This guide describes the installation and the configuration of the NetBSD operating system as well as setup and administration of some of its subsystems. It addresses mainly people coming from other operating systems in hope of being useful for the solution of the many small problems found when one starts using a new tool.

This guide is not a Unix tutorial: a basic knowledge of some concepts and tools is required to understand it. You should know, for example, what a file and a directory are and how to use an editor. There are plenty of books explaining these things so, if you don't know them, I suggest that you buy an introductory text. I think that it is better to choose a general book and avoid titles like “Learning Unix-XYZ, version 1.2.3.4 in 10 days”, but this is a matter of personal taste. If you install a BSD system, sooner or later you will be confronted with the vi editor: without some documentation this could be an insurmountable obstacle. When you finish installing your system, you will be able to install whatever editor and programs you like.

Still a lot of work is required to finish this introduction to NetBSD: some chapters are not finished (some are not even started) and some subjects still need testing (yes, a guide must also be tested). I'll try to work on it and improve it in my spare time but if you want to help, you're welcome: you can write new chapters (or parts of) or send corrections for existing subjects.

This guide is currently maintained by the NetBSD www team (<www@NetBSD.org>). Corrections and suggestions should be sent to that address. See also Appendix B, Contributing to the NetBSD guide.