LDP Weekly News

The Linux Documentation Project Weekly News

Issue Number : 31
Publication Date : 2003-11-25
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Table of Contents
1. New documents
    1.1. Fresh@LDP
    1.2. Proposed new documents
    1.3. Submitted for review
   
   
2. Updates
    2.1. HOWTOs
   
   
3. Happenings in the LDP world
    3.1. LDP Documentation License
   
   
4. Feedback and Contributions

1. New documents

1.1. Fresh@LDP

  * Lars Strand's Linux Mobile IPv6 HOWTO, describing the software and
    procedures to set up and use mobile IPv6 for Linux.
   
  * Manoj Warrier, Shishir Deshpande and V. S. Ashoka's Scientific Computing
    with Free GNU/Linux Software HOWTO. The document aims to show how a PC
    running GNU/Linux can be used for scientific computing. It lists the
    various available free software and also links on the world wide web to
    tutorials on getting started with the tools.
   

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1.2. Proposed new documents

>From the feedback mailinglist: how about a Windows-Linux Analogy HOWTO? This
would be a HOWTO describing what to do in order to run your favorite
Microsoft Windows tasks and programs on a Linux machine. If you ever had
trouble migrating and you found solutions, then your input might be of great
value! There is a resource at [http://www.ndeepak.info/stuff/linux/linapps.php]
that attempts at helping the users of MS Windows to make an easy transition
from their OS to GNU/Linux.
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1.3. Submitted for review

It seems there is some confusion about this section. So, in order to make it
extra clear for the reader:

The purpose of this section is to help authors gather feedback. Your
constructive criticism is very welcome!

  * Alex Weeks has taken it on him to update the 
    [http://tldp.org/LDP/sag/index.html]
    Linux System Administrator's Guide. He's started cleaning
    out, and already added a new part about NTP, the Network Time Protocol.
    The SAG was originally authored by some quite famous people, so we would
    like to wish Alex strength, patience and courage so as to be a worthy
    successor. He might need your help, however, so please check out the
    current version and let Alex know what else you think is missing.
   
  * Werner Heuser submitted a new edition of the Laptop HOWTO. Since this
    one, apart from laptops, also covers PDA and mobile telephone
    configuration topics - which presumably made it a lot longer, Werner
    would like to rename his document to be the "Linux Mobile Guide". Since
    these are big changes and since we are, after all, on the high of a
    re-styling wave, Tabatha subsequently suggested to give this new addition
    to our Guides collection a thorough review. Werner agreed, so Tabatha is
    looking for a volunteer now. *hint* ;-)
   
  * And this post proves that we can never have enough volunteers. Imagine
    that you, like Lars Strand, ask for comments on your work. You've
    actively participated in other discussions, you are enthusiastic about
    being a first time author and all, but after some days it proves that you
    get no reaction whatsoever. So we'd like to address a request to our dear
    readers: our authors do wish to to hear comments on their documents! Even
    if it's just a spelling correction, they appreciate that, and will most
    likely personally tell you so. And then you will have an authentic
    E-mail, personally directed to you, from one of our authors! And you will
    be able to honestly brag about your participation in an Open Source
    project ;-)
   
  * Artemiy Pavlov submitted the first version of his
    [http://linuxdoc.artemio.net/squashfs] 
    SquashFS HOWTO. SquashFS is a file system
    for small Linux implementations, which is for instance needed for
    embedded systems (on a computer chip) or on flash memory. SquashFS uses a
    strong compression mechanism that squeezes the last drop out of every
    available bit. It is a read-only file system, so it's ideal for archiving
    purposes. If you want SquashFS support, you need a kernel patch and maybe
    the mksquashfs command to create these "squashed" file systems.
   
  * Niko Sauer submitted the USB Flash Memory HOWTO, a new document.
   

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2. Updates

2.1. HOWTOs

  * Ian Ward found a small error having to do with the lpadmin command (to
    administer printers), which he corrected in v1.3 of the Debian and
    Windows Shared Printing mini-HOWTO.
   
  * David S.Lawyer's [http://tldp.org/HOWTO/Modem-HOWTO.html] Modem-HOWTO has
    been updated to v0.31 with the sections on Mgetty dial-in and setserial
    re-written.
   
  * Ari Mäkelä submitted the v2.0.21 of his [http://tldp.org/HOWTO/Finnish-HOWTO/]
    Finnish HOWTO with a lang="fi" attribute to the book
    element and a few language corrections.
   
  * The [http://tldp.org/HOWTO/Serial-HOWTO.html] Serial HOWTO written
    originally by Greg Hankins and now being maintained by David S.Lawyer has
    been updated to v2.21 with the Kernel compile USB options for serial
    ports and a revised setserial section.
   
  * David S. Lawyer sent in v1.33 of his [http://tldp.org/HOWTO/Text-Terminal-HOWTO.html]
    Text-Terminal-HOWTO with a revised setserial section.
   

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3. Happenings in the LDP world

3.1. LDP Documentation License

Rahul Sundaram was
 [http://lists.tldp.org/index.cgi?1:mss:5619:200311:ihpahginmljdgbhooeje]
looking into GNU FDL issues in Debian and asked if OPL
(Open Publication License [http://www.opencontent.org/opl.shtml]
without any restrictions had any issues and
what people think in general about documentation licenses. David Lawyer
[http://lists.tldp.org/index.cgi?1:mss:5625:200311:claiepedajakajhoajgg]
said that that LDP needs to create it's own license and prevent documentation
abuse. Andy Oram [http://lists.tldp.org/index.cgi?1:mss:5637:200311:dokpachmpofmkohiengn]
suggested that the LDP should contact the Creative
Commons for help. Somewhere in the discussion, Colin Watson 
[http://lists.tldp.org/index.cgi?1:mss:5689:200311:apcdgkbgafajaibhibkf]
explained why Rodolfo J. Paiz's ideas of protection of documentation were
 not in the spirit of freedom and how freedom applied to documentation just
 like it would apply to software.
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4. Feedback and Contributions

The Linux Documentation Project (TLDP) is working on developing free, high
quality documentation for the GNU/Linux operating system. Announcements about
TLDP are made via <announce-subscribe@en.tldp.org>. If you want to help TLDP,
take a look at the tasks page, and consider joining <discuss-subscribe@en.tldp.org>.

Help us create this newsletter. We need volunteers who follow the community
(mailing lists, newsgroups, web channels) and report events related to free
software documentation. Write to us at <feedback@en.tldp.org>.

LDP Weekly News is compiled and edited by Machtelt Garrels and Y Giridhar
Appaji Nag with help from several other people.