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linux documentation

N

n0cmonkey

Elite Member
I was sitting here reading all the of the linux newbies' posts. I am wondering what documentation linux newbies would like to see. How to compile a kernel? How to identify what you need in your kernel? How to connect to the net? How to switch to KDE/Gnome/Enlightenment/BlackBox/whatever? How to install OpenBSD? (sorry had to 😉) Installation guide for specific distros maybe? Let me know what you would like to see. I will try and get a machine to install linux on so I can have something to work with in my freetime. It will not be soon but it CAN happen. 🙂
 
How about: complete guide to setting up WINE in your favorite "newbie distro", start to finish. Could use a little help...heh

getting WINE to work is probably my last hang up before I make the switch completely.
 


<< How about: complete guide to setting up WINE in your favorite &quot;newbie distro&quot;, start to finish. Could use a little help...heh

getting WINE to work is probably my last hang up before I make the switch completely. >>



Thats something (one of many) I havent touched. Have you checked linuxdoc.org? I know most of the stuff on there can be a little overwhelming but it helps 😉

EDIT: And like I said this is for the future. I dont have the time or money to devote to the project. Plus linux documentation would be my second least favotire thing to do (right after MS documentation 😉).
 
wine is hard!!! there are different versions of it, best bet is read all you can nad slug your way through it.

how about a e-mail server howto?

I have been think of doing a good samba howto myself
 


<< wine is hard!!! there are different versions of it, best bet is read all you can nad slug your way through it.

how about a e-mail server howto?

I have been think of doing a good samba howto myself >>



There are sooo many email servers out there and most have books devoted to the server itself. Might be fun though.
 
Okay, guys lets face some facts.

How bout you learn like the people did in the old days trail and error, read play with it.

I knew nothing about UNIX, or whatever when I first used Linux someone handed me some slackware cds, which is a advanced distro, and I learned it.
I didnt use this do everything for me distros, cause you dont learn s h i t when you use redhat mandrake etc.

try the man pages, theres a start.

first thing is to download your kernel source ftp.kernel.org, and get either a 2.2 or 2.4 kernel, never an odd number, thats devlop kernel.
then extract, in /usr/src/linux/

then &quot;make config&quot; and start answering the questions. after that

&quot;make dep; make zlilo; make modules; make modules_install&quot;
 


<< Okay, guys lets face some facts.

How bout you learn like the people did in the old days trail and error, read play with it.

I knew nothing about UNIX, or whatever when I first used Linux someone handed me some slackware cds, which is a advanced distro, and I learned it.
I didnt use this do everything for me distros, cause you dont learn s h i t when you use redhat mandrake etc.

try the man pages, theres a start.

first thing is to download your kernel source ftp.kernel.org, and get either a 2.2 or 2.4 kernel, never an odd number, thats devlop kernel.
then extract, in /usr/src/linux/

then &quot;make config&quot; and start answering the questions. after that

&quot;make dep; make zlilo; make modules; make modules_install&quot; >>



Ok, and I bought a book when I learned how to use linux. Learned a lot of my UNIX knowledge at various jobs or other books. But sometimes a little more documentation is a good thing.
 


<< How bout you learn like the people did in the old days trail and error, read play with >>


I'm proud of you, here's your gold star. Seriously it is the attitude like this that really turns alot of people off to the linux os. While I agree some trial and error is probably great for the sysadmin who wants to learn, most people just want to use it for a desktop and they're going to be more likely to use it and have more fun use it if there is excellent documentation for them to fall back on. You don't have to write any of the docs, but don't bash or be rude to any of the really friendly users of this OS who would like to see others do it. Now go back to being 1337.
 
Ummm... I would think that this site has a lot of information. Just click on the NHF section.

You can also check out this site as well.

Good luck dudes! 🙂

Soybomb: Gotta agree with you dude. It's hard to find that kinda enthusiasm nowadays. A lot of pple give up just like that when trying Linux.
 
i think the only way to realy understand linux, is non-newbie HOWTOs and docs and trial and error. most newbie info tells u how to use the system, linuxdoc.org, all the HOWTOs, and man pages teach u how the system works. at least thats what i used and i thikn i have a good understanding of how linux functions.

maybe newbie docs are good to get people aware of linux, but to understand it, you realy need manuals.

and dont think i dont try and help newbies out, i have gotten like 3 guys started on linux this month. but i do make them read Man pages BEFORE they call me. i just direct them to info, i try not to do it for them.
 


<< i think the only way to realy understand linux, is non-newbie HOWTOs and docs and trial and error. most newbie info tells u how to use the system, linuxdoc.org, all the HOWTOs, and man pages teach u how the system works. at least thats what i used and i thikn i have a good understanding of how linux functions.

maybe newbie docs are good to get people aware of linux, but to understand it, you realy need manuals.

and dont think i dont try and help newbies out, i have gotten like 3 guys started on linux this month. but i do make them read Man pages BEFORE they call me. i just direct them to info, i try not to do it for them. >>



And this documentation (if I were to right it) would not only help me understand the inner working of everything but they would hopefully be written in a way that newbies can get things working. Most of the documentation I see out there is incomplete, old, and a little too indepth for newbies just wanting to get something working. Now, I think it is better to fully understand what you use, but when you first start out getting something working feels damn good and keeps the interrest. Also, if I were to sit down and write some documentation it would have to be in an order that a total newbie can start with the first one and progress up to the last one (or whatever) and the information would get tougher and more complete and he went along. ie first linux basics, then some tougher commands, then installing this software package or that one. Get tougher as you go along not just a huge collection of random docs written by random people and thrown into one big basket.
 
completely agree monkey, i just thought u meant like a REALLY newbie oriented book. like i read this Configuring SuSE 7.1 book at Barnes and Nobel. it was complete trash. told you how to do something, but never what it acutally did.

man, all us linux users greatly appreciate any documentation anyone contributes. thx from all of us, and all the soon-to-be linux users.
 


<< completely agree monkey, i just thought u meant like a REALLY newbie oriented book. like i read this Configuring SuSE 7.1 book at Barnes and Nobel. it was complete trash. told you how to do something, but never what it acutally did.

man, all us linux users greatly appreciate any documentation anyone contributes. thx from all of us, and all the soon-to-be linux users. >>



Well dont get your hopes up just yet. I dont have linux on any home machines and My main machine is a little out of commission until I get some replacement parts (and NOT screw up installation) this weekend.
 


<< linuxdoc.org >>



You didnt read my earlier posts did you? Well thats ok, I expect people to speak before they listen. Some people just like to hear thier own voices. I know I do 🙂

Anyhow, linuxdoc.org is unorganized. It is a jumble of out of date, too complex documentation that has no order to it. It is a bunch of old documentation hap-hazardly thrown into a directory for people to try and decipher. I gave up on that page after trying to read the ppp docs. Man pages are still your best bet but guess what? They too are out of date and too complex to just get the damn things working. Neither of these options is ideal for a newbie.
 
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