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<title>Debian Tutorial (Obsolete Documentation) - About this manual</title>
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<link href="ch-about.html" rel="chapter" title="1 About this manual">
<link href="ch-introduction.html" rel="chapter" title="2 Introduction">
<link href="ch-start.html" rel="chapter" title="3 Getting started">
<link href="ch-basics.html" rel="chapter" title="4 The Basics">
<link href="ch-docs.html" rel="chapter" title="5 Reading documentation and getting help">
<link href="ch-shell.html" rel="chapter" title="6 Using the shell">
<link href="ch-files.html" rel="chapter" title="7 More on files">
<link href="ch-editor.html" rel="chapter" title="8 Creating and editing text files">
<link href="ch-custom_shell.html" rel="chapter" title="9 Customizing the shell">
<link href="ch-X.html" rel="chapter" title="10 The X Window System">
<link href="ch-text_tools.html" rel="chapter" title="11 Text tools">
<link href="ch-file_tools.html" rel="chapter" title="12 File tools">
<link href="ch-disks.html" rel="chapter" title="13 Using disks">
<link href="ch-dpkg.html" rel="chapter" title="14 Removing and installing software">
<link href="ch-troubleshooting.html" rel="chapter" title="15 Troubleshooting">
<link href="ch-advanced.html" rel="chapter" title="16 Advanced topics">
<link href="ch-next.html" rel="chapter" title="17 Where to from here?">
<link href="ch-helping.html" rel="chapter" title="18 Contributing to Debian: How can I help?">
<link href="ap-apps_appendix.html" rel="appendix" title="A A brief survey of available applications">
<link href="ap-components_appendix.html" rel="appendix" title="B Summary of GNU/Linux system components">
<link href="ap-booting_appendix.html" rel="appendix" title="C Appendix C: Booting the system">
<link href="ap-misc_appendix.html" rel="appendix" title="D Miscellaneous">
<link href="ch-about.html#s-acknowldgements" rel="section" title="1.1 Acknowledgements">
<link href="ch-introduction.html#s-introduction-debian" rel="section" title="2.1 What is Debian?">
<link href="ch-introduction.html#s-introduction-DFSG" rel="section" title="2.2 What's free software?">
<link href="ch-introduction.html#s-introduction-how" rel="section" title="2.3 How to Read This Book">
<link href="ch-introduction.html#s-introduction-ldp" rel="section" title="2.4 The Linux Documentation Project">
<link href="ch-start.html#s-start-multi" rel="section" title="3.1 A multiuser, multitasking operating system">
<link href="ch-start.html#s-start-login" rel="section" title="3.2 Logging in">
<link href="ch-start.html#s-start-keys" rel="section" title="3.3 Keys">
<link href="ch-start.html#s-start-commandline" rel="section" title="3.4 Command history and editing the command line">
<link href="ch-start.html#s-start-root" rel="section" title="3.5 Logging in as root">
<link href="ch-start.html#s-start-VC" rel="section" title="3.6 Virtual consoles">
<link href="ch-start.html#s-start-shutdown" rel="section" title="3.7 Shutting down">
<link href="ch-basics.html#s-basics-commandline" rel="section" title="4.1 The command line and <samp>man</samp> pages">
<link href="ch-basics.html#s-basics-files" rel="section" title="4.2 Files and Directories">
<link href="ch-basics.html#s-basics-processes" rel="section" title="4.3 Processes">
<link href="ch-basics.html#s-basics-shell" rel="section" title="4.4 The shell">
<link href="ch-basics.html#s-basics-jobs" rel="section" title="4.5 Managing processes with Bash">
<link href="ch-basics.html#s-basics-bash" rel="section" title="4.6 A few Bash features">
<link href="ch-basics.html#s-basics-identity" rel="section" title="4.7 Managing your identity">
<link href="ch-docs.html#s-docs-sources" rel="section" title="5.1 Kinds of documentation">
<link href="ch-docs.html#s-docs-info" rel="section" title="5.2 Using info">
<link href="ch-docs.html#s-docs-textfiles" rel="section" title="5.3 Viewing text files with more and less">
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<link href="ch-docs.html#s-docs-support" rel="section" title="5.5 Getting help from a person">
<link href="ch-docs.html#s-docs-sysinfo" rel="section" title="5.6 Getting information from the system">
<link href="ch-shell.html#s-shell-variables" rel="section" title="6.1 Environment variables">
<link href="ch-shell.html#s-shell-path" rel="section" title="6.2 Where commands live: the <samp>PATH</samp> variable">
<link href="ch-shell.html#s-custom_shell-aliases" rel="section" title="6.3 Aliases and shell functions">
<link href="ch-shell.html#s-shell-io" rel="section" title="6.4 Controlling input and output">
<link href="ch-shell.html#s-shell-modifiers" rel="section" title="6.5 Specifying how and when to run commands">
<link href="ch-shell.html#s-shell-wildcards" rel="section" title="6.6 Filename expansion (&quot;Wildcards&quot;)">
<link href="ch-shell.html#s6.7" rel="section" title="6.7 Interactive/non-interactive">
<link href="ch-files.html#s-files-permissions" rel="section" title="7.1 Permissions">
<link href="ch-files.html#s-files-tour" rel="section" title="7.2 What files are on my system? Where can I put my own files?">
<link href="ch-files.html#s-file-manager" rel="section" title="7.3 Using a filemanager">
<link href="ch-editor.html#s-editor-textfile" rel="section" title="8.1 What's a text file?">
<link href="ch-editor.html#s-editor-editor" rel="section" title="8.2 Text editors">
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<link href="ch-custom_shell.html#s-custom_shell-dotfiles" rel="section" title="9.1 .rc files and <samp>ls -a</samp>">
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<link href="ch-X.html#s-X-starting" rel="section" title="10.1 Starting the X environment">
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<link href="ch-X.html#s-X-basics" rel="section" title="10.3 Basic X operations">
<link href="ch-X.html#s-X-startup" rel="section" title="10.4 Customizing your X startup">
<link href="ch-text_tools.html#s-text_tools-regexps" rel="section" title="11.1 Regular expressions">
<link href="ch-file_tools.html#s-file_tools-backup" rel="section" title="12.1 Backup tools">
<link href="ch-file_tools.html#s-file_tools-compression" rel="section" title="12.2 File compression with <samp>gzip</samp>">
<link href="ch-file_tools.html#s-file_tools-split" rel="section" title="12.3 Splitting files into smaller pieces">
<link href="ch-file_tools.html#s-file_tools-find" rel="section" title="12.4 Finding files">
<link href="ch-file_tools.html#s-file_tools-file" rel="section" title="12.5 Determining a file's contents">
<link href="ch-disks.html#s-disks-concepts" rel="section" title="13.1 Concepts">
<link href="ch-disks.html#s-disks-mount" rel="section" title="13.2 <samp>mount</samp> and <samp>/etc/fstab</samp>">
<link href="ch-disks.html#s-network-ppp" rel="section" title="13.3 PPP">
<link href="ch-dpkg.html#s-dpkg-dpkg" rel="section" title="14.1 The <code>dpkg</code> package utility">
<link href="ch-dpkg.html#s-dpkg-what" rel="section" title="14.2 What a package maintenance utility does">
<link href="ch-dpkg.html#s-dpkg-apt" rel="section" title="14.3 Apt">
<link href="ch-dpkg.html#s-dpkg-dselect" rel="section" title="14.4 Using dselect.">
<link href="ch-dpkg.html#s-dpkg-commandline" rel="section" title="14.5 Using dpkg manually">
<link href="ch-dpkg.html#s-dpkg-compiling" rel="section" title="14.6 Compiling software yourself">
<link href="ch-dpkg.html#s-dpkg-proprietary" rel="section" title="14.7 Proprietary software not in .deb format">
<link href="ch-troubleshooting.html#s-troubleshooting-frozen" rel="section" title="15.1 Debian is frozen or crashed!">
<link href="ch-troubleshooting.html#s-troubleshooting-termgarbage" rel="section" title="15.2 My terminal isn't behaving properly">
<link href="ch-troubleshooting.html#s-troubleshooting-vi" rel="section" title="15.3 The computer beeps when I press a key, and my screen shows a text file and/or a lot of <samp>~</samp> symbols.">
<link href="ch-advanced.html#s-advanced-scripting" rel="section" title="16.1 Introduction to shell scripting">
<link href="ch-advanced.html#s-advanced-files" rel="section" title="16.2 Advanced files">
<link href="ch-advanced.html#s-advanced-kernel" rel="section" title="16.3 Compiling the kernel">
<link href="ch-advanced.html#s-advanced-security" rel="section" title="16.4 A few words on security">
<link href="ch-advanced.html#s-advanced-programming" rel="section" title="16.5 Programming on Linux">
<link href="ch-next.html#s-next-manuals" rel="section" title="17.1 Other Debian manuals to read">
<link href="ch-next.html#s-next-resources" rel="section" title="17.2 Other resources">
<link href="ch-helping.html#s-helping-bugs" rel="section" title="18.1 Submit bug reports">
<link href="ch-helping.html#s-helping-other" rel="section" title="18.2 Other things">
<link href="ap-apps_appendix.html#s-A_apps-whatever" rel="section" title="A.1 (Subheadings could copy the structure of the menu system)">
<link href="ap-misc_appendix.html#s-unix-history" rel="section" title="D.1 Unix History">
<link href="ap-misc_appendix.html#sD.2" rel="section" title="D.2 GNU/Linux History">
<link href="ap-misc_appendix.html#sD.3" rel="section" title="D.3 The Linux kernel's version numbering">
<link href="ch-introduction.html#s-introduction-debian-os" rel="subsection" title="2.1.1 What's an operating system, and what sort of operating system is Debian?">
<link href="ch-introduction.html#s-introduction-debian-how" rel="subsection" title="2.1.2 Who creates Debian?">
<link href="ch-basics.html#s-basics-commandline-description" rel="subsection" title="4.1.1 Describing the command line">
<link href="ch-basics.html#s-basics-files-intro" rel="subsection" title="4.2.1 Introduction to files">
<link href="ch-basics.html#s-basics-files-using" rel="subsection" title="4.2.2 Using files: a tutorial">
<link href="ch-basics.html#s-basics-bash-completion" rel="subsection" title="4.6.1 Tab Completion">
<link href="ch-docs.html#s-docs-support-posting" rel="subsection" title="5.5.1 Dos and Don'ts of asking a question">
<link href="ch-shell.html#s-shell-variables-parents" rel="subsection" title="6.1.1 Parent and child processes">
<link href="ch-shell.html#s-interactive-shells" rel="subsection" title="6.7.1 Interactive shells">
<link href="ch-files.html#s-files-permissions-groups" rel="subsection" title="7.1.1 File Ownership">
<link href="ch-files.html#s-files-permissions-mode" rel="subsection" title="7.1.2 Mode">
<link href="ch-files.html#s-files-permissions-tutorial" rel="subsection" title="7.1.3 Permissions in practice">
<link href="ch-editor.html#s-editor-vi-creating" rel="subsection" title="8.3.1 Creating a file">
<link href="ch-editor.html#s-editor-vi-editing" rel="subsection" title="8.3.2 Editing an existing file">
<link href="ch-editor.html#s-editor-vi-editing-movement" rel="subsection" title="8.3.2.1 Moving around in a file">
<link href="ch-editor.html#s-editor-vi-editing-deletion" rel="subsection" title="8.3.2.2 Deleting text">
<link href="ch-editor.html#s-editor-vi-editing-moremoving" rel="subsection" title="8.3.2.3 Sophisticated movement">
<link href="ch-editor.html#s-editor-vi-editing-numbers" rel="subsection" title="8.3.2.4 Repeating commands">
<link href="ch-editor.html#s-editor-vi-editing-advanced" rel="subsection" title="8.3.2.5 Advanced reference">
<link href="ch-X.html#s-X-basics-mouse" rel="subsection" title="10.3.1 The mouse">
<link href="ch-X.html#s-X-basics-clients" rel="subsection" title="10.3.2 X clients">
<link href="ch-X.html#s-X-basics-trouble" rel="subsection" title="10.3.3 Troubleshooting">
<link href="ch-X.html#s-X-basics-leaving" rel="subsection" title="10.3.4 Leaving the X environment">
<link href="ch-disks.html#s-disks-mount-mounting" rel="subsection" title="13.2.1 Mounting a filesystem">
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<link href="ch-disks.html#s-disks-mount-fstab" rel="subsection" title="13.2.3 <samp>/etc/fstab</samp>: Automating the mount process">
<link href="ch-disks.html#s-disks-mount-removable" rel="subsection" title="13.2.4 Removable disks (floppies, Zip disks, etc.)">
<link href="ch-disks.html#s-network-ppp-introduction" rel="subsection" title="13.3.1 Introduction">
<link href="ch-disks.html#s-network-ppp-preparation" rel="subsection" title="13.3.2 Preparation">
<link href="ch-disks.html#s-network-ppp-wvdial" rel="subsection" title="13.3.3 The Easy Way: <samp>wvdial</samp>">
<link href="ch-disks.html#s-network-ppp-pppd" rel="subsection" title="13.3.4 Doing It Manually">
<link href="ch-dpkg.html#s-apt-config" rel="subsection" title="14.3.1 Configuring Apt">
<link href="ch-dpkg.html#s-apt-usage" rel="subsection" title="14.3.2 Using apt-get.">
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<link href="ch-advanced.html#s-advanced-scripting-example" rel="subsection" title="16.1.2 A simple example">
<link href="ch-advanced.html#s-advanced-files-hardlinks" rel="subsection" title="16.2.1 The real nature of files: hard links and inodes">
<link href="ch-advanced.html#s-advanced-files-types" rel="subsection" title="16.2.2 Types of files">
<link href="ch-advanced.html#s-advanced-files-types-symlinks" rel="subsection" title="16.2.2.1 Symbolic links">
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<link href="ch-advanced.html#s-advanced-files-types-devices-null" rel="subsection" title="16.2.2.2.1 <samp>/dev/null</samp>">
<link href="ch-advanced.html#s-advanced-files-types-pipes" rel="subsection" title="16.2.2.3 Named pipes (FIFOs)">
<link href="ch-advanced.html#s-advanced-files-types-sockets" rel="subsection" title="16.2.2.4 Sockets">
<link href="ch-advanced.html#s-advanced-files-proc" rel="subsection" title="16.2.3 The <samp>proc</samp> filesystem">
<link href="ch-advanced.html#s-advanced-files-permissions" rel="subsection" title="16.2.4 Advanced aspects of file permissions">
<link href="ch-advanced.html#s-advanced-files-permissions-absolute" rel="subsection" title="16.2.4.1 Using numeric arguments with <samp>chmod</samp>">
<link href="ch-advanced.html#s-advanced-files-chattr" rel="subsection" title="16.2.5 chattr">
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[ <a href="index.html">previous</a> ]
[ <a href="index.html#contents">Contents</a> ]
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[ <a href="ch-basics.html">4</a> ]
[ <a href="ch-docs.html">5</a> ]
[ <a href="ch-shell.html">6</a> ]
[ <a href="ch-files.html">7</a> ]
[ <a href="ch-editor.html">8</a> ]
[ <a href="ch-custom_shell.html">9</a> ]
[ <a href="ch-X.html">10</a> ]
[ <a href="ch-text_tools.html">11</a> ]
[ <a href="ch-file_tools.html">12</a> ]
[ <a href="ch-disks.html">13</a> ]
[ <a href="ch-dpkg.html">14</a> ]
[ <a href="ch-troubleshooting.html">15</a> ]
[ <a href="ch-advanced.html">16</a> ]
[ <a href="ch-next.html">17</a> ]
[ <a href="ch-helping.html">18</a> ]
[ <a href="ap-apps_appendix.html">A</a> ]
[ <a href="ap-components_appendix.html">B</a> ]
[ <a href="ap-booting_appendix.html">C</a> ]
[ <a href="ap-misc_appendix.html">D</a> ]
[ <a href="ch-introduction.html">next</a> ]
</p>
<hr>
<h1>
Debian Tutorial (Obsolete Documentation)
<br>Chapter 1 - About this manual
</h1>
<hr>
<p>
This is the Debian Tutorial. It is aimed at readers who are new to Debian
GNU/Linux. It assumes no prior knowledge of GNU/Linux or other Unix-like
systems, but it does assume very basic general knowledge about computers and
hardware (you should know what the basic parts of a computer are, and what one
might use a computer to do).
</p>
<p>
This manual is meant to be read in order; each chapter assumes some knowledge
of prior chapters, though you may find it useful to skip around.
</p>
<p>
There is also a Debian Reference Guide planned, which will be more
comprehensive but less introductory.
</p>
<p>
This tutorial assumes that you have already installed and configured Debian
GNU/Linux according to the installation manual (which is incomplete as of this
writing). However, you may want to look over the tutorial before you install,
in order to learn more about Debian.
</p>
<p>
In general this tutorial tries to explain the reasons for things, and help you
understand what's going on inside the system. The idea is to empower you to
solve new problems and get the most out of your computer. Thus there's plenty
of theory, history, and fun facts thrown in with the &quot;How To&quot; aspects
of the manual.
</p>
<p>
Please send comments about this manual to the Debian Documentation Project
mailing list <code><a
href="mailto:debian-doc@lists.debian.org">debian-doc@lists.debian.org</a></code>.
We're especially interested in whether it was helpful to you, and how we could
make it better. If you get confused while reading, or notice that we use a
term without explaining it first, please email us.
</p>
<p>
Please, DO NOT send the authors technical questions about Debian, as there are
other forums for that. See <a href="ch-docs.html#s-docs-support">Getting help
from a person, Section 5.5</a>. Only send mail regarding the manual itself to
the above address.
</p>
<p>
To find the latest version of this manual, go to <code><a
href="http://www.debian.org/doc/">http://www.debian.org/doc/</a></code> and
follow the links.
</p>
<hr>
<h2><a name="s-acknowldgements"></a>1.1 Acknowledgements</h2>
<p>
Many people have helped with this manual.
</p>
<p>
The biggest thanks go to Larry Greenfield and his Linux User's Guide, which
formed the basis for the manual. The Linux User's Guide is a part of the Linux
Documentation Project.
</p>
<p>
Many thanks to those who have helped me edit the manual; they have made it far,
far better. If you thought this manual was pleasant to read, send your thanks
to Thalia Hooker and Day Irmiter.
</p>
<p>
Thanks to Richard Stallman of the Free Software Foundation for advice, editing,
and offering to publish the text.
</p>
<p>
Thanks to James Treacy for letting me borrow some of his writings from the
Debian web site.
</p>
<p>
Thanks to everyone who has written parts of the manual: Craig Sawyer wrote
about shells, Ole Tetlie is writing about programming, Oliver Elphick
contributed discussion of some basic utilities, Ivan E. Moore II contributed
the discussion of PPP.
</p>
<p>
Many people have submitted patches and comments, including Eric Fischer and
Mike Touloumtzis.
</p>
<p>
Many thanks to Ardo van Rangelrooij for getting things started and maintaining
the DebianDoc DTD used to write the manual.
</p>
<p>
Of course, it's impossible to thank the hundreds of Debian developers and
thousands of free software authors that gave us something to write about and
use.
</p>
<p>
Thanks also to anyone I left out, since I'm sure I screwed this up. I hope no
one will take offense --- please email me and let me know if your name should
be here.
</p>
<hr>
<p>
[ <a href="index.html">previous</a> ]
[ <a href="index.html#contents">Contents</a> ]
[ 1 ]
[ <a href="ch-introduction.html">2</a> ]
[ <a href="ch-start.html">3</a> ]
[ <a href="ch-basics.html">4</a> ]
[ <a href="ch-docs.html">5</a> ]
[ <a href="ch-shell.html">6</a> ]
[ <a href="ch-files.html">7</a> ]
[ <a href="ch-editor.html">8</a> ]
[ <a href="ch-custom_shell.html">9</a> ]
[ <a href="ch-X.html">10</a> ]
[ <a href="ch-text_tools.html">11</a> ]
[ <a href="ch-file_tools.html">12</a> ]
[ <a href="ch-disks.html">13</a> ]
[ <a href="ch-dpkg.html">14</a> ]
[ <a href="ch-troubleshooting.html">15</a> ]
[ <a href="ch-advanced.html">16</a> ]
[ <a href="ch-next.html">17</a> ]
[ <a href="ch-helping.html">18</a> ]
[ <a href="ap-apps_appendix.html">A</a> ]
[ <a href="ap-components_appendix.html">B</a> ]
[ <a href="ap-booting_appendix.html">C</a> ]
[ <a href="ap-misc_appendix.html">D</a> ]
[ <a href="ch-introduction.html">next</a> ]
</p>
<hr>
<p>
Debian Tutorial (Obsolete Documentation)
</p>
<address>
29 Dezember 2009<br>
<br>
Havoc Pennington <code><a href="mailto:hp@debian.org">hp@debian.org</a></code><br>
<br>
</address>
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