upgrade 7.2 overwrites partitions

[Michael Powell]

Polytropon wrote:
[snip] 
> 
>> Personally, I do think it's a pity, because FreeBSD (in my experience,
>> since FreeBSD 4.5) is stable, easy to use (once you have the basic Unix
>> concepts on board), and astonishingly well-documented. It's also
>> supported by one of the friendliest and most knowledgeable communities I
>> know.
> 
> In relations to most Linusi and MICROS~1 stuff in general, FreeBSD is the
> MOST EXCELLENT documented OS I've ever used - and I have used many OSes
> during my "career". The FAQ, the handbook and especially the manpages are
> great. Of course, that's my point of view as a developer. For a "normal
> user", this might look a bit different, but finally, there's this very
> helpful and friendly list.
>

Many people's only familiarity with computers in general will be from a 
Windows centric perspective. Somehow there is a tendency to believe that 
inserting a CD, booting, and then proceeding to click "OK" in a dialog box a 
few dozen times makes them some kind of expert when they successfully get 
Windows installed.

Coming from a Windows centric environment myself I initially found that 
there was a great deal of material to be learned, and RTFM was the way to do 
it. I've noticed people who come from university computer science programs 
have a much better foundation upon which to build. Most computer users do 
not fit this category, myself included.

While this deficiency can be overcome with self study, I am also aware that 
not everyone who reads documentation necessarily understands the material. 
If too much background education is missing the documentation just resembles 
gobbeldy-gook and is ignored, with the fall back position of "click OK a few 
dozen times and the OS will take care of it for me" expected to pick up the 
slack.

I would not be where I am today in my understanding and use of FreeBSD if  
not for the excellent documentation and surrounding community. I feel I owe 
my success in utilizing FreeBSD to the people who took the time to write 
this stuff down for people like me to use. It is with a great measure of 
gratitude to these people I owe my success.

 
[snip] 

-Mike