Re. http://mail-index.netbsd.org/netbsd-users/2003/02/11/0000.html

My take on your questions:


First, you *do* have pretty much *everything* that you originally
asked for in your first email:

 * gcc (yes)
 * X (yes; 4.x by default on NetBSD/i368 v1.6)
 * Window manger (yes, though if you want something other than
   twm, you do need to go to packages...I'd worry about that later,
   though).
 * Printing support (yes; lpr-based)
 * Sound suport (yes; part of the kernel---though audio applications
   may be another matter; (^&)  Whether your particular sound card
   is supported, I'm not sure.  Check the supported hardware list, or
   check the NetBSD boot messages on your own machine once you've
   installed the OS.
 * emacs...okay, that's in the packages.  (But I use vi on a regular
   basis, especially on the text console.)
 * email: mail is included.  mutt is in the packages.
 * DSL modem...  Well, if it were a standard *ethernet* DSL
   modem, it would almost certainly be no problem.  Not sure about
   USB.

   I've used my ethernet DSL modem in three ways:

    * Dynamic IP over PPPoE, using mouse-pppoe from pkgsrc (1.5)
    * Dynamic iP over PPPoE, using kernel pppoe (NetBSD 1.6)
    * Static IP (no PPPoE, just treat the modem/phone line as
      an ethernet cable to the ISP's gateway)

   When the USB DSL modems started to appear,  people began to
   talk about whether they would work.  I have no first-hand
   knowledge, nor do I recall hearing anyone say that they *have*
   used USB DSL modems with NetBSD (anyone?).


In general, I would suggest installing with the base system first,
and figuring it out.  Some quick tips:

 * You comment about the information flying by too fast in
   the "installer".  I think that what you were seeing were the
   kernel boot messages (they come up everytime the OS boots as
   the system reports what it finds and does).  The installer
   itself is very simple to use, with panels and menus.  I've
   always been able to prettymuch follow my nose with it and
   it works *very* painlessly.  (The only time lots of stuff
   streams by in the installer is when you are unpacking the
   distribution.  If you have asked to see the files as they
   unpack, that can fly by rather rapidly.  If you don't ask for
   that, you should have very little trouble seeing everything
   that happens.)

 * For disk partitioning, if you don't want to save MS-WINDOWS,
   on a 40GB disk I'd just accept all of the defaults for now.
   You can specify partitions by size, by blocks, or by disk
   geometry (but the disk geometry is usually fake, anyway, so
   doesn't benefit you much).  If you're going to override
   the partition sizings, one approach is to allow a healthy
   swap partition and put everything else on one partition.
   If you don't want to do *that* and still want custom partitions,
   I'd point out the following:

    * /var and /home are directories on your root partition by
      default.  I put user home dirs in /usr/home, but have
      tended to leave /var as-is (a simple directory).  Lots
      of junk can accumulate in these directories.  (Particularly,
      in /var, look out for mailboxes and (if you use TeX) TeX
      font bitmaps.  Plan at least 100MB space on /.)

    * NetBSD's /usr is where the *bulk* of stuff goes.  Unless
      you further break it up, put most of your disk space there.
      (Some GNU/LINUX users make the mistake of shrinking /usr
      when they migrate to NetBSD, and then get cramped or useless
      systems because they run out of /usr space.)

 * X is *easy* to set up, normally (under XFRee86 4.x).  The
   server can be run with a -configure (--configure?) option
   that probes your hardware and does 99% of everything right
   in my limited experience.  You will have to tweak some things,
   perhaps (it never seems to get resolutions right, even when
   it identifies the monitor correctly and knows the video card).

   Still, I'd put X aside until you have an otherwise working
   system.  I seem to recall that I ran for most of a year
   before getting around to setting up X the first time.  (Though
   in the 3.3.x days, X was a little more of a bother to set up.)


-- 
  "I probably don't know what I'm talking about."  --rkr@olib.org