595 lines
26 KiB
HTML
595 lines
26 KiB
HTML
<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0//EN">
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<html>
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<head>
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<meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1">
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<title>Debian Tutorial (Obsolete Documentation) - Reading documentation and getting help</title>
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<link href="index.html" rel="start">
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<link href="ch-basics.html" rel="prev">
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<link href="ch-shell.html" rel="next">
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<link href="index.html#contents" rel="contents">
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<link href="index.html#copyright" rel="copyright">
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<link href="ch-about.html" rel="chapter" title="1 About this manual">
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<link href="ch-introduction.html" rel="chapter" title="2 Introduction">
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<link href="ch-start.html" rel="chapter" title="3 Getting started">
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<link href="ch-basics.html" rel="chapter" title="4 The Basics">
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<link href="ch-docs.html" rel="chapter" title="5 Reading documentation and getting help">
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<link href="ch-shell.html" rel="chapter" title="6 Using the shell">
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<link href="ch-files.html" rel="chapter" title="7 More on files">
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<link href="ch-editor.html" rel="chapter" title="8 Creating and editing text files">
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<link href="ch-custom_shell.html" rel="chapter" title="9 Customizing the shell">
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<link href="ch-X.html" rel="chapter" title="10 The X Window System">
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<link href="ch-text_tools.html" rel="chapter" title="11 Text tools">
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<link href="ch-file_tools.html" rel="chapter" title="12 File tools">
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<link href="ch-disks.html" rel="chapter" title="13 Using disks">
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<link href="ch-dpkg.html" rel="chapter" title="14 Removing and installing software">
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<link href="ch-troubleshooting.html" rel="chapter" title="15 Troubleshooting">
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<link href="ch-advanced.html" rel="chapter" title="16 Advanced topics">
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<link href="ch-next.html" rel="chapter" title="17 Where to from here?">
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<link href="ch-helping.html" rel="chapter" title="18 Contributing to Debian: How can I help?">
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<link href="ap-apps_appendix.html" rel="appendix" title="A A brief survey of available applications">
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<link href="ap-components_appendix.html" rel="appendix" title="B Summary of GNU/Linux system components">
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<link href="ap-booting_appendix.html" rel="appendix" title="C Appendix C: Booting the system">
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<link href="ap-misc_appendix.html" rel="appendix" title="D Miscellaneous">
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<link href="ch-about.html#s-acknowldgements" rel="section" title="1.1 Acknowledgements">
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<link href="ch-introduction.html#s-introduction-debian" rel="section" title="2.1 What is Debian?">
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<link href="ch-introduction.html#s-introduction-DFSG" rel="section" title="2.2 What's free software?">
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<link href="ch-introduction.html#s-introduction-how" rel="section" title="2.3 How to Read This Book">
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<link href="ch-introduction.html#s-introduction-ldp" rel="section" title="2.4 The Linux Documentation Project">
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<link href="ch-start.html#s-start-multi" rel="section" title="3.1 A multiuser, multitasking operating system">
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<link href="ch-start.html#s-start-login" rel="section" title="3.2 Logging in">
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<link href="ch-start.html#s-start-keys" rel="section" title="3.3 Keys">
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<link href="ch-start.html#s-start-commandline" rel="section" title="3.4 Command history and editing the command line">
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<link href="ch-start.html#s-start-root" rel="section" title="3.5 Logging in as root">
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<link href="ch-start.html#s-start-VC" rel="section" title="3.6 Virtual consoles">
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<link href="ch-start.html#s-start-shutdown" rel="section" title="3.7 Shutting down">
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<link href="ch-basics.html#s-basics-commandline" rel="section" title="4.1 The command line and <samp>man</samp> pages">
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<link href="ch-basics.html#s-basics-files" rel="section" title="4.2 Files and Directories">
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<link href="ch-basics.html#s-basics-processes" rel="section" title="4.3 Processes">
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<link href="ch-basics.html#s-basics-shell" rel="section" title="4.4 The shell">
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<link href="ch-basics.html#s-basics-jobs" rel="section" title="4.5 Managing processes with Bash">
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<link href="ch-basics.html#s-basics-bash" rel="section" title="4.6 A few Bash features">
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<link href="ch-basics.html#s-basics-identity" rel="section" title="4.7 Managing your identity">
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<link href="ch-docs.html#s-docs-sources" rel="section" title="5.1 Kinds of documentation">
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<link href="ch-docs.html#s-docs-info" rel="section" title="5.2 Using info">
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<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-howtos" rel="section" title="5.4 HOWTOs">
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<link href="ch-docs.html#s-docs-support" rel="section" title="5.5 Getting help from a person">
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<link href="ch-docs.html#s-docs-sysinfo" rel="section" title="5.6 Getting information from the system">
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<link href="ch-shell.html#s-shell-variables" rel="section" title="6.1 Environment variables">
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<link href="ch-shell.html#s-shell-path" rel="section" title="6.2 Where commands live: the <samp>PATH</samp> variable">
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<link href="ch-shell.html#s-custom_shell-aliases" rel="section" title="6.3 Aliases and shell functions">
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<link href="ch-shell.html#s-shell-io" rel="section" title="6.4 Controlling input and output">
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<link href="ch-shell.html#s-shell-modifiers" rel="section" title="6.5 Specifying how and when to run commands">
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<link href="ch-shell.html#s-shell-wildcards" rel="section" title="6.6 Filename expansion ("Wildcards")">
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<link href="ch-shell.html#s6.7" rel="section" title="6.7 Interactive/non-interactive">
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<link href="ch-files.html#s-files-permissions" rel="section" title="7.1 Permissions">
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<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?">
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<link href="ch-files.html#s-file-manager" rel="section" title="7.3 Using a filemanager">
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<link href="ch-editor.html#s-editor-textfile" rel="section" title="8.1 What's a text file?">
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<link href="ch-editor.html#s-editor-editor" rel="section" title="8.2 Text editors">
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<link href="ch-editor.html#s-editor-vi" rel="section" title="8.3 Creating and editing a text file with <code>vi</code>">
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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-custom_shell.html#s-custom_shell-etc" rel="section" title="9.2 System-wide vs. user-specific configuration">
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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-intro" rel="section" title="10.2 Intro: What is X">
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<link href="ch-X.html#s-X-basics" rel="section" title="10.3 Basic X operations">
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<link href="ch-X.html#s-X-startup" rel="section" title="10.4 Customizing your X startup">
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<link href="ch-text_tools.html#s-text_tools-regexps" rel="section" title="11.1 Regular expressions">
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<link href="ch-file_tools.html#s-file_tools-backup" rel="section" title="12.1 Backup tools">
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<link href="ch-file_tools.html#s-file_tools-compression" rel="section" title="12.2 File compression with <samp>gzip</samp>">
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<link href="ch-file_tools.html#s-file_tools-split" rel="section" title="12.3 Splitting files into smaller pieces">
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<link href="ch-file_tools.html#s-file_tools-find" rel="section" title="12.4 Finding files">
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<link href="ch-file_tools.html#s-file_tools-file" rel="section" title="12.5 Determining a file's contents">
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<link href="ch-disks.html#s-disks-concepts" rel="section" title="13.1 Concepts">
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<link href="ch-disks.html#s-disks-mount" rel="section" title="13.2 <samp>mount</samp> and <samp>/etc/fstab</samp>">
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<link href="ch-disks.html#s-network-ppp" rel="section" title="13.3 PPP">
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<link href="ch-dpkg.html#s-dpkg-dpkg" rel="section" title="14.1 The <code>dpkg</code> package utility">
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<link href="ch-dpkg.html#s-dpkg-what" rel="section" title="14.2 What a package maintenance utility does">
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<link href="ch-dpkg.html#s-dpkg-apt" rel="section" title="14.3 Apt">
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<link href="ch-dpkg.html#s-dpkg-dselect" rel="section" title="14.4 Using dselect.">
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<link href="ch-dpkg.html#s-dpkg-commandline" rel="section" title="14.5 Using dpkg manually">
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<link href="ch-dpkg.html#s-dpkg-compiling" rel="section" title="14.6 Compiling software yourself">
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<link href="ch-dpkg.html#s-dpkg-proprietary" rel="section" title="14.7 Proprietary software not in .deb format">
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<link href="ch-troubleshooting.html#s-troubleshooting-frozen" rel="section" title="15.1 Debian is frozen or crashed!">
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<link href="ch-troubleshooting.html#s-troubleshooting-termgarbage" rel="section" title="15.2 My terminal isn't behaving properly">
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<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.">
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<link href="ch-advanced.html#s-advanced-scripting" rel="section" title="16.1 Introduction to shell scripting">
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<link href="ch-advanced.html#s-advanced-files" rel="section" title="16.2 Advanced files">
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<link href="ch-advanced.html#s-advanced-kernel" rel="section" title="16.3 Compiling the kernel">
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<link href="ch-advanced.html#s-advanced-security" rel="section" title="16.4 A few words on security">
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<link href="ch-advanced.html#s-advanced-programming" rel="section" title="16.5 Programming on Linux">
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<link href="ch-next.html#s-next-manuals" rel="section" title="17.1 Other Debian manuals to read">
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<link href="ch-next.html#s-next-resources" rel="section" title="17.2 Other resources">
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<link href="ch-helping.html#s-helping-bugs" rel="section" title="18.1 Submit bug reports">
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<link href="ch-helping.html#s-helping-other" rel="section" title="18.2 Other things">
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<link href="ap-apps_appendix.html#s-A_apps-whatever" rel="section" title="A.1 (Subheadings could copy the structure of the menu system)">
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<link href="ap-misc_appendix.html#s-unix-history" rel="section" title="D.1 Unix History">
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<link href="ap-misc_appendix.html#sD.2" rel="section" title="D.2 GNU/Linux History">
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<link href="ap-misc_appendix.html#sD.3" rel="section" title="D.3 The Linux kernel's version numbering">
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<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?">
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<link href="ch-introduction.html#s-introduction-debian-how" rel="subsection" title="2.1.2 Who creates Debian?">
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<link href="ch-basics.html#s-basics-commandline-description" rel="subsection" title="4.1.1 Describing the command line">
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<link href="ch-basics.html#s-basics-files-intro" rel="subsection" title="4.2.1 Introduction to files">
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<link href="ch-basics.html#s-basics-files-using" rel="subsection" title="4.2.2 Using files: a tutorial">
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<link href="ch-basics.html#s-basics-bash-completion" rel="subsection" title="4.6.1 Tab Completion">
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<link href="ch-docs.html#s-docs-support-posting" rel="subsection" title="5.5.1 Dos and Don'ts of asking a question">
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<link href="ch-shell.html#s-shell-variables-parents" rel="subsection" title="6.1.1 Parent and child processes">
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<link href="ch-shell.html#s-interactive-shells" rel="subsection" title="6.7.1 Interactive shells">
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<link href="ch-files.html#s-files-permissions-groups" rel="subsection" title="7.1.1 File Ownership">
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<link href="ch-files.html#s-files-permissions-mode" rel="subsection" title="7.1.2 Mode">
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<link href="ch-files.html#s-files-permissions-tutorial" rel="subsection" title="7.1.3 Permissions in practice">
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<link href="ch-editor.html#s-editor-vi-creating" rel="subsection" title="8.3.1 Creating a file">
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<link href="ch-editor.html#s-editor-vi-editing" rel="subsection" title="8.3.2 Editing an existing file">
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<link href="ch-editor.html#s-editor-vi-editing-movement" rel="subsection" title="8.3.2.1 Moving around in a file">
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<link href="ch-editor.html#s-editor-vi-editing-deletion" rel="subsection" title="8.3.2.2 Deleting text">
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<link href="ch-editor.html#s-editor-vi-editing-moremoving" rel="subsection" title="8.3.2.3 Sophisticated movement">
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<link href="ch-editor.html#s-editor-vi-editing-numbers" rel="subsection" title="8.3.2.4 Repeating commands">
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<link href="ch-editor.html#s-editor-vi-editing-advanced" rel="subsection" title="8.3.2.5 Advanced reference">
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<link href="ch-X.html#s-X-basics-mouse" rel="subsection" title="10.3.1 The mouse">
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<link href="ch-X.html#s-X-basics-clients" rel="subsection" title="10.3.2 X clients">
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<link href="ch-X.html#s-X-basics-trouble" rel="subsection" title="10.3.3 Troubleshooting">
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<link href="ch-X.html#s-X-basics-leaving" rel="subsection" title="10.3.4 Leaving the X environment">
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<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-cdromexample" rel="subsection" title="13.2.2 Example: Mounting a CD-ROM">
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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">
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<link href="ch-disks.html#s-disks-mount-removable" rel="subsection" title="13.2.4 Removable disks (floppies, Zip disks, etc.)">
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<link href="ch-disks.html#s-network-ppp-introduction" rel="subsection" title="13.3.1 Introduction">
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<link href="ch-disks.html#s-network-ppp-preparation" rel="subsection" title="13.3.2 Preparation">
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<link href="ch-disks.html#s-network-ppp-wvdial" rel="subsection" title="13.3.3 The Easy Way: <samp>wvdial</samp>">
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<link href="ch-disks.html#s-network-ppp-pppd" rel="subsection" title="13.3.4 Doing It Manually">
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<link href="ch-dpkg.html#s-apt-config" rel="subsection" title="14.3.1 Configuring Apt">
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<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-why" rel="subsection" title="16.1.1 What and why">
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<link href="ch-advanced.html#s-advanced-scripting-example" rel="subsection" title="16.1.2 A simple example">
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<link href="ch-advanced.html#s-advanced-files-hardlinks" rel="subsection" title="16.2.1 The real nature of files: hard links and inodes">
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<link href="ch-advanced.html#s-advanced-files-types" rel="subsection" title="16.2.2 Types of files">
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<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-files-misc-types-devices" rel="subsection" title="16.2.2.2 Device files">
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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>">
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<link href="ch-advanced.html#s-advanced-files-types-pipes" rel="subsection" title="16.2.2.3 Named pipes (FIFOs)">
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<link href="ch-advanced.html#s-advanced-files-types-sockets" rel="subsection" title="16.2.2.4 Sockets">
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<link href="ch-advanced.html#s-advanced-files-proc" rel="subsection" title="16.2.3 The <samp>proc</samp> filesystem">
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<link href="ch-advanced.html#s-advanced-files-permissions" rel="subsection" title="16.2.4 Advanced aspects of file permissions">
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<link href="ch-advanced.html#s-advanced-files-permissions-absolute" rel="subsection" title="16.2.4.1 Using numeric arguments with <samp>chmod</samp>">
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<link href="ch-advanced.html#s-advanced-files-chattr" rel="subsection" title="16.2.5 chattr">
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<link href="ch-advanced.html#s-advanced-files-copying" rel="subsection" title="16.2.6 Large-scale copying">
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<link href="ch-advanced.html#s-advanced-files-undocumented" rel="subsection" title="16.2.7 Other concepts not yet covered, but should be">
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</head>
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<body>
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<p><a name="ch-docs"></a></p>
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<hr>
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<p>
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[ <a href="ch-basics.html">previous</a> ]
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[ <a href="index.html#contents">Contents</a> ]
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[ <a href="ch-about.html">1</a> ]
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[ <a href="ch-introduction.html">2</a> ]
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[ <a href="ch-start.html">3</a> ]
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[ <a href="ch-basics.html">4</a> ]
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[ 5 ]
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[ <a href="ch-shell.html">6</a> ]
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[ <a href="ch-files.html">7</a> ]
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[ <a href="ch-editor.html">8</a> ]
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[ <a href="ch-custom_shell.html">9</a> ]
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[ <a href="ch-X.html">10</a> ]
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[ <a href="ch-text_tools.html">11</a> ]
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[ <a href="ch-file_tools.html">12</a> ]
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[ <a href="ch-disks.html">13</a> ]
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[ <a href="ch-dpkg.html">14</a> ]
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[ <a href="ch-troubleshooting.html">15</a> ]
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[ <a href="ch-advanced.html">16</a> ]
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[ <a href="ch-next.html">17</a> ]
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[ <a href="ch-helping.html">18</a> ]
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[ <a href="ap-apps_appendix.html">A</a> ]
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[ <a href="ap-components_appendix.html">B</a> ]
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[ <a href="ap-booting_appendix.html">C</a> ]
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[ <a href="ap-misc_appendix.html">D</a> ]
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[ <a href="ch-shell.html">next</a> ]
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</p>
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<hr>
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<h1>
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Debian Tutorial (Obsolete Documentation)
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<br>Chapter 5 - Reading documentation and getting help
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</h1>
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<hr>
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<h2><a name="s-docs-sources"></a>5.1 Kinds of documentation</h2>
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<p>
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Unfortunately documentation on Unix-like systems is a little disorganized. On
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Debian, you can find documentation in at least the following places:
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</p>
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<ul>
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<li>
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<p>
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<samp>man</samp> pages, read with the <samp>man</samp> command.
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</p>
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</li>
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</ul>
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<ul>
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<li>
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<p>
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<samp>info</samp> pages, read with the <samp>info</samp> command.
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</p>
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</li>
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</ul>
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<ul>
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<li>
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<p>
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The <samp>/usr/doc/<var>package</var></samp> directories, where
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<var>package</var> is the name of the Debian package.
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</p>
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</li>
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</ul>
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<ul>
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<li>
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<p>
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<samp>/usr/doc/HOWTO/</samp> contains the Linux Documentation Project's HOWTO
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documents, if you've installed the Debian packages containing them.
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</p>
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</li>
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</ul>
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<ul>
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<li>
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<p>
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Many commands have a <samp>-h</samp> or <samp>--help</samp> option. Type the
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command name followed by one of these options to try it.
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</p>
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</li>
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</ul>
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<ul>
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<li>
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<p>
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The Debian Documentation Project has written some manuals, including this one.
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Check out <code><a href="http://www.debian.org/doc/ddp">their home
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page</a></code>.
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</p>
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</li>
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</ul>
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<ul>
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<li>
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<p>
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The <code><a href="http://www.debian.org/support/">Debian support
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page</a></code> has a FAQ and other resources. You can also try the <code><a
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href="http://www.linux.org">Linux web site</a></code>.
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</p>
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</li>
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</ul>
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<ul>
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<li>
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<p>
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You can buy many proprietary books with helpful information. Most people
|
|
praise the O'Reilly brand very highly. However, do consider supporting freely
|
|
modifiable and redistributable manuals such as this one when possible. If you
|
|
want hard copy, purchasing free manuals from the Free Software Foundation
|
|
(available at many bookstores, such as Borders, and direct from the FSF)
|
|
supports the creation of more free software.
|
|
</p>
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
The confusing variety of documentation sources exists for many reasons. For
|
|
example, <samp>info</samp> is supposed to replace <samp>man</samp>, but
|
|
<samp>man</samp> hasn't disappeared yet. However, it's nice to know that so
|
|
much documentation exists!
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
So where to look for help? Here are some suggestions:
|
|
</p>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
<p>
|
|
Use the <samp>man</samp> pages and the <samp>--help</samp> or <samp>-h</samp>
|
|
option to get a quick summary of a command's syntax and options. Also use
|
|
<samp>man</samp> if a program doesn't yet have an <samp>info</samp> page.
|
|
</p>
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
<p>
|
|
Use <samp>info</samp> if a program has <samp>info</samp> documentation.
|
|
</p>
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
<p>
|
|
If neither of those work, look in <samp>/usr/doc/<var>packagename</var></samp>.
|
|
</p>
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
<p>
|
|
<samp>/usr/doc/<var>packagename</var></samp> often has Debian-specific
|
|
information, even if there's a man page or info page.
|
|
</p>
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
<p>
|
|
Use the <samp>HOWTOs</samp> for instructions on how to set up a particular
|
|
thing, or information on your particular hardware. For example, the Ethernet
|
|
HOWTO has a wealth of information on ethernet cards, and the PPP HOWTO explains
|
|
in detail how to set up PPP.
|
|
</p>
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
<p>
|
|
Use the Debian Documentation Project manuals for conceptual explanations and
|
|
Debian-specific information.
|
|
</p>
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
<p>
|
|
If all else fails, ask someone. See <a href="#s-docs-support">Getting help
|
|
from a person, Section 5.5</a>.
|
|
</p>
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
Using <samp>man</samp> pages is discussed above in <a
|
|
href="ch-basics.html#s-basics-commandline">The command line and
|
|
<samp>man</samp> pages, Section 4.1</a>. (It's very simple: press the spacebar
|
|
to go to the next page, and press <samp>q</samp> to quit reading.)
|
|
<samp>info</samp>, viewing files in <samp>/usr/doc</samp>, and asking for help
|
|
from a person are all discussed in this chapter.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<hr>
|
|
|
|
<h2><a name="s-docs-info"></a>5.2 Using info</h2>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
A brief keystroke summary/tutorial, mention TkInfo, apologize for ridiculous
|
|
keystrokes.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<hr>
|
|
|
|
<h2><a name="s-docs-textfiles"></a>5.3 Viewing text files with more and less</h2>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
Use these to view some docs. Mention zless and when to use it.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<hr>
|
|
|
|
<h2><a name="s-docs-howtos"></a>5.4 HOWTOs</h2>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
In addition to their books, the Linux Documentation Project has made a series
|
|
of short documents describing how to set up a particular aspect of GNU/Linux.
|
|
For instance, the SCSI-HOWTO describes some of the complications of using SCSI
|
|
--- a standard way of talking to devices --- with GNU/Linux. In general, the
|
|
HOWTOs have more specific information about particular hardware configurations,
|
|
and will be more up to date than this manual.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
There are Debian packages for the HOWTOs. <var>doc-linux-text</var> contains
|
|
the various HOWTOs in text form; while the <var>doc-linux-html</var> package
|
|
contains the HOWTOs in (surprise!) browsable HTML format. Note also that
|
|
Debian has packaged translations of the HOWTOs in various languages that you
|
|
may prefer if English is not your native language. [<a
|
|
href="footnotes.html#f9" name="fr9">9</a>] If you've installed one of these,
|
|
you should have them in <samp>/usr/doc/HOWTO</samp>. However, you may be able
|
|
to find more recent versions on the net on the <code><a
|
|
href="http://sunsite.unc.edu/LDP/">LDP Project home page</a></code>.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<hr>
|
|
|
|
<h2><a name="s-docs-support"></a>5.5 Getting help from a person</h2>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
The correct place to ask for help with Debian is the debian-user mailing list
|
|
<code><a
|
|
href="mailto:debian-user@lists.debian.org">debian-user@lists.debian.org</a></code>.
|
|
If you know how to use IRC (Internet Relay Chat), there is a
|
|
<samp>#debian</samp> channel on <samp>irc.debian.org</samp>. You can find
|
|
general GNU/Linux help on the <samp>comp.os.linux.*</samp> Usenet hierarchy.
|
|
You can search past Usenet questions and answers with the <code><a
|
|
href="http://www.dejanews.com">DejaNews service</a></code>. It is also
|
|
possible to hire paid consultants to provide guaranteed support services.
|
|
<code><a href="http://www.debian.org">The Debian web site</a></code> has more
|
|
information on many of these resources.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
Again, please <em>do not</em> ask the authors of this tutorial for help. We
|
|
probably don't know the answer to your specific problem anyway; if you mail
|
|
<samp>debian-user</samp>, you will get higher-quality responses, and more
|
|
quickly.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
Always be polite and make an effort to help yourself by reading the
|
|
documentation. Remember, Debian is a volunteer effort and people are doing you
|
|
a favor by giving their time to help you. Many of them charge hundreds of
|
|
dollars for the same services during the day.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<hr>
|
|
|
|
<h3><a name="s-docs-support-posting"></a>5.5.1 Dos and Don'ts of asking a question</h3>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
<p>
|
|
DO read the obvious documentation first. Things like command options and what
|
|
a command does will be there.
|
|
</p>
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
<p>
|
|
DO check the HOWTO documents if your question is about setting up something,
|
|
such as PPP or Ethernet.
|
|
</p>
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
<p>
|
|
DO try to be sure the answer isn't in this tutorial (though we realize an index
|
|
would be helpful---we're working on it!).
|
|
</p>
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
<p>
|
|
DON'T be afraid to ask, after you've made a basic effort to look it up.
|
|
</p>
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
<p>
|
|
DON'T be afraid to ask for conceptual explanations, advices, and other things
|
|
not often found in the documentation.
|
|
</p>
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
<p>
|
|
DO include any information that seems relevant. You'll almost always want to
|
|
mention the version of Debian you're using. You may also want to mention the
|
|
version of any pertinent packages: the command <samp>dpkg --status
|
|
<var>packagename</var></samp> will tell you this. It's also useful to say what
|
|
you've tried so far and what happened. Please include the exact error
|
|
messages, if any.
|
|
</p>
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
<p>
|
|
DON'T apologize for your ignorance, or make excuses for being a newbie.
|
|
There's no reason everyone should be a GNU/Linux expert to use it, any more
|
|
than everyone should be a mechanic to use a car.
|
|
</p>
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
<p>
|
|
DON'T post or mail in HTML. Some versions of Netscape and Internet Explorer
|
|
will post in HTML rather than plain text. Most people will not even read these
|
|
posts, because they are difficult to read in most mail programs. There should
|
|
be a setting somewhere in the preferences to disable HTML.
|
|
</p>
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
<p>
|
|
DO be polite. Remember that Debian is an all-volunteer effort, and anyone who
|
|
helps you is doing it just because they're a nice person.
|
|
</p>
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
<p>
|
|
DO re-mail your question to the list if you've gotten no responses after
|
|
several days. Perhaps there were lots of messages and it was overlooked. Or
|
|
perhaps no one knows the answer --- if no one answers the second time, this is
|
|
a good bet. You might want to try including more information the second time.
|
|
</p>
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
<p>
|
|
DO answer questions yourself, when you know the answer. Debian depends on
|
|
everyone doing their part --- if you ask a question, and later on someone else
|
|
asks the same question, you'll know how to answer it. Do so!
|
|
</p>
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
|
|
<hr>
|
|
|
|
<h2><a name="s-docs-sysinfo"></a>5.6 Getting information from the system</h2>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
When diagnosing problems or asking for help, you'll need to get information
|
|
about your system. Here are some ways to do so.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
/var/log/*, dmesg, uname -a
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<hr>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
[ <a href="ch-basics.html">previous</a> ]
|
|
[ <a href="index.html#contents">Contents</a> ]
|
|
[ <a href="ch-about.html">1</a> ]
|
|
[ <a href="ch-introduction.html">2</a> ]
|
|
[ <a href="ch-start.html">3</a> ]
|
|
[ <a href="ch-basics.html">4</a> ]
|
|
[ 5 ]
|
|
[ <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-shell.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>
|
|
<hr>
|
|
|
|
</body>
|
|
|
|
</html>
|
|
|