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Old 27th July 2008
DrJ DrJ is offline
ISO Quartermaster
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Gold Country, CA
Posts: 507
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Quote:
Originally Posted by uptonm View Post
Also, I'm into web design and i have an interest in social networking/chat applications. You never know who it is you're talking to on the other end of the screen, ... i'd just like to feel safe. I've ran into some wierdos before and I apparently have an online stalker.... I guess i need another computer disconnected from the network, or internet.
Multiple computers might really be best. You can use a (largely-disconnected) one for gaming, and use a BSD for your web stuff. Same for your brother. Hardware really is inexpensive these days -- an old P4 as mentioned above really is fine for most things, and you can cobble them together for very small sums of money. A KVM can help with the peripherals.

Personally, I use three computers most of the time: my main FreeBSD box, a W2K box for some applications that will never be on BSD, and a BSD server. I have a couple of VMs on the main box (which also dual boots with XP), and I use those for light-duty things. But when I have to do something serious, I just move across the room. It is not optimal, but it does work well enough.

Personally I find dual-booting to be a major pain. The VMs on BSD are just not that good. The real hardware just works better. But you do have to find your own way to fit with what you would like to do (and your budget).
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