From owner-freebsd-newbies@FreeBSD.ORG Fri Dec 24 03:29:22 2004 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-newbies@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.FreeBSD.org (mx1.freebsd.org [216.136.204.125]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 4098A16A4CE for ; Fri, 24 Dec 2004 03:29:22 +0000 (GMT) Received: from smtp803.mail.sc5.yahoo.com (smtp803.mail.sc5.yahoo.com [66.163.168.182]) by mx1.FreeBSD.org (Postfix) with SMTP id D8E3A43D2F for ; Fri, 24 Dec 2004 03:29:21 +0000 (GMT) (envelope-from krinklyfig@spymac.com) Received: from unknown (HELO smogmonster.com) (jtinnin@pacbell.net@64.173.26.30 with login) by smtp803.mail.sc5.yahoo.com with SMTP; 24 Dec 2004 03:29:21 -0000 From: Joshua Tinnin To: freebsd-newbies@freebsd.org, shines@smaller.net Date: Thu, 23 Dec 2004 19:29:20 -0800 User-Agent: KMail/1.7.2 References: <000001c4e934$9290f080$6400a8c0@musal32mpxlg> In-Reply-To: <000001c4e934$9290f080$6400a8c0@musal32mpxlg> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Disposition: inline Message-Id: <200412231929.20740.krinklyfig@spymac.com> cc: 'Mervin McDougall' cc: 'Tyler Gee' Subject: Re: Manpage interpreter X-BeenThere: freebsd-newbies@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.1 Precedence: list List-Id: Gathering place for new users List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Fri, 24 Dec 2004 03:29:22 -0000 On Thursday 23 December 2004 01:15 pm, "Sally Hines" wrote: > Hi, > > I've been subscribing to this list for over 3 years. I initially > subscribed to the -questions list also, but I couldn't handle the > volume, and also couldn't interpret the language used there. I need > to learn in a language that I know, or at least get an interpreter > for the manpage-ese that's used in replies to questions on that list. > > I ask a simple question, how do I automate ports update? I get "read > the manpages" or quoting from the manpages which is written in a > language foreign to me, but masquerades as English. Where can I get > at least a good, simple glossary for the terms used in the manpages > and on the questions list? I can show you how I do it, offlist if that would help keep this list on-topic. I automate the cvsup and index process through cron jobs and scripts, but I update the ports themselves manually (I get a daily email telling me what installed ports have newer versions available), so that may or may not be what you want. As far as the technical language, you can find a great deal of information about UNIX for newbies on the web, which is a good place to start - search for UNIX glossary, or tutorial, something general like that. FreeBSD uses conventions common to all operating systems which are UNIX-based, or have POSIX standards, including Linux, so quite a bit of what applies to Linux applies to FreeBSD, although they are not the same, but Linux documentation for newbies is all over the web, some of it decent, some of it not so good, but plenty that can help if you don't understand the fundamentals. I should mention that the FreeBSD Handbook is a great source of information, and it covers quite a lot of rudimentary information in a style that's not developer-centric, at least not most of the time. Unfortunately, manpages aren't quite the same, and there is often an assumption of knowledge that makes it look foreign to people who don't have the background. But what's needed then are more people to write documentation ... Although UNIX itself is fairly technical, and you can't cover everything the user might not know in a manpage for every program, like basic system commands which the user should be familiar with in order to run the system, and which have their own manpages. The syntax used in manpages might also be confusing to you, but some basic UNIX tutorials should also cover that sort of thing, and of course there are also some excellent UNIX books which have been around for years you might find useful, many of which are available used on Amazon (you can look through comments to see what might be worthwhile, or ask here). > I asked questions here, and got yelled at, at great length. I have > not posted to this list for over a year because of that. > > Sally Hines > With a broken FreeBSD box I'm sorry to hear that. I am willing to help you fix it if possible, and if you haven't been able to get answers from the questions list. I'm still relatively new, but I've managed to install FreeBSD several times on different systems, customizing the kernel on each for hardware and different needs, and also rescue systems that seemed like lost causes at the time. If I can't help you fix it then I'll let you know and defer to the list or other forums. - jt