[Chapter 1] 1.4 Linux Resources on the Internet

1.4 Linux Resources on the Internet

This section points you to up-to-the-minute information about Linux available though web pages and Internet newsgroups. You may find this information helpful in completing your installation of Linux and you'll certainly find it helpful in using your Linux system.

1.4.1 Web Pages

Table 1.5 lists the URLs of some popular Linux web pages. Check these out to get the latest information about Linux. Perhaps the most useful is the home page of the Linux Documentation Project. There, you can find almost anything you want to know about Linux. The Linux Documentation Project web site includes a search engine that makes it easy to find what you need.

Table 1.5: Recommend Linux Web Pages
Web page	URL
Debian Project Web Page	http://www.debian.org/
Eric S. Raymond's Linux Reading List HOWTO	http://metalab.unc.edu/LDP/HOWTO/Reading-List-HOWTO.html
Gary Singleton's Gary's Place: Linux News Tips and Links	http://gary.singleton.net/
Joshua Go's Linux Guide	http://jgo.local.net/LinuxGuide/
Linux Documentation Project	http://metalab.unc.edu/linux/
Linux Journal Web Page	http://www.linuxjournal.com/
Linux Journal's Linux Gazette	http://www.linuxgazette.com/
Linux Resources	http://www.linuxresources.com/
Linux Web Ring	http://nll.interl.net/lwr/
Linux Weekly News	http://lwn.net/
O'Reilly & Associates Linux Center	http://linux.oreilly.com/
Renaissoft's Linux Resources	http://www.renaissoft.com/linux.html
Robert Kiesling's Linux Frequently Asked Questions with Answers (FAQ)	http://metalab.unc.edu/LDP/FAQ/Linux-FAQ.html
Slashdot	http://slashdot.org/
Victoria, British Columbia Linux Users Group	http://vlug.org/vlug/

The Linux Webring offers another convenient way to explore a variety of Linux-related web sites. Participating web sites present links to one another; by following these links you can circumnavigate the entire ring or you can use the Webring's home page to seek exactly the sort of page you're interested in.

Linux Journal is a popular magazine among Linux users. You can subscribe to the hard copy edition or peruse any of several web sites supported by Linux Journal.

A FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) list summarizes questions and answers commonly appearing on an Internet newsgroup or other venue. FAQs are among the most valuable sources of information about any topic because they answer a high percentage of potential questions. You should consult FAQs early and often.

The motto of the Slashdot web site is "News for nerds. Stuff that matters." You'll find a great deal of interesting news and information there, concerning not only Linux but the open source community and computing generally.

1.4.2 Newsgroups

Internet newsgroups are a popular gathering place for Linux users. There, they give and receive help in setting up and using Linux systems and share pointers to the latest Linux software. Table 1.6 lists some popular Linux-related newsgroups. If your Internet Service Provider supports access to newsgroups, you can view them using Microsoft Internet Explorer, Netscape Communicator, or a special newsgroup client application.

Table 1.6: Popular Linux-related Internet Newsgroups
Newsgroup	Topic
comp.os.linux.advocacy	Arguing the benefits of Linux in comparison to other operating systems
comp.os.linux.alpha	Linux on DEC Alpha computers
comp.os.linux.announce	Announcements important to the Linux community (Also visit the archive site)
comp.os.linux.answers	FAQs, HOWTOs, READMEs, etc.
comp.os.linux.development.apps	Writing Linux applications and porting applications to Linux
comp.os.linux.development.system	Linux kernels, device drivers, and modules
comp.os.linux.hardware	Hardware compatibility with the Linux operating system
comp.os.linux.misc	Topics not covered by other groups
comp.os.linux.networking	Networking and communication.
comp.os.linux.powerpc	Linux systems running on the PowerPC
comp.os.linux.setup	Linux installation and system administration
comp.os.linux.x	X servers, clients, libs, and fonts