. The first thing to understand is that FreeBSD and LINUX, in there own way very interesting and highly commendable "projects", and there I've used the word, whereas BSDI is a Commercial Product. I know of a number of ISP's in the UK who have used Linux, telecall.co.uk for one who after considerable effort, and a lot of learning are very successfully. But the are some inconveniences with not dealing with a professional supplier. Own main reason for NOT using a FREE product is that there is no legal recourse to a software supplier, although you could always contract a Linux/FreeBSD installer and blame him for not getting things right!!!! There is no doubt in my mind that UNIX for the non-UNIX-man is a mine field and there is no cheap solution in time or money, if you buy a commercial product it will be easier to install, have a supplier set of manuals and have commercial support available, a FREE Unix will only be FREE in as much as the core elements of software are cheap to obtain, but you will "spend" more time in getting it to function. I hope this helps. Mark Hensby markh@griffin-sec.com drhumph@ibm.net wrote in article <5196me$1bq0@news-s01.ny.us.ibm.net>... > I'm reviewing UNIX software and so far have been impressed with BSDI > reviews, and response of BSDI staff in responding to requests for information. > > At this point in time, after reviewing literature, reviews, etc., I'm > wondering if I could utilize FreeBSD versus BSDI product. > > My background is that of an ex-mainframe cobol programmer/analyst who > has been out of MIS for many years and am new to UNIX. > > For someone who has real-world time constraints and is seriously considering > starting an ISP business, is BSDI the way to go? > > Note, I'm investing time in getting up to speed on System Administration, > and learning UNIX command basics, etc. > > I'm interested in advice from those who have looked at the FreeBSD/Linux > freeware products and who also have used BSDI so that I might learn > from the experiences of others. > > Planned services to include: WEB Farm, dialin PPP accounts, email for > business, and perhaps reselling bandwidth to businesses and ISP's. > > Thanks in advance for advice! > > Sincerly, > > Don H. > > >