A.1 Online Documents

These documents should be available on any of the Linux FTP archive sites (see Appendix C for a list). If you do not have direct access to FTP, you may be able to locate these documents on other online services (such as CompuServe, local BBS's, and so on). If you have access to Internet mail, you can use the ftpmail service to receive these docucments. See Appendix C for more information.

In particular, the following documents may be found on sunsite.unc.edu in the directory /pub/Linux/docs. Many sites mirror this directory; however, if you're unable to locate a mirror site near you, this is a good one to fall back on.

You can also access Linux files and documentation using gopher. Just point your gopher client to port 70 on sunsite.unc.edu, and follow the menus to the Linux archive. This is a good way to browse Linux documentation interactively.

The Linux Frequently Asked Questions List

    The Linux Frequently Asked Questions list, or ``FAQ'', is a list of common questions (and answers!) about Linux. This document is meant to provide a general source of information about Linux, common problems and solutions, and a list of other sources of information. Every new Linux user should read this document. It is available in a number of formats, including plain ASCII, PostScript, and Lout typesetter format. The Linux FAQ is maintained by Ian Jackson, ijackson@nyx.cs.du.edu.

The Linux META-FAQ

The META-FAQ is a collection of ``metaquestions'' about Linux; that is, sources of information about the Linux system, and other general topics. It is a good starting place for the Internet user wishing to find more information about the system. It is maintained by Michael K. Johnson, johnsonm@sunsite.unc.edu.

The Linux INFO-SHEET

The Linux INFO-SHEET is a technical introduction to the Linux system. It gives an overview of the system's features and available software, and also provides a list of other sources of Linux information. The format and content is similar in nature to the META-FAQ; incidentally, it is also maintained by Michael K. Johnson.

The Linux Software Map

  The Linux Software Map is a list of many applications available for Linux, where to get them, who maintains them, and so forth. It is far from complete---to compile a complete list of Linux software would be nearly impossible. However, it does include many of the most popular Linux software packages. If you can't find a particular application to suit your needs, the LSM is a good place to start. It is maintained by Lars Wirzenius, lars.wirzenius@helsinki.fi.

The Linux HOWTO Index

    The Linux HOWTOs are a collection of ``how to'' documents, each describing in detail a certain aspect of the Linux system. They are maintained by Matt Welsh, mdw@sunsite.unc.edu. The HOWTO Index lists the HOWTO documents which are available (several of which are listed below).

The Linux Installation HOWTO

The Linux Installation HOWTO describes how to obtain and install a distribution of Linux, similar to the information presented in Chapter 2.

The Linux Distribution HOWTO

This document is a list of Linux distributions available via mail order and anonymous FTP. It also includes information on other Linux-related goodies and services. Appendix B contains a list of Linux vendors, many of which are listed in the Distribution HOWTO.

The Linux XFree86 HOWTO

This document describes how to install and configure the X Window System software for Linux. See the section ``5.1'' for more about the X Window System.

The Linux Mail, News, and UUCP HOWTOs

These three HOWTO documents describe configuration and setup of electronic mail, news, and UUCP communications on a Linux system. Because these three subjects are often intertwined, you may wish to read all three of these HOWTOs together.

The Linux Hardware HOWTO

This HOWTO contains an extensive list of hardware supported by Linux. While this list is far from complete, it should give you a general picture of which hardware devices should be supported by the system.

The Linux SCSI HOWTO

The Linux SCSI HOWTO is a complete guide to configuration and usage of SCSI devices under Linux, such as hard drives, tape drives and CD-ROM.

The Linux NET-2-HOWTO

The Linux NET-2-HOWTO describes installation, setup, and configuration of the ``NET-2'' TCP/IP software under Linux, including SLIP. If you want to use TCP/IP on your Linux system, this document is a must read.

The Linux Ethernet HOWTO

Closely related to the NET-2-HOWTO, the Ethernet HOWTO describes the various Ethernet devices supported by Linux, and explains how to configure each of them for use by the Linux TCP/IP software.

The Linux Printing HOWTO

This document describes how to configure printing software under Linux, such as lpr. Configuration of printers and printing software under UNIX can be very confusing at times; this document sheds some light on the subject.

Other online documents

If you browse the docs subdirectory of any Linux FTP site, you'll see many other documents which are not listed here: A slew of FAQ's, interesting tidbits, and other important information. This miscellany is difficult to categorize here; if you don't see what you're looking for on the list above, just take a look at one of the Linux archive sites listed in Appendix C.