Re: Suggestion for Newbie Guide Lines
Stephan Engelke wrote:
>
> Hi folks,
>
> On Mon, Jul 19, 1999 at 09:57:26PM -0400, Carl Mummert wrote:
>
> > One issue: there is already a lot of documentation out there. ( I will
> > not vouch for its quality or lack thereof, but volume is something that it
> > does not lack). Every package should have a manpage, and often there is
> > stuff in /usr{/share}/doc/package also, as well as all the web-based
> > documentation.
>
> the most common problem I have encountered when suggesting Linux as an
> OS to other people is, that even though there is a wealth of docs out
> there, new users don't know where to look for them. Newbies need to be told
> where to find the information. I think that in many cases the doc's are
> not read simply because the user is not aware of them (I had a user in here
> the other day who, after two years of using a UNIX system, did not know
> about the "man" command ...). I think this is a problem which needs to be
> addressed.
i agree to this. but, as we are talkin of linux-beginners, the second most
common problem is how to use docus. there should be some "help" how to use
this helps, too, it is for this kind of usergroup not suficcient to say
"read manpage to xyz" or "look at readme/howto xyz". there should be some
more general hint like "debian has it's docu in /usr/doc||/usr/share/doc",
"you need an html-browser/pager like abc to read howto/doc at
url.local/url.remote", "you should read plain text docu with pager xy"
"call browser/pager with ..." and so on. we must remember, they are doing
first steps in linux and are not familliar with any of these tools. and
probeabely they haven't read any other docu about.
>
> I think the idea of a "bug report/debian-user post"-checklist is great.
>
> > * ) a list of (too) commonly asked questions and answers
>
> I think that a pointer to such a list would be sufficient - provided it
> is part of the base system install.
and there is some advise to use it, as i said above.
other linux distributions meanwhile come with some book(let), wich gives a
brief look at common unix commands and tools, which is also present in
every regular book (paper or online) you can find. but regulary books
aren't read. may be we should pick some of the existing books of ldp (or
others) and write some guide around it, (and only extend it therby to the
needs of beginners) wich refers with implicit links to that book where
needed/convenient, instead of doing all once more? this could reduce work a
lot, gets faster results, prevents "just a noter guide"....
gerhard
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