Archive-name: linux-faq/meta-faq Last-modified: 13 Apr 93 Version: 3.01 Linux Meta-FAQ This is the Meta-FAQ for Linux. It is mainly a list of valuable sources of information. Check these sources out if you want to learn more about Linux, or have problems and need help. Lars Wirzenius (wirzeniu@cc.helsinki.fi) wrote the first version of this document, and it is now maintained by Michael K. Johnson (johnsonm@stolaf.edu). Mail me if you have any questions about this document. NOTE: Filenames in this article are for the tsx-11.mit.edu ftp site (see below for names of more ftp sites). Files are usually located in similar places on other sites. The names are relative to the directory /pub/linux/ on tsx-11. What is Linux? Linux is a clone of the UNIX operating system that has been written entirely from scratch. It has no proprietary code in it. Linux is freely distributable under the GNU Public License. It only works on IBM PC compatibles with an ISA or EISA bus and a 386 or higher processor. See the FAQ for more exact hardware requirements. The Linux kernel is written by Linus Torvalds (torvalds@kruuna.helsinki.fi) from Finland. Most of the programs running under Linux are generic Unix freeware, many of them from the GNU project. The Linux FAQ A collection of common problems and their solutions. Answers many questions faster than the net. Stored on many Linux ftp sites (docs/FAQ/) and rtfm.mit.edu, the general archive site for all FAQs. Linux newsgroups There are two Usenet newsgroups for Linux: comp.os.linux and comp.os.linux.announce. The latter contains important stuff like announcements of new programs or versions, the former all the discussion. It is a good idea to follow at least c.o.l.a if you use Linux. 0.1 Getting Linux 0.1.1 Linux FTP sites A more complete list of Linux FTP sites is in the Linux INFO-SHEET (docs/INFO-SHEET). The most important sites are listed here; please see the INFO-SHEET for a site nearer to you (there are many mirrors). textual name numeric addr Linux directory ======================= ============== =============== tsx-11.mit.edu 18.172.1.2 /pub/linux sunsite.unc.edu 152.2.22.81 /pub/Linux nic.funet.fi 128.214.6.100 /pub/OS/Linux These sites are the main ``home'' sites for Linux where most uploads take place. There are many mirror sites; please use the closest (network-wise) site to you. 0.1.2 Linux on BBS's Zane Healy posts (around the beginning and middle of the month) a list of BBS's that have Linux available for download. Try them if you can't FTP. This list is available by ftp as docs/bbs.list at tsx-11. 0.1.3 Linux on physical media Linux is distributed on floppies by at least Softlanding Software (910 Lodge Ave, Victoria, B.C, Canada, V8X-3A8, (604) 360-0188) for USD 3.25/disk. This is mostly the same SLS distribution that is available via FTP (see below). The diskette distribution is mostly meant for people who can't FTP. SLS is also now producing a CD-ROM of the SLS release. Marco Scheibe (mykee@cs.tu-berlin.de), Klaus Weidner (klaus.weidner@physik.tu-muenchen.de) and Gert Doering (gert.doering@physik.tu-muechen.de) will copy Linux (the complete SLS distribution, including X, possibly other things as well) for you, if you send them diskettes and return postage. Contact them via e-mail first. Yggdrasil Computing is producing a CD-ROM with Linux. Currently a beta version is available (beta referring to the fact that the contents are still evolving) This is a completely new distribution, not SLS. A complete listing of files is available via FTP from netcom.com in directory pub/yggdrasil. There is also a manual and other information there. Contact yggdrasil@netcom.com or call (510)526-7531, 9am-5:30pm, California time. Also check advertisements/* at tsx-11 for advertisements of other ways to get linux, including a list of people that will make copies for you at low prices. If you know of other distributors, send me a note! 0.1.4 Commercial networks GEnie mirrors most of tsx-11 and sunsite (including SLS). CompuServe has only very limited very old Linux archives. 0.1.5 Mailservers and such The trickle server TRICKLE@AWIWUW11.BITNET, aka TRICKLE@AWIWUW11.EARN, aka TRICKLE@AWIWUW11.wu-wien.ac.at, send mail to one of these addresses with a body consisting of /HELP. 0.2 Linux distributions (aka ``releases'') Linux is distributed by its author only as a kernel. Other people have put together ``distributions'' that can be used. These distributions pair the kernel as released by the author with software, to make a complete working package. Most releases include application programs as well as system software, providing ``one stop shopping'' for Linux. Jim Winstead and H.J. Lu maintain the boot and root disks. These two form more or less the ``official'' release. It is fully functional, but only has the bare essentials. The filenames are: images/bootimage-xxx.Z and images/rootimage-xxx.Z (xxx stands for the version number). They're also hard to install for newcomers; I'd go for the SLS release (below) if you're new to Linux and want all of the goodies. The SLS (Softlanding Linux System) release is rather complete and has more or less all of the software you could possibly want for any Linux system. This release is what all new Linux users should install: it's easy to do and since most people have used the SLS Linux distribution, if you have any problems there are many people out there who can give you help. The SLS release is updated periodically, with ``full'' updates taking place every few weeks. You can find the SLS release on tsx-11.mit.edu:/pub/linux/packages/SLS/. H.J. Lu (the Linux GCC maintainer) also has another set of disks, including a combined boot and rootdisk, and some additional disks with more programs. This package assumes you are already familiar with Linux, and at least some of it may be incorporated to the work of Jim Winstead. See directories packages/GCC/rootdisk and packages/GCC/basedisk on tsx-11. 0.3 Linux mailing-lists Used mostly for discussion between developers of new features and testers of pre-release versions. See addresses in the FAQ. 0.4 Linux News --- summaries of annoucements A weekly summary of announcements of new programs and other interesting news. Edited by Denise Tree, posted to comp.os.linux.announce, comp.os.linux and the LINUXNEWS channel on the linux-activists mailing list (see the FAQ for info on joining mailing lists). It is also available via GEnie. Intended for people who don't have time or energy to sift through the high volume of comp.os.linux. 0.5 Other newsgroups are useful, too At least the groups comp.unix.{ questions,shell,programming,bsd,admin}, and comp.windows.x.i386unix should be useful for a Linux user. If you have a problem that is not directly Linux-related, ask it in these groups, not in c.o.l (which is too big for some people as it is). 0.6 Documentation for various programs Many programs come with some sort of documentation, often in a file called README or something similar. It is a VERY good idea to read them with care. It is boring to see (and answer) questions that are answered in the documentation. 0.7 Keeping track of current releases New releases, programs, and ports are usually announced in comp.os.linux. finger torvalds@klaava.helsinki.fi to get some information about the current kernel (often long!). See also the next item. 0.8 The Linux Project Registry Maintained by James Callison, a list of ``who is doing what''. See the list itself for mail addresses. Posted every two weeks to comp.os.linux. Contains information about the current status for included projects. 0.9 The Linux Hardware Compatibility List Posted occasionally to comp.os.linux.announce, and found on the major Linux FTP sites (tsx-11:docs/bbs.list). This list lists some of the devices and hardware that Linux currently supports. It's useful for anyone wanting to purchase or upgrade their system. Be aware that it cannot be complete, as there is more hardware out there than Linux users can own. 0.10 Legalese Trademarks are owned by their owners. Satisfaction not guaranteed. No warranties about this document. Void where prohibited.