diff options
Diffstat (limited to 'includes/etch/install/doc/FAQ/html/ch-support.en.html')
| -rw-r--r-- | includes/etch/install/doc/FAQ/html/ch-support.en.html | 525 |
1 files changed, 525 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/includes/etch/install/doc/FAQ/html/ch-support.en.html b/includes/etch/install/doc/FAQ/html/ch-support.en.html new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f910fe7 --- /dev/null +++ b/includes/etch/install/doc/FAQ/html/ch-support.en.html @@ -0,0 +1,525 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0//EN"> + +<html> + +<head> + +<meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> + +<title>The Debian GNU/Linux FAQ - Getting support for Debian GNU/Linux</title> + +</head> + +<body> + +<p><a name="ch-support"></a></p> +<hr> + +<p> +[ <a href="ch-customizing.en.html">previous</a> ] +[ <a href="index.en.html#contents">Contents</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-basic_defs.en.html">1</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-getting.en.html">2</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-compat.en.html">3</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-software.en.html">4</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-ftparchives.en.html">5</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html">6</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-pkgtools.en.html">7</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-uptodate.en.html">8</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-kernel.en.html">9</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-customizing.en.html">10</a> ] +[ 11 ] +[ <a href="ch-contributing.en.html">12</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-redistrib.en.html">13</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-nexttime.en.html">14</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-faqinfo.en.html">15</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-contributing.en.html">next</a> ] +</p> + +<hr> + +<h1> +The Debian GNU/Linux FAQ +<br>Chapter 11 - Getting support for Debian GNU/Linux +</h1> + +<hr> + +<h2><a name="s-debiandocs"></a>11.1 What other documentation exists on and for a Debian system?</h2> +<ul> +<li> +<p> +Installation instructions for the current release: see <code><a +href="http://www.debian.org/releases/stable/installmanual">http://www.debian.org/releases/stable/installmanual</a></code>. +</p> +</li> +</ul> +<ul> +<li> +<p> +The Debian GNU/Linux reference covers many aspects of system administration +through shell-command examples. Basic tutorials, tips, and other information +are provided for many different topics ranging from system administration to +programming. +</p> + +<p> +Get it from the <code>debian-reference</code> package, or at <code><a +href="http://www.debian.org/doc/user-manuals#quick-reference">http://www.debian.org/doc/user-manuals#quick-reference</a></code>. +</p> +</li> +</ul> +<ul> +<li> +<p> +Policy manual documents the policy requirements for the distribution, i.e. the +structure and contents of the Debian archive, several design issues of the +operating system etc. It also includes the technical requirements that each +package must satisfy to be included in the distribution, and documents the +basic technical aspects of Debian binary and source packages. +</p> + +<p> +Get it from the <code>debian-policy</code> package, or at <code><a +href="http://www.debian.org/doc/devel-manuals#policy">http://www.debian.org/doc/devel-manuals#policy</a></code>. +</p> +</li> +</ul> +<ul> +<li> +<p> +Documentation developed by the Debian Documentation Project. It is available +at <code><a +href="http://www.debian.org/doc/">http://www.debian.org/doc/</a></code> and +includes user guides, administration guides and security guides for the Debian +GNU/Linux operating system. +</p> +</li> +</ul> +<ul> +<li> +<p> +Documentation on installed Debian packages: Most packages have files that are +unpacked into <samp>/usr/share/doc/PACKAGE</samp>. +</p> +</li> +</ul> +<ul> +<li> +<p> +Documentation on the Linux project: The Debian package <code>doc-linux</code> +installs all of the most recent versions of the HOWTOs and mini-HOWTOs from the +<code><a href="http://www.tldp.org/">Linux Documentation Project</a></code>. +</p> +</li> +</ul> +<ul> +<li> +<p> +Unix-style `man' pages: Most commands have manual pages written in the style of +the original Unix 'man' files. They are referenced by the section of the 'man' +directory where they reside: e.g., foo(3) refers to a manual page which resides +in /usr/share/man/man3/, and it can be called by executing the command: +<samp>man 3 foo</samp>, or just <samp>man foo</samp> if section 3 is the first +one containing a page on <samp>foo</samp>. +</p> + +<p> +One can learn which directory of <samp>/usr/share/man/</samp> contains a +certain manual page by executing <samp>man -w foo</samp>. +</p> + +<p> +New Debian users should note that the 'man' pages of many general system +commands are not available until they install these packages: +</p> +<ul> +<li> +<p> +<samp>man-db</samp>, which contains the <samp>man</samp> program itself, and +other programs for manipulating the manual pages. +</p> +</li> +</ul> +<ul> +<li> +<p> +<samp>manpages</samp>, which contains the system manual pages. (see <a +href="ch-software.en.html#s-nonenglish">How does Debian support non-English +languages?, Section 4.8</a>). +</p> +</li> +</ul> +</li> +</ul> +<ul> +<li> +<p> +GNU-style `info' pages: User documentation for many commands, particularly GNU +tools, is available not in `man' pages, but in `info' files which can be read +by the GNU tool <samp>info</samp>, by running <samp>M-x info</samp> within GNU +Emacs, or with some other Info page viewer. +</p> + +<p> +Its main advantage over the original `man' pages are that it is a hypertext +system. It does <em>not</em> require the WWW, however; <samp>info</samp> can +be run from a plain text console. It was designed by Richard Stallman and +preceded the WWW. +</p> +</li> +</ul> + +<p> +Note that you may access a lot of documentation on your system by using a WWW +browser, through `dwww', `dhelp' or `doccentral' commands, found in respective +packages. +</p> + +<hr> + +<h2><a name="s-onlineresources"></a>11.2 Are there any on-line resources for discussing Debian?</h2> + +<p> +Yes. In fact, the main method of support Debian provides to our users is by +the way of e-mail. +</p> + +<hr> + +<h3><a name="s11.2.1"></a>11.2.1 Mailing lists</h3> + +<p> +There are a lot of <code><a +href="http://www.debian.org/MailingLists/">Debian-related mailing +lists</a></code>. +</p> + +<p> +On a system with the <code>doc-debian</code> package installed there is a +complete list of mailing lists in +<code>/usr/share/doc/debian/mailing-lists.txt</code>. +</p> + +<p> +Debian mailing lists are named following the pattern +debian-<var>list-subject</var>. Examples are debian-announce, debian-user, +debian-news. To subscribe to any list debian-<var>list-subject</var>, send +mail to debian-<var>list-subject</var>-request@lists.debian.org with the word +"subscribe" in the Subject: header. Be sure to remember to add +<em>-request</em> to the e-mail address when using this method to subscribe or +unsubscribe. Otherwise your e-mail will go to the list itself, which could be +embarrassing or annoying, depending on your point of view. +</p> + +<p> +If you have a forms-capable World Wide Web browser, you can subscribe to +mailing lists using the <code><a +href="http://www.debian.org/MailingLists/subscribe">WWW form</a></code>. You +can also un-subscribe using a <code><a +href="http://www.debian.org/MailingLists/unsubscribe">WWW form</a></code>. +</p> + +<p> +The list manager's e-mail address is <code><a +href="mailto:listmaster@lists.debian.org">listmaster@lists.debian.org</a></code>, +in case you have any trouble. +</p> + +<p> +The mailing lists are public forums. All e-mails sent to the lists are also +copied to the public archive, for anybody (even non-subscribers) to browse or +search. Please make sure you never send any confidential or unlicensed +material to the lists. This includes things like e-mail addresses. Of +particular note is the fact that spammers have been known to abuse e-mail +addresses posted to our mailing lists. See the <code><a +href="http://www.debian.org/MailingLists/index.en.html#disclaimer">Mailing +Lists Privacy policy</a></code> for more information. +</p> + +<p> +Archives of the Debian mailing lists are available via WWW at <code><a +href="http://lists.debian.org/">http://lists.debian.org/</a></code>. +</p> + +<hr> + +<h4><a name="s-mailinglistconduct"></a>11.2.1.1 What is the code of conduct for the mailing lists?</h4> + +<p> +When using the Debian mailing lists, please follow these rules: +</p> +<ul> +<li> +<p> +Do not send spam. See the <code><a +href="http://www.debian.org/MailingLists/#ads">Debian mailing list advertising +policy</a></code>. +</p> +</li> +</ul> +<ul> +<li> +<p> +Do not flame; it is not polite. The people developing Debian are all +volunteers, donating their time, energy and money in an attempt to bring the +Debian project together. +</p> +</li> +</ul> +<ul> +<li> +<p> +Do not use foul language; besides, some people receive the lists via packet +radio, where swearing is illegal. +</p> +</li> +</ul> +<ul> +<li> +<p> +Make sure that you are using the proper list. <em>Never</em> post your +(un)subscription requests to the mailing list itself[<a +href="footnotes.en.html#f6" name="fr6">6</a>] +</p> +</li> +</ul> +<ul> +<li> +<p> +See section <a href="#s-bugreport">How do I report a bug in Debian?, Section +11.5</a> for notes on reporting bugs. +</p> +</li> +</ul> + +<hr> + +<h3><a name="s11.2.2"></a>11.2.2 Maintainers</h3> + +<p> +Users can address questions to individual package maintainers using e-mail. To +reach a maintainer of a package called xyz, send e-mail to +<em>xyz@packages.debian.org</em>. +</p> + +<hr> + +<h3><a name="s11.2.3"></a>11.2.3 Usenet newsgroups</h3> + +<p> +Users should post non-Debian-specific questions to one of the Linux USENET +groups, which are named comp.os.linux.* or linux.*. There are several lists of +Linux Usenet newsgroups and other related resources on the WWW, e.g. on the +<code><a href="http://www.linux.org/docs/usenet.html">Linux Online</a></code> +and <code><a +href="http://www.linuxjournal.com/helpdesk.php">LinuxJournal</a></code> sites. +</p> + +<hr> + +<h2><a name="s-searchtools"></a>11.3 Is there a quick way to search for information on Debian GNU/Linux?</h2> + +<p> +There is a variety of search engines that serve documentation related to +Debian: +</p> +<ul> +<li> +<p> +<code><a href="http://search.debian.org/">Debian WWW search site</a></code>. +</p> +</li> +</ul> +<ul> +<li> +<p> +<code><a href="http://groups.google.com/">Google Groups</a></code>: a search +engine for newsgroups. +</p> + +<p> +For example, to find out what experiences people have had with finding drivers +for Promise controllers under Debian, try searching on the phrase <samp>Promise +Linux driver</samp>. This will show you all the postings that contain these +strings, i.e. those where people discussed these topics. If you add +<samp>Debian</samp> to those search strings, you'll also get the postings +specifically related to Debian. +</p> +</li> +</ul> +<ul> +<li> +<p> +Any of the common web spidering engines, such as <code><a +href="http://www.altavista.com/">AltaVista</a></code> or <code><a +href="http://www.google.com/">Google</a></code>, as long as you use the right +search terms. +</p> + +<p> +For example, searching on the string "cgi-perl" gives a more detailed +explanation of this package than the brief description field in its control +file. +</p> +</li> +</ul> + +<hr> + +<h2><a name="s-buglogs"></a>11.4 Are there logs of known bugs?</h2> + +<p> +Reports on unsolved (and closed) issues are publicly available: Debian +promissed to do so by stating "We will not hide problems" in the +<code><a href="http://www.debian.org/social_contract">Debian Social +Contract</a></code>. +</p> + +<p> +The Debian GNU/Linux distribution has a bug tracking system (BTS) which files +details of bugs reported by users and developers. Each bug is given a number, +and is kept on file until it is marked as having been dealt with. +</p> + +<p> +Copies of this information are available at <code><a +href="http://www.debian.org/Bugs/">http://www.debian.org/Bugs/</a></code>. +</p> + +<p> +A mail server provides access to the bug tracking system database via e-mail. +In order to get the instructions, send an e-mail to request@bugs.debian.org +with "help" in the body. +</p> + +<hr> + +<h2><a name="s-bugreport"></a>11.5 How do I report a bug in Debian?</h2> + +<p> +If you have found a bug in Debian, please read the instructions for reporting a +bug in Debian. These instructions can be obtained in one of several ways: +</p> +<ul> +<li> +<p> +By anonymous FTP. Debian mirror sites contain the instructions in the file +<samp>doc/bug-reporting.txt</samp>. +</p> +</li> +</ul> +<ul> +<li> +<p> +From the WWW. A copy of the instructions is shown at <code><a +href="http://www.debian.org/Bugs/Reporting">http://www.debian.org/Bugs/Reporting</a></code>. +</p> +</li> +</ul> +<ul> +<li> +<p> +On any Debian system with the <code>doc-debian</code> package installed. The +instructions are in the file +<code>/usr/share/doc/debian/bug-reporting.txt</code>. +</p> +</li> +</ul> + +<p> +You can use the package <code>reportbug</code> that will guide you through the +reporting process and mail the message to the proper address, with some extra +details about your system added automatically. It will also show you a list of +bugs already reported to the package you are reporting against in case your bug +has been reported previously, so that you can additional information to the +existing bug report. +</p> + +<p> +If you want to mail the report with an e-mail program, send a message to +<code><a +href="mailto:submit@bugs.debian.org">submit@bugs.debian.org</a></code>. The +message's first line must be similar to +</p> + +<pre> + Package: package-name +</pre> + +<p> +(replace <var>package-name</var> with the name of the package). The next line +should relate the package version number in a similar way: +</p> + +<pre> + Version: version-number +</pre> + +<p> +The version number for any package installed on your system can be obtained +using the command line +</p> + +<pre> + dpkg -s <var>package-name</var> +</pre> + +<p> +This section is referred to as the pseudo-header. The rest of the message +should contain the description of the bug (please make it moderately detailed), +the Debian release you are using, and versions of other relevant packages. The +Debian release number will be displayed by the command +</p> + +<pre> + cat /etc/debian_version +</pre> + +<p> +Expect to get an automatic acknowledgement of your bug report. It will also be +automatically given a bug tracking number, entered into the bug log and +forwarded to the debian-bugs-dist mailing list. +</p> + +<hr> + +<p> +[ <a href="ch-customizing.en.html">previous</a> ] +[ <a href="index.en.html#contents">Contents</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-basic_defs.en.html">1</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-getting.en.html">2</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-compat.en.html">3</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-software.en.html">4</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-ftparchives.en.html">5</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html">6</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-pkgtools.en.html">7</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-uptodate.en.html">8</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-kernel.en.html">9</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-customizing.en.html">10</a> ] +[ 11 ] +[ <a href="ch-contributing.en.html">12</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-redistrib.en.html">13</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-nexttime.en.html">14</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-faqinfo.en.html">15</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-contributing.en.html">next</a> ] +</p> + +<hr> + +<p> +The Debian GNU/Linux FAQ +</p> + +<address> +version 3.1.5, 17 January 2007<br> +<br> +Authors are listed at <a href="ch-faqinfo.en.html#s-authors">Debian FAQ Authors</a><br> +<br> +</address> +<hr> + +</body> + +</html> + |