Date: Fri, 02 Apr 1999 16:34:28 -0800 From: Darren Pilgrim <dpilgrim@uswest.net> To: junkmale@xtra.co.nz Cc: advocacy@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: The FreeBSD Installation Guide Project [Was: Re: FreeBSD Advocacy] Message-ID: <37056214.9E32FE04@uswest.net> References: <19990402235025.JLAH5454377.mta1-rme@wocker>
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Dan Langille wrote: > > It should be understandable by someone with no unix skills at all. > > Imagine a newbie installing FreeBSD for the first time. Part of the > > installation requires them to edit a .conf file. The CFBSD or > > Handbook says which file to edit and explains what they have to > > change, but says nothing about the commands they have to do to find > > and open the file. CFBSD has the vi man page, but how's the newbie > > going to know it's there and what it is unless there's a reference to it? > > Yep. I still reckon this could be covered by a section on "how to edit a > file". I don't think you intend the the Installation guide will be step > by step for every file that needs to be maintained. What we need is a > short introduction to Unix commands. We can make use of existing > documents. I have a website section titled "Stuff for Newbies" which > might be a good starting point. I think that would elminate both > repetition and boredom for the reader. I'm not aiming at writing another tutorial or admin tome. O'Reilly et al already make many books to that end. My idea is to write a no-assumptions installation walk-through, showing the command that you need to type, which files to edit, how to edit them, etc. Sort of like those assembly instructions you get with do-it-yourself kits because, let's face it, UNIX is the ultimate do-it-yourself kit. -- dpilgrim@uswest.net /\ / __ Our lies are merely the gryph@mindless.com / \/OC/URNE truth of another world ICQ: 29880099 Death is not a kill -9, just a DALnet: anim0s make world and shutdown -r now PGPKey available To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-advocacy" in the body of the message
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