Suggestion for Newbie Guide Lines
Debian-user
I was looking in my mail dir today and noticed my debian-user folder
exceeds 4 Meg for this month. In reviewing the question and answers
for the last few days, it seems like there is a lot of wasted
bandwidth.
I wondered if there were Guide Lines set up for asking for answers
to problems, the wasted bandwidth might be reduced. I know that for
some on this list it costs a lot to just download this mail. I
believe that is one reason for the "lets switch to a news group
format" questions that pop up from time to time.
I have come up with some ideas, ATTACHED, that I would like those of
you that answer most of the questions posed, to add to, revise,
comment on, or just blow away if necessary.
So Brendon, Brian, Bob, John(s), George, Martin, Stephen, Ed, Jens,
Joseph, and all those of you who help everyone so much, what do you think.
Cluld we come up with some guide to assist us all in helping more
people nad save some time and bandwidth doing so?
If this is a workable idea, then if this was posted weekly or so, it
might make this list even more productive thæn it already is.
My $0.02. Flames accepted. Suggestions, Comments, Additions and/or
revisions even more so.
Wayne
--
Flon's Law:
There is not now, and never will be, a language in which it is
the least bit difficult to write bad programs.
_______________________________________________________
Wayne T. Topa <wtopa@mindspring.com>
I would like to propose GUIDE LINES for newbies to follow to help solve their problems.
1. Check your system FIRST for answers.
ie. I just added a new user and when I check in as that user it fails.
A. What method/program did you use it add the user.
1.1 apropos adduser or apropos useradd Might help you find the answer.
1.2 Check the mail archives. As this is a newbie question, it most
likely has been asked/answered before. This applies to MOST questions.
1.3 Have you tried man program name? ( man adduser) for example.
1.4 Have you check the /usr/doc/HOWTO directory? There are a lot of answers there.
1.5 If the question is " where can I find xyz program" or " is there a deb file that
for XyZ". Look for the Packages files on your system (locate Packages or find
/var -iname \*Packages*\), Then look at the Package files with less ( less
/var/lib/dpkg/methods/ftp/Packages.dists_stable_main_binary-i386) and search for
the package you want, or grep the directory (grep XyZ /var/lib/dpkg/methods/ftp/*)
for the package/program. dpkg -S or -s program might also help.
2. If you have tried the above and still have a problem:
In your request for help, include the following:
2.1 Say what you did BEFORE you got the problem.
ie The command you used and what, if any, input you provided to that command.
2.2 As answers to problems vary from version to version, include which version of
Debian you are running, 1.93, hamm, slink, potato.
2.3 If you have your mouse working and know how to paste, it would help if you could
paste the above into your mail. Prevents typo's and confusion caused by them.
2.4 If you have posted a problem to the mailing list and there has NOT been a reply,
PLEASE, don't repost it again and again. If someone knows the answer or is
researching for the answer, it might take a while. Be patient.
3. If you have solved your problem, either by yourself or from offlist mail, please share
your good fortune with the list. Tell others what you did to solve the problem. This
will make the list an even better resource.
Reply to: