*BSD News Article 93343


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Path: euryale.cc.adfa.oz.au!newshost.carno.net.au!harbinger.cc.monash.edu.au!not-for-mail
From: David Henshaw <dhenshaw@silas.cc.monash.edu.au>
Newsgroups: comp.unix.bsd.freebsd.misc
Subject: Re: FreeBSD questions
Date: Fri, 11 Apr 1997 17:29:17 +1000
Organization: Monash University
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To: Bryan Cowan <moo@NOSPAM.midtown.net>
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Bryan Cowan wrote:
> 
> I've already decided to put FreeBSD on my PC when I get around to building
> it. (I'm using a Mac right now.) But I have a couple questions:
> 
> 1) Can I switch between FreeBSD and Windows 95?
> 2) Can I do Win95 file maintenance through FreeBSD?
> 3) Can I forget about Win95 and run things such as spreadsheets, word
> processors, and internet tools direct from FreeBSD?
> 
> Thanks.

Okay.

1) If you think of Windoze95 and FreeBSD as two seperate sessions then
you cannot swap between the two.  However, 95 and FBSD can co-exist on a
single computer.  As an Operating System however, only one may be in use
at a given time.  You may have heard of the term kernel.  All OS's have
a kernel which resides in memory.  Think of it in army terms.  Only
_ONE_ kernel can be in charge of the computer.  It is responsible for
its troops (applications).

2) Yes and no.  Sinc 95 still uses DOS partitions you can "mount" them. 
That is you'll be able to gain access to the 95 filesystem.  General
though, this should be avoided.  The only time I mount a non-FreeBSD
partition is when I need to copy files to a DOS partition so I can
reboot and access them through 95.  Notice the parallel between doing
this and your first question.

3) There are applications available.  I don't know where though :)

Hope this helps

-- 
David Henshaw
dhenshaw@silas.cc.monash.edu.au