Re: Debian Book
in response to parts of Havoc's response:
> http://www.debian.org/~hp/debian-tutorial.html
I went and looked at the work in progress. It is a lot of what I have in mind.
What are your plans as far as possible distribution with Debian? Do you want toinclude your works with the distribution?
> You're welcome to send me unfinished chapters. :-)
Do you have a list of works in progress? Would be silly to simultaneously work
on something that is already being worked on. I would like to assist in any
way possible.
> In principle there will be a separate book for configuration, and the
> install.txt document covers installation. But I would have no objection to
> including configuration stuff in the Tutorial until the separate book
> exists or there is too much material for one book, at which time it can be
> cut-and-pasted elsewhere.
True the install.txt covers installation, however to a new user it could be
a bit intimidating. I realize it isn't necessary to get Debian or Linux onto
every computer in the world, but wouldn't it be nice if it was put into
"laymen's terms" so that perhaps a few of the people with a little less
knowledge could use it? Maybe it isn't the over all desire to have every Tom,
Dick, and Harry using Linux, but let's not limit it to only power users.
What about the idea of several small books each containing an in depth tutorial
on how to use a package, what can be done with it etc. I saw a book by O'Reillythat was written expressly for vi. Imagine the amount of users that would be
attracted to Debian simply because it's users were ready to go the extra mile
and doccument just about anything that could be done. Sure I realize there are
HOWTOS and man pages, but honestly, don't you think they are a bit over
technical? Perhaps more of a here is what it does, how it does it, and a few
good examples of how to use it approach would be in order.
One thing that has been somewhat overwhelming to me as a new user is the number of different terms everyone uses. Yeah I know it will be boring to set up a
dictionary of Linux/Debian terms but I think it would also be helpful. :)
Perhaps there is already such documentation.
> The FSF has said they will publish this book when it's finished.
Any ball park figures on cost?
I only began this "quest" because of sitting in #debian and seeeing the vast
numbers of questions arising (and being asked by me), but it also in a way to
me seems to be a way to perhaps knock RedHat down a notch or two on the ladder
or at least put us on more equal grounds. Since I have never used RedHat, I
don't know what it has to offer, but when I started I tried slackware, saw that it had it's benefits, but saw more clearly it's disadvantages. The reason I
shyed from RedHat is mainly because I don't understand why someone would want topay in the neighborhood of $40 for something that is supposed to be free.
Debian on the otherhand looked like it followed more closely to what Linus stoodfor when he first began Linux. He did it cause he wanted something as powerful
as Unix but not so harmful to the pocketbook. Let's continue that idea, add a
some more in depth documentation to the Debian Distribution, and see what
happens. (sorry for the soap box rally <g>)
regards,
Seth aka spiff
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