230 lines
9.7 KiB
Plaintext
230 lines
9.7 KiB
Plaintext
Linux Meta-FAQ
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This is the Meta-FAQ for Linux. It is mainly a list of valuable
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sources of information. Check these sources out if you want to
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learn more about Linux, or have problems and need help. Lars
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Wirzenius (wirzeniu@cc.helsinki.fi) wrote the first version of
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this document, and it is now maintained by Michael K. Johnson
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(johnsonm@Sunsite.unc.edu). Mail me if you have any questions
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about this document.
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NOTE: Filenames in this article are for the tsx-11.mit.edu ftp
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site (see below for names of more ftp sites). Files are usually
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located in similar places on other sites. The names are relative
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to the directory /pub/linux/ on tsx-11.
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What is Linux?
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Linux is an independant implementation of the POSIX operating
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system specification, with SYSV and BSD extensions, that has
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been written entirely from scratch. It has no proprietary
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code in it. Linux is freely distributable under the GNU
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Public License. It only works on IBM PC compatibles with an
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ISA or EISA bus and a 386 or higher processor. See the FAQ
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for more exact hardware requirements. The Linux kernel is
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written by Linus Torvalds (torvalds@kruuna.helsinki.fi) from
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Finland, and by other volunteers. Most of the programs
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running under Linux are generic Unix freeware, many of them
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from the GNU project.
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The Linux FAQ
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A collection of common problems and their solutions. Answers
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many questions faster than the net. Stored on many Linux ftp
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sites (docs/FAQ/) and rtfm.mit.edu, the general archive site
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for all FAQs.
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The Linux HOWTO's
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These are somewhat like FAQ's, but instead of answering
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common questions, they explain how to do common tasks, like
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ordering a release of Linux, setting up print services under
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Linux, setting up a basic UUCP feed, etc. See
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sunsite.unc.edu, directory /pub/Linux/docs/HOWTO/ for all the
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HOWTO's.
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Linux newsgroups
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There are several Usenet newsgroups for Linux. It is a good
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idea to follow at least comp.os.linux.announce if you use
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Linux. Comp.os.linux.announce is moderated by Matt Welsh and
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Lars Wirzenius. To make submissions to the newsgroup, send
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mail to linux-announce@tc.cornell.edu. You may direct
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questions about comp.os.linux.announce to Matt Welsh,
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mdw@sunsite.unc.edu
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The newsgroup comp.os.linux.admin is an unmoderated newsgroup
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for discussion of administration of Linux systems.
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The newsgroup comp.os.linux.development is an unmoderated
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newsgroup specifically for discussion of Linux kernel
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development. The only application development questions that
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should be discussed here are those that are intimately
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associated with the kernel.
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The newsgroup comp.os.linux.help is an unmoderated newsgroup
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for any Linux questions that don't belong anywhere else.
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The newsgroup comp.os.linux.misc is the replacement for
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comp.os.linux, and is meant for any discussion that doesn't
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belong elsewhere.
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In general, do not crosspost between the Linux newsgroups.
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The only crossposting that is appropriate is an occasional
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posting between one unmoderated group and
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comp.os.linux.announce. The whole point of splitting
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comp.os.linux into many groups is to reduce traffic in each.
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Those that do not follow this rule will be flamed without
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mercy...
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Other newsgroups
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Do not assume that all your questions are appropriate for a
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Linux newsgroup just because you are running Linux. Is your
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question really about shell programming under any unix or
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unix clone? Then ask in comp.unix.shell. Is it about GNU
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Emacs? Then try asking in gnu.emacs. Also, if you don't know
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another group to ask in, but think there might be, politely
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ask in your post if there is another group that would be more
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appropriate for your question. At least the groups comp.unix.
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{questions,shell,programming,bsd,admin}, and
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comp.windows.x.i386unix should be useful for a Linux user.
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0.1 Getting Linux
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0.1.1 Linux FTP sites
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A more complete list of Linux FTP sites is in the Linux
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INFO-SHEET (docs/INFO-SHEET). The most important sites are
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listed here; please see the INFO-SHEET for a site nearer to you
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(there are many mirrors).
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textual name numeric addr Linux directory
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======================= ============== ===============
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tsx-11.mit.edu 18.172.1.2 /pub/linux
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sunsite.unc.edu 152.2.22.81 /pub/Linux
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nic.funet.fi 128.214.6.100 /pub/OS/Linux
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These sites are the main ``home'' sites for Linux where most
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uploads take place. There are many mirror sites; please use the
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closest (network-wise) site to you.
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0.1.2 Linux on BBS's
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Occasionally, someone posts a list of BBS's that have Linux
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available for download. Try them if you can't FTP. This list is
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available by ftp as docs/bbs.list at tsx-11.
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0.1.3 Linux on physical media
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Linux is distributed on physical media, including floppies,
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CD-ROM, and tape, by several commercial vendors. Please read the
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distribution HOWTO, posted regularily to comp.os.linux.announce,
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and available for ftp at sunsite.unc.edu as
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/pub/Linux/docs/HOWTO/distribution-HOWTO.
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Also check advertisements/* at tsx-11 for advertisements of
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other ways to get linux, including a list of people that will
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make copies for you at low prices. Also available there are
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advertisements for other commercial services related to Linux.
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0.1.4 Commercial networks
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GEnie mirrors most of tsx-11 and sunsite. CompuServe has only
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very limited very old Linux archives.
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0.1.5 Mailservers and such
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The trickle server TRICKLE@AWIWUW11.BITNET, aka
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TRICKLE@AWIWUW11.EARN, aka TRICKLE@AWIWUW11.wu-wien.ac.at, send
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mail to one of these addresses with a body consisting of /HELP.
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0.2 Linux distributions (aka ``releases'')
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Linux is distributed by its author only as a kernel. Other
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people have put together ``distributions'' that can be used.
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These distributions pair the kernel as released by the author
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with software, to make a complete working package. Most releases
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include application programs as well as system software,
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providing ``one stop shopping'' for Linux.
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H.J. Lu (the Linux GCC maintainer) also has a set of disks,
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including a combined boot and rootdisk, and some additional
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disks with more programs. This package assumes you are already
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familiar with Linux. See directories packages/GCC/rootdisk and
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packages/GCC/basedisk on tsx-11.
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0.3 Linux mailing-lists
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Used mostly for discussion between developers of new features
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and testers of pre-release versions. See addresses in the FAQ.
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Many lists are based in the Mail-net system at Helsinki
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University of Technology. Send mail to
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linux-activists-request@niksula.hut.fi, and you will get mail
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explaining how to get any of the many ``channels'' available.
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Save this mail, as it tells you how to unsubscribe to the
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channels, and if you post annoying messages to the rest of the
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list complaining about not being able to get off the list
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(because you didn't follow instructions and save the mail
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telling you how to unsubscirbe), you will likely be flamed for
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wasting international bandwidth and money.
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0.4 Documentation for various programs
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Many programs come with some sort of documentation, often in a
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file called README or something similar. It is a VERY good idea
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to read them with care. It is boring to see (and answer)
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questions that are answered in the documentation.
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0.5 More Documentation
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The Linux Documentation Project is working on a lot of
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documentation. Already, over 600 pages of book-style
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documentation has been released to the general public, and a
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large set of man pages has also been released, with more to
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follow. Check sunsite.unc.edu:/pub/Linux/docs/LDP for documents
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written by the LDP.
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0.6 Keeping track of current releases
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New releases, programs, and ports are usually announced in
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comp.os.linux.announce. Finger torvalds@klaava.helsinki.fi to
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get some information about the current kernel (often long!).
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0.7 The Linux Hardware Compatibility List
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Posted occasionally to comp.os.linux.announce, and found on the
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major Linux FTP sites (tsx-11:docs/compat.list). This list lists
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some of the devices and hardware that Linux currently supports.
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It's useful for anyone wanting to purchase or upgrade their
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system. Be aware that it cannot be complete, as there is more
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hardware out there than Linux users can own.
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0.8 Legalese
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Trademarks are owned by their owners. Satisfaction not
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guaranteed. No warranties about this document. Void where
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prohibited.
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