Linux Documentation Project (LDP) FAQ

Rahul Sundaram


<rahulsundaram AT yahoo DOT co DOT in>
        

February 2003
Revision History                                                             
Revision 1.0                            2003-02-24                           
Initial Release, reviewed by LDP                                             


An introductory FAQ for users who come across the LDP and do not yet
understand what it all means.

© 2003, Rahul Sundaram

   
    Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document
    under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.1 or any
    later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no
    invariant sections, with no Front-Cover Texts, with no Back-Cover Text. A
    copy of the license is located at [http://www.gnu.org/licenses/fdl.html]
    http://www.gnu.org/licenses/fdl.html.
   
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Q: What is the LDP?
Q: What is a Guide?
Q: What is a HOWTO?
Q: What is a man page?
Q: What is a FAQ?
Q: Where do I get all these documents?
Q: How are the documents licensed?
Q: Are all the topics in the LDP related to Linux?
Q: Who contributes to the LDP?
Q: Why should I contribute?
Q: How do I contribute?
Q: In what format do I have to write the documentation?
Q: How do I submit documentation?

Q: What is the LDP?

A: The LDP is a loosely knit team of volunteers who provide documenation for
many aspects of Linux. There are several forms of documentation: Guides,
HOWTOs, man pages and FAQs.

Q: What is a Guide?

A: A guide is typically a longer book with broader coverage of a subject. For
instance, Network Administration or User Guide. The intent is to understand
the whole subject, as opposed to performing only one task. If you want to
have a broader look at some aspect of Linux then the guides should be very
handy.

Q: What is a HOWTO?

A: HOWTO's are usually step by step guides which describe in detail how to
perform a specific task.For example, the Linux installation HOWTO helps you
install Linux on the system but it does not cover how to set up a web server
so that you can focus on a particular task.

Q: What is a man page?

A: man (Manual) pages are the standard form of help available for many linux
applications and utilities. They can be viewed using the man command.

Q: What is a FAQ?

A: A FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) is a list of questions, usually
available in a mailing list to avoid answering repetitive questions asked by
new users. For example, the Linux FAQ answers questions like, "What is linux?
" and, "How is Linux pronounced?"

Q: Where do I get all these documents?

A: Most of the Linux distributions include the LDP documents so there is high
chance that they are already available with you if you have installed Linux.
The latest versions are available at [http://www.tldp.org] http://
www.tldp.org.

Q: How are the documents licensed?

A: LDP only has documents available under a open source license like the GNU
Free Documentation License which means that you are allowed to distribute,
modify and do whatsoever you want to do as long as you do not change the
copyright and licensing terms.

Q: Are all the topics in the LDP related to Linux?

A: Not essentially. There are several other applications, langauges and
operating systems which are covered at the LDP. The LDP accepts the document
if it is of any interested to general Linux users. For example, the
Linux+Windows HOWTO explains in detail how your Linux system can coexist
along with Windows.

Q: Who contributes to the LDP?

A: Application developers who usually provide help files along with their
programs often submit their documentation to the LDP. Increasingly, new users
are solving their Linux issues and documenting their work to help others in
the community.

Q: Why should I contribute?

A: Authors who want to help others by providing some documentation can do so
through the LDP. The documents should under a open source license such as the
GNU free documentation license which ensures that everyone is benefited
through your documents. Here are some of the major benefits when you
contribute through the LDP:

  * The LDP hosts the documents and ensures that it is available in all the
    formats including text, html and pdf so it can be viewed in a platform
    independant manner.
   
  * The LDP documents are usually available as part of many distributions and
    hence your documents reaches a wide community of Linux users.
   
  * Many of the Linux users who read your document may give you
    comments,suggestions or even provide additional content which ensures
    that the document is reliable and updated whenever neccessary.
   
  * You may be providing some crucial help to users who come across the same
    issues that you solved on your own.
   
  * It is a form of contribution to the Linux and open source community which
    depends on volunteers for its growth.
   
  * You may also publish any of the LDP's documents including your own and
    get monitary benefits from the whole process.
   

Q: How do I contribute?

A: If you know a particular topic well, first search the LDP's website
([http://www.tldp.org] http://www.tldp.org) for related documentation. If
something is already available, you can contact the author through email,
which will probably be available within the document, and coordinate your
work together. There are also some unmaintained documents that you can take
care of.If the topic is an entirely new one, subscribe to the Discussion
mailing list at <discuss@en.tldp.org> and and propose the topic to your peers
first, to gather feedback. After the feedback and draft are complete, the doc
could be submitted, as per the instructions in the Author Guide, advising LDP
that these steps were taken. This avoids having someone come back later and
tell you that this subject was not acceptable (which is rarely the case).
Contact the HOWTO coordinator listed at the LDP's website if you require any
expert help. When you follow the above steps you are ensured the following
benefits:

  * If any other person is interested in contributing you may team up.
   
  * The topic you wish to cover may already be available as part of some
    other documentation that you are not aware of and repetitive work may be
    avoided.
   
  * You may recieve guidance in the form of help, tools and other resources
    which will speed up your writing.
   

Since the LDP is a informal organisation of volunteers you do not need any
kind of membership to contribute. Everyone is encouraged to help in whatever
way they can.

Q: In what format do I have to write the documentation?

A: The source files for LDP documentation are created using SGML or XML
markup, usually with either DocBook XML (v4.2 or v4.1.2) or SGML (v4.2, v4.1,
and v3.x). There is an older standard called Linuxdoc SGML, which is not as
robust. If you do not know any of these then you can write in plain text
initially and submit the documentation, which can be converted to markup.
Future updates would be done in either DocBook or Linuxdoc. SGML and XML
markup are easy enough to learn if you are interested in maintaining the
documentation over a long period. You may request help from volunteers in the
mailing list to convert your documentation into DocBook for the first time,
or refer to the Author's Guide for information on using these tools on your
system.

Q: How do I submit documentation?

A: The LDP Author HOWTO provides all the details you would like to know
including links to other resources and tools. Please go to [http://
www.tldp.org] www.tldp.org to have a look. The email address to submit
English language documentation is <submit@en.tldp.org>. For those who want to
write in languages other than English, email the discussion list to know what
languages are available, and also to solicit the help of volunteers for any
translation or review help.
