FreeBSD 7.2 Installation Manual

[Paul Schmehl]

--On Friday, June 12, 2009 12:12:36 -0500 Nick at Pettefar.com wrote:

>
> Nowhere up to that point in the Installation chapter and process (I
> didn't need to have said) did it mention X.
>
> What is the point of having a step-by-step installation manual which
> then concludes with "If the X server has been configured and a Default
> Desktop  chosen, it can be started by typing startx at the command
> line." when up to that point it hasn't mentioned X!?  Mentioning it
> three chapters later is not really very helpful to people struggling
> to get the thing installed step-by-step!
>
> Step-by-step guides are difficult to write, especially be people that
> know a lot about the subject beforehand as details tend to get glossed
> over.
>
> When it doesn't work (as has happened to me) and you have to Ctrl-Alt-
> Del then you are left feeling lost and confused - a bit like Linux ten
> years ago.  (OpenSuse installed and worked graphically perfect).
>
> Shouldn't there be an X configuration stage in the installation process?
>

That's probably not a bad idea, so long as it's optional.  (I don't want X on 
my servers.)  However, another point that I think is worthwhile is that some 
verbiage should be added to that section to point to Section 5, which explains 
how to setup Xorg.

So perhaps change this:
"If the X server has been configured and a Default Desktop chosen, it can be 
started by typing startx at the command line."

To this:
""If the X server has been configured and a Default Desktop chosen, it can be 
started by typing startx at the command line.  NOTE: If you have not yet 
installed and configured Xorg (it is not the default), refer to chapter 5 of 
the Handbook for instructions."

Please don't top post.  It's confusing as hell.

-- 
Paul Schmehl, Senior Infosec Analyst
As if it wasn't already obvious, my opinions
are my own and not those of my employer.
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