This is an ALPHA version of the Linux System Administrators' Guide. That means that I don't even pretend it contains anything useful, or that anything contained within it is factually correct. In fact, if you believe anything that I say in this version, and you are hurt because of it, I will cruelly laugh at your face if you complain.
Well, almost. I won't laugh, but I also will not consider myself responsible for anything.
The purpose of an ALPHA version is to get the stuff out so that other people can look at it and comment on it. The latter part is the important one: Unless the author gets feedback, the ALPHA version isn't doing anything good. Therefore, if you read this `book', please, please, please let me hear your opinion about it. I don't care whether you think it is good or bad, I want you to tell me about it.
If at all possible, you should mail your comments directly to me, otherwise there is a largish chance I will miss them. If you want to discuss things in public (on one of the comp.os.linux newsgroups or the mailing list), that is ok by me, but please send a copy via mail directly to me as well.
I do not much care about the format in which you send your comments, but it is essential that you clearly indicate what part of my text you are commenting on.
I can be contacted at the following e-mail addresses:
lars.wirzenius@helsinki.fi(they're all actually the same account, but I give all these, just in case there is some weird problem).
wirzeniu@cc.helsinki.fi
wirzeniu@cs.helsinki.fi
wirzeniu@kruuna.helsinki.fi
wirzeniu@hydra.helsinki.fi
This text contains a lot of notes that I have inserted as notes to myself. They are identified with ``META: ''. They indicate things that need to be worked on, that are missing, that are wrong, or something like that. They are mostly for my own benefit and for your amusement, they are not things that I am hoping someone else will write for me.
If you think that this version of the manual is missing a lot, you are right. I am including only those chapters that are at least half finished. New chapters will be released as they are written.
The LDP Rhyme
A wondrous thing,
and beautiful,
'tis to write,
a book.
I'd like to sing,
of the sweat,
the blood and tear,
which it also took.
It started back in,
nineteen-ninety-two,
when users whined,
"we can nothing do!"
They wanted to know,
what their problem was,
and how to fix it
(by yesterday).
We put the answers in,
a Linux f-a-q,
hoped to get away,
from any more writin'.
"That's too long,
it's hard to search,
and we don't read it,
any-which-way!"
Then a few of us,
joined toghether
(virtually, you know),
to start the LDP.
We started to write,
or plan, at least,
several books,
one for every need.
The start was fun,
a lot of talk,
an outline,
then a slew.
Then silence came,
the work began,
some wrote less,
others more.
A blank screen,
oh its horrible,
it sits there,
laughs in the face.
We still await,
the final day,
when everything,
will be done.
Until then,
all we have,
is a draft,
for you to comment on.