Linux FAQ - Section 2
Network sources and resources

• Q2.1. Where can I get the HOWTOs and other documentation ?
• Q2.2. Where should I look on the World Wide Web for Linux stuff ?
• Q2.3. What newsgroups are there for Linux ?
• Q2.4. How do I install Linux ?
• Q2.5. Where can I get Linux material by FTP ?
• Q2.6. I don't have FTP access. Where do I get Linux ?
• Q2.7. I don't have Usenet access. Where do I get information ?
• Q2.8. What mailing lists are there ?
• Q2.9. Are the newsgroups archived anywhere ?

• ftp.funet.fi (128.214.6.100) : /pub/OS/Linux/doc/HOWTO
• tsx-11.mit.edu (18.172.1.2) : /pub/linux/docs/HOWTO
• sunsite.unc.edu (152.2.22.81) : /pub/Linux/docs/HOWTO

If you don't have access to FTP try using the FTP-by-mail servers at ftpmail@decwrl.dec.com, ftpmail@doc.ic.ac.uk or ftp-mailer@informatik.tu-muenchen.de.

A complete list of HOWTO's is available in the file HOWTO.INDEX in the docs/HOWTO directory at the FTP sites, or on the Web at http://sunsite.unc.edu/mdw/HOWTO/HOWTO-INDEX.html but here is a (possibly incomplete) list:

The file WRITING contains information on how to write a new HOWTO.

The HOWTOs are coordinated by Greg Hankins, gregh@cc.gatech.edu.

The `books' produced by the Linux Documentation Project are available in /pub/Linux/docs/LDP on sunsite.unc.edu. Please read them if you are new to Unix and Linux. Here is a list of those released so far:

• The Linux Documentation Project manifesto
• Installation and Getting Started Guide
• The Kernel Hacker's Guide
• Network Administration Guide
• Linux System Administrator's Guide

This page refers to all the FAQs and HOWTOs, both those which are available in HTML (WWW) format, like this FAQ, and those which aren't.

Question 2.3. What newsgroups are there for Linux ?

comp.os.linux.announce is the moderated announcements group; you should read this if you intend to use Linux. Submissions for that group should be emailed to linux-announce@news.ornl.gov.

comp.os.linux.answers contains all the FAQs, HOWTOs and other important documentation. You should subscribe to this too.

Also worth reading are the other groups in the comp.os.linux.* hierarchy -- you may find that many common problems are too recent to find in this FAQ but are answered in the newsgroups. These groups are comp.os.linux.setup, comp.os.linux.hardware, comp.os.linux.networking, comp.os.linux.x, comp.os.linux.development.apps, comp.os.linux.development.system, comp.os.linux.advocacy and comp.os.linux.misc.

Remember that since Linux is a Unix clone, most all of the material in comp.unix.* and comp.windows.x.* groups will be relevant. Apart from hardware considerations, and some obscure or very technical low-level issues, you'll find that these groups are the right place to start.

Please read Q12.1 `You still haven't answered my question !' before posting, and make sure you post to the right newsgroup -- see `Welcome to the comp.os.linux.* hierarchy' which is posted every two weeks to comp.os.linux.announce, comp.os.linux.answers and other groups.

Crossposting between different comp.os.linux.* groups is rarely a good idea.

There may well be Linux groups local to your institution or area - check there first.

The groups comp.os.linux.development, comp.os.linux.admin and comp.os.linux.help were superseded in a recent newsgroup reorganisation. You should no longer use them.

See also Q2.7 `I don't have Usenet access. Where do I get information ?'.

Other regional and local newsgroups also exist - you may find the traffic more manageable there. The French Linux newsgroup is fr.comp.os.linux; The German one is de.comp.os.linux. In Australia, try aus.computers.linux. In Croatia there is the moderated group hr.comp.linux.m. In Italy, it.comp.linux.

Question 2.4. How do I install Linux ?

You should read the Installation HOWTO for more details on how to go about installing Slackware. Red Hat and Debian are both more recent and less buggy, and have more sophisticated installation schemes, but they are less widely used and don't contain quite as wide a range of software.

All of those releases are available via anonymous FTP from various Linux archive sites [Q2.5 `Where can I get Linux material by FTP ?']. There are also a large number of other releases which are distributed less globally, which suit special local and national requirements (for example, better internationalisation support).

Question 2.5. Where can I get Linux material by FTP ?

• ftp.funet.fi (Finland, 128.214.6.100) : /pub/OS/Linux
• sunsite.unc.edu (US, 152.2.22.81) : /pub/Linux
• tsx-11.mit.edu (US, 18.172.1.2) : /pub/linux

The Debian distribution is available at ftp.debian.org and the Red Hat distribution at ftp.redhat.com.

The contents of these sites is mirrored (copied, usually approximately daily) by a number of other sites. Please use one close to you -- that will be faster for you and easier on the network.

• src.doc.ic.ac.uk : /packages/Linux (UK)
• sunacm.swan.ac.uk : /pub/Linux (UK)
• ftp.ibp.fr : /pub/linux (France)
• ftp.cc.gatech.edu : /pub/linux (US - southeast: Suranet)
• wuarchive.wustl.edu : /systems/linux (US)
• uiarchive.cso.uiuc.edu : /pub/systems/linux (US)
• ftp.cdrom.com : /pub/linux (US)
• ftp.informatik.tu-muenchen.de : /pub/comp/os/linux (Germany)
• ftp.ibr.cs.tu-bs.de : /pub/os/linux (Germany)
• ftp.dfv.rwth-aachen.de : /pub/linux (Germany)
• ftp.informatik.rwth-aachen.de : /pub/Linux (Germany)
• bond.edu.au : /pub/OS/Linux (Australia)
• ftp.cc.monash.edu.au : /pub/linux (Australia)
• ftp.dstc.edu.au : /pub/Linux (Australia: Queensland)
• ftp.sun.ac.za : /pub/linux (South Africa)
• ftp.inf.utfsm.cl : /pub/Linux (Chile)
• ftp.zel.fer.hr : /pub/Linux (Croatia)

If you have a reasonably good email connection you could try the FTP-by-mail servers at ftpmail@decwrl.dec.com, ftpmail@doc.ic.ac.uk or ftp-mailer@informatik.tu-muenchen.de.

Linux is also available via traditional mail on diskette, CD-ROM and tape. The Installation HOWTO, and the file /pub/Linux/docs/distributions on sunsite.unc.edu, contain information on these distributions.

You could also try Zane Healy healyzh@holonet.net's list of Linux BBS's, which is posted regularly (1st and 15th of each month) to comp.os.linux.announce and occasionally to the Fidonet and RIME UNIX echoes.

Question 2.7. I don't have Usenet access. Where do I get information ?

Please remember to use the -request addresses for your subscription and unsubscription messages; mail to the other address is posted to the newsgroup !

Question 2.8. What mailing lists are there ?

Note that most of these lists are used by the developers of Linux to talk about technical issues and future developments. These are not intended for new users' questions.

There is a linux-newbie list where `no question is too stupid'; unfortunately it seems that few of the experienced users read that channel. It does have very low volume.

There used to be a multi-channel Linux mailing list server on niksula.hut.fi. This shut down during the summer of 1995.

Question 2.9. Are the newsgroups archived anywhere ?

There is an `easy to access' archive of comp.os.linux.announce on the World Wide Web at http://www.leo.org/archiv/linux/archiv/ann_index.html. It supports searching and browsing.

I do not know of any (current) archives of the other groups in the comp.os.linux hierarchy.