Adam Spencer wrote:
Firstly, I wondered if there was a way I could get involved with testing and documenting of new software,
I'm no expert, but here's what I'd suggest. Pick a package. Write documentation for it. Submit it to the author of the manpage for that package; submit it to the Linux Documentation Project; put it on your own web site, with keywords that Google and other search engine spiders will find; collect several and publish a book. You can also contact the author(s) of a package (not just the package's man page) and work with them to tweak interface and docs.
Secondly, Knoppix is a branch of Debian right?
Not really. It's a LiveCD that's based on Debian, but it's not a branch of Debian. Kanotix is another similar LiveCD, but unlike Knoppix, if you install it to your hard drive it results in a pure Debian install, without stuff from third parties. (At least that's my current understanding of it.)
X config is a nightmare with Debian (I have spent many hours swearing at it) but Knoppix just gets on with it and you can tweak later. Is it possible to do this on an established Debian installation? If not why not?
The Debian installer is getting better (have you tried the new installer, or have you only used Woody's installer?). Part of the problem with an automatic installer on Debian like there is in Knoppix is that Knoppix is tailored to x86 hardware, whereas Debian works on something like 13 different arches. A recent thread on this list (last week?) talks about these issues. Someone pointed out that Anaconda works on several arches too, so it's conceivable that the number of arches might not be such a roadblock in the future. Other issues are the various methods used to install Debian; and automatic installer might not have the flexibility that Debian's installer has, although again, I believe a poster in the previous thread somewhat debunked this point also.
But the bottom line is that Debian's installer is currently in transition from Woody's to a new more modular and flexible approach. Once the basics of that new approach are firmed up, it probably won't be long before front ends are created for that base that make much of Debian's installer much more ,*cough*, "user friendly".
-- Kent West westk@acu.edu