Re: Idea: Master Debian FAQ (newbie-centric)

[will trillich <will@serensoft.com>]

Kenward Vaughan wrote:
> There was a brief flurry of notes to one another, then nothing afterwards.

the norm, sadly. maybe we can keep it going...?


i've started http://newbiedoc.intranets.com/ for the purpose.
<to join, use registration code 'debian', all lowercase>


> I have acquired a 486-66 at work to play with, and have already installed
> Debian from CD to test myself (already learned a few things).  I was
> suggesting to the others that we try to take some obvious first areas like
> installation and tear them apart for the uninitiated.  I'm primed to do this
> now, but no one responded to the note.  I'm going to play with it for a
> while to get started.
> 
> I can forward some of the earlier stuff to you if you wish.

cool. i do have the six missives between oct 22 and 24. if there's
more, i'd like to see it.

i've got one production debian server, so i can't
play with the install just now. i hope to get a second
soon for just such a purpose.

i've set up NEWBIEDOC.INTRANETS.COM for our efforts, so those who
wanna can rub their eyeballs over each other's work for feedback purposes,
before general release.

i'd like to have all discussion re: this project relatively
public, but perhaps debian-user in not the best place...

for versionsing and approval setup, i've got 'aegis' installed and 
have been looking at it, and it looks like it might work, but again
i'm not up on the details -- would it work for multi-system 
documentation development? other ideas welcome.

--

i recommend we use html, as it's a wide-margin standard; the structure
thereof should be either an existing standard (i'm not up on that
either) or one we develop on our own -- not merely to introduce a new set
of documents (which we will, geared to the newbie mindset), but also
to make the available documents easier to find.

--

what i volunteer for (as a first foray where others will come later),
is the apt-get stuff, related to potato.
	apt-setup
	apt-get
	apt-cache
	dpkg
so a newbie would know where to start, and how to find which tool
would do what they're after. <any newcomer who'd know to do 'man fbset'
when trying to learn how to change console video modes, is a guru
in newbie clothing.>

i think we need topics like these, slanted to newbies:
	-debian vs other linux [philosophy, packages, dir structure...]
	-linux vs windows/mac [multi-user/permissions, shell, X...]
	-linux vs pencil and paper [basic basic intro]
	-editing files
		- using vi/vim
		- using emacs
	-how to change system settings [/etc/*]
	-how to change user settings [~/.??*]
	-how to find which settings file to change [man, info...]
	-find out what's happening
		- processes [ps, top, who]
		- /var/log/*
	-keeping debian system up to date [apt-setup, apt-get]
	-capturing program output [ >file, |pipe, script ]
	-massaging program output [ <file, |sed |cut |sort |uniq... ]
	-finding files
		- by name/time [locate, find]
		- by their contents [*grep]
	-finding the right command [man, apropos, packages.debian.org, info...]
to name a few.

--

tools we can use to develop these documents and document-pointers:
	script <log console i/o>
	logcheck
	apt-*
	vim/emacs

i also think that a colophon glossing over the tools we each use in
creating all of these documents, would be newbie-supportive. (that is,
imho, each doc should have a footer describing which tools were used
in crafting the document, at what stages, and so forth.) even better
would be, where applicable, to also include narrative about what was
attempted and abandoned during the evolution of the document, and why.
nothing's more educational than mistakes, even if they're someone
else's.

-- 
mailto:will@serensoft.com
http://www.dontUthink.com/