Author: manuel Date: 2005-05-07 06:42:37 -0600 (Sat, 07 May 2005) New Revision: 4018
Modified: trunk/BOOK/introduction/welcome/askhelp.xml Log: Tagged askhelp.xml Modified: trunk/BOOK/introduction/welcome/askhelp.xml =================================================================== --- trunk/BOOK/introduction/welcome/askhelp.xml 2005-05-07 12:33:58 UTC (rev 4017) +++ trunk/BOOK/introduction/welcome/askhelp.xml 2005-05-07 12:42:37 UTC (rev 4018) @@ -6,90 +6,103 @@ ]> <sect1 id="intro-welcome-askhelp"> -<sect1info> -<othername>$LastChangedBy$</othername> -<date>$Date$</date> -</sect1info> -<?dbhtml filename="askhelp.html"?> -<title>Asking for help and the <acronym>FAQ</acronym></title> + <?dbhtml filename="askhelp.html"?> -<para>If you encounter a problem while using this book, and your problem -is not listed in the <acronym>FAQ</acronym> (<ulink -url="http://www.linuxfromscratch.org/faq"/>), you will find that most of the -people on Internet Relay Chat (<acronym>IRC</acronym>) and on the mailing lists -are willing to help you. An overview of the <acronym>LFS</acronym> mailing -lists can be found in <xref linkend="intro-welcome-maillists"/>. To assist us -in diagnosing and solving your problem, include as much relevant information as -possible in your request for help.</para> + <sect1info> + <othername>$LastChangedBy$</othername> + <date>$Date$</date> + </sect1info> -<sect2> -<title>Things to check prior to asking</title> + <title>Asking for Help and the FAQ</title> -<para>Before asking for help, you should review the following -items:</para> + <para>If you encounter a problem while using this book, and your problem + is not listed in the FAQ (<ulink url="http://www.linuxfromscratch.org/faq"/>), + you will find that most of the people on Internet Relay Chat (IRC) and on the + mailing lists are willing to help you. An overview of the LFS mailing + lists can be found in <xref linkend="intro-welcome-maillists"/>. To assist us + in diagnosing and solving your problem, include as much relevant information as + possible in your request for help.</para> -<itemizedlist> -<listitem><para>Is the hardware support compiled into the kernel or -available as a module to the kernel? If it is a module, is it configured -properly in <filename>modules.conf</filename> and has it been loaded? You -should use <command>lsmod</command> as root to see if it's loaded. Check the -<filename>sys.log</filename> or run <command>modprobe <driver> -</command> to review any error message. If it loads properly, you may need -to add the <command>modprobe</command> to your boot scripts.</para></listitem> + <sect2> + <title>Things to Check Prior to Asking</title> -<listitem><para>Are your permissions properly set, especially for -devices? <acronym>LFS</acronym> uses groups to make these settings easier, but -it also adds the step of adding users to groups to allow access. A simple -<command>moduser -G audio <user></command> may be all that's necessary -for that user to have access to the sound system. Any question that starts -out with "It works as root, but not as ..." requires a thorough review -of permissions prior to asking.</para></listitem> + <para>Before asking for help, you should review the following items:</para> -<listitem><para><acronym>BLFS</acronym> liberally uses <filename> -/opt/<package></filename>. The main objection to this centers around the -need to expand your environment variables for each package placed there (e.g., -PATH=$PATH:/opt/kde/bin). In some cases, the package will walk you -through the changes, but some will not. The section called "<ulink -url="beyond.html">Going Beyond BLFS</ulink>" is available to help you check.</para></listitem> -</itemizedlist></sect2> + <itemizedlist> + <listitem> + <para>Is the hardware support compiled into the kernel or + available as a module to the kernel? If it is a module, is it configured + properly in <filename>modules.conf</filename> and has it been loaded? You + should use <command>lsmod</command> as root to see if it's loaded. Check the + <filename>sys.log</filename> or run <command>modprobe <driver> + </command> to review any error message. If it loads properly, you may need + to add the <command>modprobe</command> to your boot scripts.</para> + </listitem> + <listitem> + <para>Are your permissions properly set, especially for devices? LFS + uses groups to make these settings easier, but it also adds the step of + adding users to groups to allow access. A simple <command>moduser + -G audio <user></command> may be all that's necessary for that + user to have access to the sound system. Any question that starts + out with "It works as root, but not as ..." requires a thorough review + of permissions prior to asking.</para> + </listitem> + <listitem> + <para>BLFS liberally uses <filename>/opt/<package></filename>. + The main objection to this centers around the need to expand your + environment variables for each package placed there (e.g., + PATH=$PATH:/opt/kde/bin). In some cases, the package will walk you + through the changes, but some will not. The section called "<ulink + url="beyond.html">Going Beyond BLFS</ulink>" is available to help + you check.</para> + </listitem> + </itemizedlist> -<sect2> -<title>Things to mention</title> + </sect2> -<para>Apart from a brief explanation of the problem you're having, the -essential things to include in your request are:</para> + <sect2> + <title>Things to Mention</title> -<itemizedlist> -<listitem><para>the version of the book you are using (being -&version;),</para></listitem> -<listitem><para>the package or section giving you -problems,</para></listitem> -<listitem><para>the exact error message or symptom you are -receiving,</para></listitem> -<listitem><para>whether you have deviated from the book or -<acronym>LFS</acronym> at all.</para></listitem> -</itemizedlist> + <para>Apart from a brief explanation of the problem you're having, the + essential things to include in your request are:</para> -<para>(Note that saying that you've deviated from the book doesn't mean -that we won't help you. It'll just help us to see other possible causes of your problem.)</para> + <itemizedlist> + <listitem> + <para>the version of the book you are using (being &version;),</para> + </listitem> + <listitem> + <para>the package or section giving you problems,</para> + </listitem> + <listitem> + <para>the exact error message or symptom you are receiving,</para> + </listitem> + <listitem> + <para>whether you have deviated from the book or LFS at all.</para> + </listitem> + </itemizedlist> -<para>Expect guidance instead of specific instructions. If you are -instructed to read something, please do so. It generally implies that -the answer was way too obvious and that the question would not have been asked -if a little research was done prior to asking. The volunteers in the mailing -list prefer not to be used as an alternative to doing reasonable research on -your end. In addition, the quality of your experience with <acronym>BLFS -</acronym> is also greatly enhanced by this research, and the quality of -volunteers is enhanced because they don't feel that their time has been abused, -so they are far more likely to participate.</para> + <para>(Note that saying that you've deviated from the book doesn't mean + that we won't help you. It'll just help us to see other possible causes + of your problem.)</para> -<para>An excellent article on asking for help on the Internet in general -has been written by Eric S. Raymond. It is available online at <ulink -url="http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html"/>. -Read and follow the hints in that document and you are much more likely -to get a response to start with and also to get the help you actually -need.</para> -</sect2> + <para>Expect guidance instead of specific instructions. If you are + instructed to read something, please do so. It generally implies that + the answer was way too obvious and that the question would not have + been asked if a little research was done prior to asking. The volunteers + in the mailing list prefer not to be used as an alternative to doing + reasonable research on your end. In addition, the quality of your + experience with BLFS is also greatly enhanced by this research, and + the quality of volunteers is enhanced because they don't feel that their + time has been abused, so they are far more likely to participate.</para> + <para>An excellent article on asking for help on the Internet in general + has been written by Eric S. Raymond. It is available online at + <ulink url="http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html"/>. + Read and follow the hints in that document and you are much more likely + to get a response to start with and also to get the help you actually + need.</para> + + </sect2> + </sect1> -- http://linuxfromscratch.org/mailman/listinfo/blfs-book FAQ: http://www.linuxfromscratch.org/blfs/faq.html Unsubscribe: See the above information page
