Usenet Newsgroups

Linux newsgroups on Usenet are a useful forum for information and answers to questions about Linux. There are several different newsgroups about Linux, and you should use your newsreader software to search for all newsgroups with the work “linux” in the title. Many online services such as CompuServe and Delphi allow access to the newsgroups, and some have their own forums for Linux users. Bulletin Board Systems (BBSs) dedicated to Linux in whole or in part are also appearing, and many excerpt the Usenet conversations for the BBS users who do not have access to Usenet.

Usenet is a collection of discussion groups (called “newsgroups”) available to Internet users. There are over 10,000 newsgroups generating hundred of megabytes of traffic every day. Of all these newsgroups (which cover every conceivable topic), several are dedicated to Linux.

You can access Usenet newsgroups through newsreader software that accesses either the Internet or a local site that does (called a newsfeed). Alternatively, most online services such as CompuServe, America Online, and Delphi also offer access to Usenet as part of their service (sometimes at an additional cost).

Usenet newsgroups are divided into three categories: primary newsgroups that are readily available to all users; local newsgroups with a limited distribution (usually based on geography); and alternate newsgroups that may not be handled by all news servers due to the relaxed rules of etiquette on them. The primary newsgroups of interest to Linux users when this book was written are:

•  comp.os.linux.admin—deals with administering Linux systems

•  comp.os.linux.advocacy—proponents of the Linux system sound off

•  comp.os.linux.announce—announcements important to the Linux community (a moderated newsgroup, meaning someone approves the postings before you get to see them)

•  comp.os.linux.answers—questions and answers to problems about Linux

•  comp.os.linux.development—ongoing work on Linux in general

•  comp.os.linux.development.apps—ongoing work on Linux applications

•  comp.os.linux.development.system—ongoing work on the Linux operating system

•  comp.os.linux.hardware—issues with Linux and hardware support

•  comp.os.linux.help—questions and advice about Linux

•  comp.os.linux.misc—Linux-specific topics not covered by other groups

•  comp.os.linux.networking—Linux networking issues

•  comp.os.linux.setup—setup and installation problems with Linux

These primary newsgroups should be available at all Usenet sites unless the system administrator filters them out for some reason. The other Linux newsgroups tend to change frequently, primarily because they are either regional or populated with highly opinionated users. The .alt (alternate) newsgroups are particularly bad for this. One .alt newsgroups in operation when this book was written is

     alt.uu.comp.os.linux.questions

If you have access to Usenet, regularly scan the newsgroup additions and deletions to check for new Linux newsgroups or existing groups that have folded. Notices about newsgroup changes are usually posted to all existing groups, but every now and then one gets through without fanfare. Online services that provide access to Usenet usually maintain lists of all active newsgroups which can be searched quickly.

The traffic on most of these Linux newsgroups deal with problems and issues of installing, configuring, administering, or using the operating system. There is a lot of valuable information that passes through the newsgroups quickly, so check them regularly. The most interesting messages that deal with a specific subject (called a “thread”) are often collected and stored as an archive for access through an FTP site.

What’s in This Book?

This book is intended to guide you through the installation and configuration of Linux, setting up and using the system from a system administration point of view, and take you step-by-step from being a neophyte to UNIX and Linux to a proficient user. Throughout this book, we touch on a lot of material, some in a considerable amount of depth, other subjects with just a superficial treatment to give you an idea of the subject and what Linux can do.

What this book is not is an all-inclusive reference. There’s no way for any book under 10,000 pages to tell you everything you need to know. We can’t hope to teach you things such as C or C++ programming, for example, although we can show you how to set up your environment and use the included compilers. There’s no way we can walk you through every problem or issue that can arise in the next few years of using Linux, either, but we can give you enough of a background and the appropriate tools to deal with the issues. We also let you know where to go to get answers.

So, enjoy working with Linux and this book. We’ve tried very hard to make it a pleasant read, and hope you learn a lot. Above all, have fun. Linux is a great operating system!

Summary

Now that we’ve covered the basics of Linux, we can move on to looking at the types of Linux that are available, installing the system of your choice, and getting to know the operating system. The rest of this section of the book deals with installation and basic configuration. The following section then leads you into using Linux. If you’ve already installed your operating system, you can skip ahead to the “Getting to Know Linux” section. Otherwise, read the next few chapters to help you get the system installed correctly.

The following chapters will be helpful if you want to learn how to:

Install Linux, see Chapter 3, “Installing Linux.”

Use Linux, see Part II, starting with Chapter 6, “Getting Started.”

Install the X software package, see Chapter 22, “Installing and Configuring XFree86.”

Administer your Linux system, start with Chapter 32, “System Administration Basics.”