David, you are indeed correct, the instructions posted are really only
simple to those who have already used some unix system before.

To a complete newbie, it is gibberish.

NetBSD has not historically catered to brand-new unix users, but as NetBSD
develops, it has become easier and easier to use and install.

But it's not at the level of a double-click on an "Install-NetBSD" icon yet.

But I can guarantee you this:  If you are willing to mention exactly what
you still need to have further explained, people here will help you.  I have
found NetBSD types to be the friendliest people around when you need help.

Also, perhaps as part of this experience, maybe you would consider writing
a "NetBSD for Newbies" guide?

-Mike


On Wed, 19 Jan 2000, dkphoto wrote:

> I think I can tell you the precise location of the problem:
> 
> THIS(!) IS LABELED "QUITE SIMPLE":
> 
> >You might point out that, with the exception of disk partitioning,
> >bringing up a NetBSD system using command line utilities is actually
> >quite simple. My method, briefly summarised, is this:
> > (snip)


> Tell me something folks. When you learned to drive, did the instructor 
> assume that you already knew how to drive, but just hadn't driven that 
> particular car before? This is the problem with the netBSD docs as they 
> stand now (what little there is of them). They all assume that the reader 
> is already an experienced BSD/Unix/Linux user and just needs a little 
> orientation session. Then they go right ahead and throw in a hefty dose 
> of commands and BSD terminology without the slightest explanation of a 
> single bit of it.
> 
> Now I've gotten far enough along with this whole mess that I can begin to 
> see that it indeed is not all that difficult to install BSD. Making sense 
> of the instructions is MUCH harder!
> 
> David Kachel