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====== #Linux ====== | ====== #Linux ====== | ||
{{: | {{: | ||
- | A hangout for all the linux, BSD, etc users of AfterNET. (Heck, even technicaly minded windows/mac users are welcome!) | + | Not Just #linux |
+ | |||
+ | #linux is a hangout for lovers | ||
===== FAQ ===== | ===== FAQ ===== | ||
- | * What distro do you reccomend? | ||
- | * We used to suggest [[http:// | ||
- | * I have never used linux, but I want to try it, how do I get started? | ||
- | * We suggest you get a [[http:// | ||
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- | ===== How to Ask Questions Here ===== | ||
- | Answering questions is a purely volunteer effort, for charity, and just as you are free to ask questions, and to ask them how you like, everybody else is similarly free to ignore your questions or to answer them how they like. ((These are suggestions, | ||
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- | These suggestions are meant to maximize the chances that you will get some replies, and useful replies. | ||
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- | As a side note, people asking questions should always remember that for those that offer help on IRC channels the upside is only ethical, and there can be and there are often significant practical downsides, on top of the time spent. | ||
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- | ==== A user or administrator question? ==== | ||
- | Some questions are about how to use a program, or sometimes how to do simple configuration. Some other questions however are about how to use or configure some core system feature. The latter usually cannot be answered in a simple, unambiguous fashion, unless the person asking the question already understands the topic pretty well. | ||
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- | Unfortunately system administration is usually intrinsically hard and it can take one to several years of study just to learn the concepts and terminology to discuss it properly and to understand the answers. | ||
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- | System administration topics are those related for example to: disk and filesystem configuration, | ||
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- | Most distributions have interfaces that present as options the more accessible tasks of system administration, | ||
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- | * Do not undertake lightly tasks beyond those supported by these interfaces. | ||
- | * Do not expect answers that make simple and easy what is complex and difficult. | ||
- | ==== Don't ask if you can ask a question ==== | ||
- | Support channels are there precisely to ask questions, and there is no need to ask permission or other introductions. | ||
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- | Just ask your question straight away, make it specific, give details (up to 3-5 lines of text), and don't address them to anybody specific. | ||
- | * Example of bad question: "I have got a question about browsers, can anybody help?" | ||
- | * Example of good question: "Which text based browsers have tabbed browsing if any?" | ||
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- | ==== Don't ask "does not work" type of questions ==== | ||
- | Please state exactly what you have done and exactly what the error message is. Programs and computers can go wrong in very many ways, and each way can have many very different causes. | ||
- | * Example of bad question: "FTP does not work, anybody know how to fix it?" | ||
- | * Example of good question: "When I connect by FTP to ftp.kernel.org using Mozilla I get this error: " | ||
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- | ==== Don't ask " | ||
- | Always ask instead direct questions about technical matters to the channel (to nobody in particular). This is both because such questions are dumb (answering them literally may require global telepathy), and because the obvious aim of the question is to find someone to be your bitch. | ||
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- | Help is provided by the channel, not by anybody in particular. Don't assume anybody is there to be your personal helper. | ||
- | * Example of bad question: "Can anybody help with setting up Apache?" | ||
- | * Example of good question: "Which step-by-step Apache setup tutorial are recommended, | ||
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- | Don't ask questions to someone specific | ||
- | However much you may wish to get a personal help bitch, attempts to treat the more helpful and useful volunteers in the channel as if they were will just drive them away. | ||
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- | Support is always and only provided by the channel as a whole, and answering a question is always purely voluntary. Addressing questions to specific people puts them under pressure to reply, and of course you may love it, but is counterproductive in the long term. | ||
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- | It is particularly counterproductive to use private messages, which should not be sent unless explicit permission is given. | ||
- | However once someone has replied, it is quite helpful to address further discussions to the person who has replied, as that helps them keep track of specific threads of conversation. | + | * What' |
- | * Example | + | * Operating systems and computing in general. While Linux is a common subject, idle and serious chat and banter about Unix, Windows, or anything else is common and accepted. |
- | * Example of good question: "What should | + | * Is the topic enforced? |
- | Don' | + | * Not typically, but it's the sort of discussion |
- | * Support channels are not for chat, for entertainment. The tone of discussion is usually dry and impersonal, about specific technical issues, and in the busier channels it is already difficult | + | * Can I ask questions? |
- | * Avoid idle chat (which | + | * Sure, some guidelines on how to get helpful answers are available below. Chiefly, don' |
+ | * I'm new, what operating system / linux distro should I use? | ||
+ | * It's all up to you, either | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | ===== General Channel Guidelines ===== | ||
- | ==== Do some research before asking | + | * Remain civil, remember that behind every username sits a person. Debate, don't attack. |
- | Before asking a question you should have tried to google it, or look in your systems local documentation. | + | * Don't derail conversations needlessly. Read the room. |
+ | * Don't use the names for groups/ | ||
- | Locally you can search all manual page by keyword with man -k keyword, use the info command to look at the table of contents of manuals of GNU packages, and look at the user manuals and HOWTOs in per-package directories under / | ||
- | To find software packages or other information by specific topic, use google with the word " | + | ===== How to Get the Most Out of a Question ===== |
- | * Example of a bad search: steam | + | |
- | * Example | + | |
- | ==== Use English ==== | + | #linux is a place to chat as much as it is a place to discuss problems and get help. Questions are permitted and welcome, however weak questions create weak answers. There' |
- | The AfterNET | + | |
- | ==== Ask questions | + | * You don't need permission to ask a question. Just go ahead and ask. |
+ | * #linux is not a search engine. If someone solved your problem with an easy search, you could have done it yourself. | ||
+ | * Be specific and include details. As well, keep things concise. | ||
+ | * Configs help, but if it's more than a couple of lines, use a paste tool such as pastebin. | ||
+ | * Ask and then wait. Be patient, and give people a chance to see your message and reply. | ||
+ | * Try to ask questions to point yourself in the right direction. The more you can learn yourself, | ||
+ | * #linux is not an authority. Respect people' | ||
- | The context should includes | + | ===== How to Give the Most when Answering a Question ===== |
- | It is often very important | + | Just as much as asking good questions is beneficial to the channel, knowing how to give helpful answers |
- | * Example of a bad question: "How can I copy some blocks of a disk drive over the network?" | + | |
- | * Example of a good question: "How can I backup a partition to a remote server?" | + | |
- | ==== Wait at least 5-10 minutes for an answer or to repeat a question ==== | + | * Nobody knows everything. Be kind to people who are new or are having trouble |
- | It can take a while for someone to notice your question, | + | * Your way isn't always |
- | * Example of a bad question: " | + | * Try not to mislead people. As generous as it is to try and help, not being sure yourself may do more harm than good. |
- | * Example of a good question: " | + | * Help people |
+ | * Be concise, yet detailed. It's as helpful |