Help Me

Help Me!

After you are done working with this book, I am confident that Ubuntu Linux will be your operating system of choice for the foreseeable future. That doesn't mean you won't have questions that aren't answered in this book. To that end, I give you a Web site address that will link you to the support pages for this book on my own Web site:

http://www.marcelgagne.com

My site has links to a number of other resources, including many articles I have written on using and administering Linux, links to other information sites, and much more. Click the Moving to Ubuntu link (or its cover), and you'll be transported to the support pages for this book.

I also run a few mailing lists for readers, which you'll find under the WFTL heading. WFTL is a short form I've used for years now. It stands for Writer and Free Thinker at Large (computer people love acronyms). It's also the hierarchy for the lists I'm talking about. One of those lists is the WFTL-LUG (a LUG is a Linux User Group), an online discussion group where readers can share information, ask questions, and help each other out with their various Linux adventures. I invite you to join any of the lists I offer there. There is no cost, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

If you check under the Linux Links menu of my Web site, you'll find a useful list of additional links to Linux information sources. One of these is the Linux Documentation Project (LDP).

More Help

In Chapter 3, I'll introduce you to your GNOME desktop's help system. It's a great tool with tons of additional information right at your fingertips.

The Ubuntu Community

One of the very best places to turn for additional information on your Ubuntu system is the Ubuntu community. You will find a large number of people with considerable knowledge and information in doing things the Ubuntu way. This community includes developers, documentation writers, and perhaps most importantly, Ubuntu users. This is a vibrant, growing community, providing many different options for locating the help you need.

The first place to start is the Ubuntu Linux Web site (www.ubuntu.com). Closely tied to the Web site is the Ubuntu Wiki, a regularly updated, community-supported source of information. The Wiki is at wiki.ubuntu.com. Also on the Web are the Ubuntu forums at ubuntuforums.org.

Log on to the # ubuntu IRC channel on irc.freenode.net (see Chapter 9 for information on IRC), and you'll find between 500 to 600 people logged on at any time of the day or night. Ask your questions and it's very likely that somebody has answers.

You can also join the Ubuntu Users mailing list by visiting this site:

https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-users

Finally, you can also check Yelp, the included help documentation browser included with your Ubuntu Linux system. For more information on using Yelp, see Chapter 3.

The Linux Documentation Project

The Linux Documentation Project (LDP) is a dynamic community resource. On your Linux distribution CD, you probably have a collection of documents known in the Linux world as HOWTOs. These are user- or developer-contributed documents that are maintained and updated by one or more individuals. You can find the latest version of these documents at the LDP site

http://www.tldp.org/

The mandate of the LDP is essentially to provide a comprehensive base of documentation for all things Linux. If you've been looking high and low for information on installing that bleeding-edge FTL radio card on your PC and still haven't found what you are looking for, try the LDP. The LDP also makes a point of offering the latest versions of the man pages, as well as user guides that tend to cover more ground than standard HOWTOs.

Linux User Groups

A few paragraphs back, I made reference to Linux User Groups, or LUGs. Let's put technology aside for a moment and explore something else you may have heard about: the Linux community. Yes, there really is a Linux community. All around the world, you will find groups of enthusiastic Linux users gathering for regular meetings, chatting over beer and pizza, and sharing information. This sharing of information is part of what makes Linux so friendly.

LUGs tend to run electronic mailing lists where informal exchanges of information take place (just as I do with my online LUG). New users are welcomed, and their questions are happily answered. These users range from newbies getting their feet wet to seasoned kernel developers. Should you find yourself stuck with nowhere to turn, seek out your local LUG and sign on to the mailing list. Today, someone will help you. As you grow more knowledgeable in administering your Linux system, maybe you will return the favor.

Locating a LUG in your community is as simple as surfing over to the Linux Online Web site (http://www.linux.org/). Once there, click the User Groups button, and you are on your way. The list is organized by country, then by state or province, and so on.