LDP Weekly News

The Linux Documentation Project Weekly News

Issue Number : 29
Publication Date : 2003-11-12
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Table of Contents
1. New documents
    1.1. Fresh-AT-LDP
    1.2. Submitted for review
   
   
2. Updates
    2.1. HOWTOs and FAQs
    2.2. Guides
   
   
3. Happenings in the LDP world
    3.1. HOWTOs Lacking Depth
    3.2. Document Rating System
    3.3. LDP HOWTO Generator
   
   
4. Feedback and Contributions

1. New documents

1.1. Fresh-AT-LDP

Chr. Clemens Lee sent in version 1.0 of the [http://tldp.org/HOWTO/
Debian-Binary-Package-Building-HOWTO/] Debian Binary Package Building
mini-HOWTO. The document explains how to build a minimal Debian (.deb)
package for use on your systems.
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1.2. Submitted for review

  * The [http://lists.tldp.org/index.cgi?5:mss:6293:200311:
    mbdklnaholglploocmcg] PDF version of the DNS HOWTO. This document dates
    back to 2001 but does discuss Bind 9 configuration. However, be sure to
    download the latest release when working with Bind (fixes among other
    issues security issues with parameters discussed in Chapter 6 of the
    HOWTO).
   
  * Tabatha Marshall, our Review Coordinator, took over the Reviewer HOWTO
    and [http://lists.tldp.org/index.cgi?5:mss:6298:200311:
    pmapkiilecbpmbglfjpl] converted it to XML, checked the links and made it
    reflect the current review process.
   

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2. Updates

2.1. HOWTOs and FAQs

  * By Rick Moen: the [http://tldp.org/FAQ/WordPerfect-Linux-FAQ] WordPerfect
    on Linux FAQ, v1.4.14.
   
  * Rahul Sundaram, published v1.1 of his [http://tldp.org/FAQ/LDP-FAQ/]
    Linux Documentation (LDP) FAQ. A good reread of the initial release
    corrected spelling mistakes and puts the finishing touch on the content.
   
  * Giles Orr will some day be at the top of one of our edition. Meanwhile,
    here's v0.93 of his [http://tldp.org/HOWTO/Bash-Prompt-HOWTO/] Bash
    Prompt HOWTO (not to be mistaken for the [http://www.tldp.org/LDP/abs/
    html/index.html] Advanced Bash Scripting Guide or the [http://
    www.ibiblio.org/mdw/HOWTO/Bash-Prog-Intro-HOWTO.html] Bash Programming -
    Introduction HOWTO).
   
  * This is not a mistake. We can hardly keep up with Miroslav Skoric. Here
    are the new versions of his [http://tldp.org/HOWTO/FBB.html] FBB
    Packet-radio BBS mini-HOWTO v1.27; [http://tldp.org/HOWTO/LILO.html] LILO
    mini-HOWTO v3.16 and [http://tldp.org/HOWTO/Linux+WinNT.html]
    Linux+WindowsNT mini-HOWTO v2.16.
   
  * David Ranch's [http://tldp.org/HOWTO/IP-Masquerade-HOWTO/] Linux IP
    Masquerade HOWTO reached version 2.0, worth to mention.
   
  * The XFree Local Multi-User HOWTO by Svetoslav Slavtchev is now at v1.3
   

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2.2. Guides

  * The Pocket Linux Guide by David Horton at v2.0.
   
  * Gerard Beekmans published v5.0 of the [http://www.tldp.org/LDP/lfs/html/]
    Linux From Scratch HOWTO.
   
  * Also from David Ranch, the TrinityOS Guide. This document is a
    step-by-step example-driven explanation of how to build a very functional
    Linux box with a strong emphasis on security. In [http://
    www.ecst.csuchico.edu/~dranch/LINUX/index-linux.html#trinityos] the new
    version David fixes version numbering issues on many of the daemons he
    mentions, and corrects a couple of statements having to do with the
    different Linux Distributions.
   

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3. Happenings in the LDP world

3.1. HOWTOs Lacking Depth

 A long discussion ensued following a [http://lists.tldp.org/index.cgi?1:mss:
5183:200311:ceejnklaecengajdijnf]  feedback mail from Laurent Bedubourg
stating that the PHP HOWTO by Alavoor Vasudevan was highly opinionated. David
Lawyer said that his (Al Devs) HOWTOs lacked depth and technical correctness
and was of the strong opinion that they should be [http://lists.tldp.org/
index.cgi?1:mss:5222:200311:claiepedajakajhoajgg] removed from the
collection. People said that Al Dev did not respond when they tried to
contact him, though he did respond in a private mail from Tabatha about the
ongoing discussion. John Levon posted details as to why the RCS/CVS HOWTO, C/
C++ beautifier HOWTO and the Kernel HOWTO should be removed from the
collection. Machtelt Garrels posted a summary.
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3.2. Document Rating System

 As a byproduct of the chain on review and removal of HOWTOs lacking Depth,
several people suggested that there should be a document rating system.
Lampadas was to solve all the problems, but since it is not ready yet, people
suggested [http://lists.tldp.org/index.cgi?1:mss:5205:200311:
omlehimehlgbagndmbia] Bugzilla, A pre-set document lifetime, using wiki, and 
many other suggestions.
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3.3. LDP HOWTO Generator

 Stein Gjoen sent in an update to his LDP HOWTO Generator which he announced
in August. The generator has now been tested with actual input, works with
Netscape as well as IE, the resultant SGML is validated using sgmlcheck and
it converts nicely into HTML.
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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-AT-en.tldp.org>. If you want to help TLDP,
take a look at the tasks page, and consider joining <
discuss-subscribe-AT-en.tldp.org>.

Help us create this newsletter. We need volunteers who follow the community
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LDP Weekly News is compiled and edited by Machtelt Garrels and Y Giridhar
Appaji Nag with help from several other people.