Date: Mon, 3 Apr 2000 13:48:42 -0500 (CDT) From: Brennan W Stehling <brennan@offwhite.net> To: freebsd-stable@freebsd.org Subject: better documentation Message-ID: <Pine.BSF.4.10.10004031323550.6280-100000@home.offwhite.net> In-Reply-To: <Pine.BSF.4.21.0004031355450.3087-100000@discover.siteplus.net>
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I seem to have touched a nerve after I had problems with upgrading my home box ot 4.0. The confusion was that I was relying heavily on my experience with FreeBSD 3.x in the last year along with any documentation that I can find on freebsd.org. I also read other sites like daemonnews.org and related bsd sites for anything that could help me learn more. I, like many bsd admins, work alone. I can only do my job as well as I can find documentation to help me. From my experience, the src/UPDATING file has always been empty, but the makeworld.html page in the online handbook has always been there. It has also always worked in assisting me in doing an upgrade. What got me in trouble was the fact that I was not away that the UPDATING file was actually updated with useful information for the 4.0 upgrade. Actually, that is the only place that I now know has the proper instructions for doing this upgrade, but it is too late. I have to start fresh with a clean install, but that is ok. I am not installing a super friendly system like MacOS here, this is Unix and requires some extra care. But what I would like to see on sites like freebsd.org and others is a scope which may only go back about 1 year. We are now at 4.0 STABLE and there it is hard to find the exact info that I need on the freebsd website. If the freebsd homepage was updated perhaps once every 3 months or with each major change to the OS we would all be better off. It could be as simple as providing links to the new documentation or links to README files. The errata files are helpful, but not the easiest thing to read for new users. I want to see FreeBSD grow and become as popular as Linux because I feel it is a better system. Improving the documentation will help. I am even willing to help in this effort given some support from the people who would know what information is needed most. I know most of the necessary information is out there already, it is just a matter of finding it. I search at least 4 sites when looking for information: freebsd.org, daemonnews.org, freebsdzine.org, and freebsddiary.org. Sometimes I find the info, but other times I have to find other sources. It would be nice to have a central point where I can start and quickly gather concise information about FreeBSD. Does anyone have any suggestions for making this happen, or perhaps a place where this already exists? Brennan Stehling - web developer and sys admin projects: www.onmilwaukee.com | www.sncalumni.com fortune: The trouble with being punctual is that nobody's there to appreciate it. -- Franklin P. Jones On Mon, 3 Apr 2000, Jim Weeks wrote: > > > Which much venom, Brennan W Stehling wrote: > > > I am not a moron that does not read any documentation. So let me lash > > back a bit here, maybe you should read someones full email and the rest of > > the thread before flaming them. > > > > You only come off as a prick and discourage people from using FreeBSD. I > > love it and have been using it for over 2 years but the flames I got > > recently when asking for a few suggestions have been discouraging. > > First, I apologize if that is the way it seemed. I only meant to point > out what has bitten me in the back side so often, and I had read the rest > of the thread. I know how hard it can be to keep up with the mailing > list, but this exact procedure has been worn out on the mailing list ever > since the release. > > > It's like I should just stick to reading the README's and online > > documentation and avoid all contact with any mailing list or chat room. > > Not at all. In fact you will find this on the Make World page. > > If you try and track -STABLE or -CURRENT and do not read the > <stable@FreeBSD.org> or <current@FreeBSD.org> mailing lists then you are > asking for trouble. > > Which brings us back to the fact that the correct procedure has > been discussed at length on this list for the past two or three weeks. > > No flame intended, > > Jim > > To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-stable" in the body of the message
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