Please help if you can

[Chris]

First and foremost hello, and thank you for offering a program such as this for free. I have not yet installed or tried the FreeBSD platform (am downloading it currently), but I do have a few questions before i waste more cd's to install yet another possible failure of an OS (of course not saying FreeBSD is a failure, but I'm sure you know what I mean :D) I would like to know if this OS platform supports your everday and ever so standard .EXE applications. Basically, I am wondering if FreeBSD is compatible to all of the endless softwares out there that "require" you to be using a certain version of Microsoft Windows? I'm not a computer genius (though for some reason many label me as that) but I know my way around the Windows platform quite well. I am not an advanced programmer in any sort, but I do try and have several different types of programming software.

What I am hoping to gain out of using FreeBSD is first and foremost, rid of Windows for good. I have used Window for quite so many years now and have seen it fall more and more as more and more new versions came out. I'm finally fed up with it. But I'm afraid of one thing... that I won't have the capabilities with a Linux based OS that I did with Windows. Unfortunately, Microsoft is pretty much a monopoly, we all know that, and they pride themselves on forcing others out of business, but once again, there's the compatibility issue that I'm worried about.

If you could assist me in any way to my question, I would greatly appreciate it and try FreeBSD out immediately. I sent an inquiry about another Linux based OS, and recieved a reply of "we're going to be releasing a new version in the next few months, I'll hold on to this email and answer your questions upon release". I really hope I do not get this kind of response from you. I have read the background of the FreeBSD world, and greatly respect you, most of all for providing this for free instead of charging an arm and a leg for the OS per machine.

I read the compatibility section for hardware but really didn't see any of mine listed, so I'll list what I have and hopefully, if you have time, you can give me a yes or no. I would love you forever if you could do that :D.

My System:
Shuttle XPC SS56-G Barebones with Intel Socket 478
Intel Celeron 2.4 Ghz (I know this is supported)
768MB PC2100 RAM
nVidia GeForce FX 5200 128MB AGP video card
Memorex 48-24-48 CDR/RW

The following components are all onboard the Shuttle mainboard:
Advance AC'97 sound card
Realtek RTL8139/810x Family Fast Ethernet NIC
USB and USB 2.0

That's pretty much all I use as far as hardware goes, and really the only things I wish to gain confirmation on being supported. I wouldn't think of boring you with the endless amounts of software that I use, cause I can figure that out on my own later. I just want to make sure that I can actually use the OS before I install it and possibly end up with time and cd's wasted. The only reason I say this is due to several other "free" versions of Linux based OS's.

Once again, I really do appreciate the time you have to invest on reading this email, and greatly appreciate any support that you can give to me. And thank you for providing a truely free OS that doesn't appear to have background fee's that will come later.

Thank a million,

Christopher Heinlein
cjheinlein at cablespeed.com
cjheinlein at comclark.com