[Gnoppix-devel] Re: Gnoppix Documentation entries

[Ramanan Selvaratnam]

> Maybe you talk private with me how the structure of a Doc-Section has to
> be in detail

Yes. The details is best done in private instead of flooding the devel
list. Anyone serious about doc writing please join in a private loop 
where we can plan more in detail.  Once that is done bring it out public
and probably open up it up through the best Wiki that is available to
us. Otherwise we will go in circles without any authoritative docs. With
stuff like writing to MBR, deleting partions etc going to be documented
authoritativeness is important IMHO.

Also Gnoppix is going to go places.

So here is an overview 

There is to be two manuals (atleast)

1/ Reference
2/ User

1/  We need as much Debian and Gnome expertise as possible for this. I
think with the correct infrastructure in place this should turn out to
be good quality. The DDP seems very good as of recently. The GDP, well
it is doing better for the developer section. So less overlap as
possible but everything that is Gnoppix specific needed for anyone who
would need to customise packages, configurations or even tweak any code.
Any other needs ?

Some compulsory  chapters I can think about ...
-- merits of Gnobian
-- howto customise a boot image (backgrounds, themes, few default files)
-- howto remaster with deep gory changes (second priority for now)
-- kernel (config, alternative kernels? ...)
-- unique technologies (XFS, cloop, discover ...)
-- special needs (small like USB stick, Open Mosix, Terminal server...)
-- security
-- ...
Please add/edit 

2/ Well GNOME 2 docs end user docs still suck. Could be like this for a
long time to come. Yelp is very nice and handy though. Also new software
in Gnome beta or even not at all, will be installed by default (see next
mail).  So a detailed how to almost use a mouse type of manual.

Start with a how to use every known software free or non-free to burn
that bootable CD. Also bit on download technologies (bitstream, rsync)
Then get into lcture mode on the merits of FS and why everyone should be
free etc.
Then the parts that definitely need covering are 
-- howto use boot options
-- XF86 Config ...in case and how to report problems if it does not work
-- hardware issues and how not to panick and be useful everyone
(advocacy again on how to nag about the vendor)
-- how to use a mouse ... just to point out that be very basic
Probably a getting started guide that can be abstracted out if it gets
too big. All the l10n guide could fit in here.
(the trick is to keep sections as seperate as possible in a  way one can
skip chapters as it should be suggested at a beggining stage.  Some
topics I can think of are  necessary command line, becoming root, adding
users, doing somethig useful like games, gimp and maybe office software,
printing, surfing, ...)
-- networks (Home needs to large networks so everything ... dhcp, ldap,
samba share, network file storage, everything woreless, ..., advice and
pointers on how to rebel if the system and/or admin sucks, more
advocacy)
-- save config (every possible imaginable way)
-- HD install (name of the person to be sued :)
-- Debian power (aims, mirrors, ... etc)
-- Gnome and Gconf related customisability also why GNU rocks)
-- special place holder chapter in the correct place that rants about
how great Gnoppix is (so others can remove it and replace it with how
great they are)
-- How to submit docb patches/use the wiki
-- ...

This is a big job but keep ideas and suggestions coming in for a week or
two. Well forever really as this doc will keep moving but in stages.

I am sleepy so I definitely missed a lot with the user docs.

The FAQ is totally seperate and best be genuine about it. ie, whatever
question that go t asked in knoppix too much goes into our beta FAQ ;)


All the best,

Ramanan