On Sat, Apr 28, 2007 at 10:00:09PM +0100, somethin2cool wrote: > Andrew M.A. Cater wrote: > > >> > >No, it isn't too obvious to bother writing anywhere: it may be obvious > >to many that some users don't bother _READING_ anywhere. > >Google is your friend, as is browsing the archives of the mailing list. > > > >Hope this helps, > > > >Andy > > > > > Andrew I'm sure you get a lot of threads where people haven't bothered > looking. But i did notice you linked to www.debian.org. Well I'm sure > it's there somewhere. As for Google, I read every link for 6 pages and > nothing was relevant. >
Try apt-get sources list debian format into google: first hit is APT Howto, second is the Debian tutorial, both on www.debian.org or its mirrors. OR man apt-get OR man aptitude (which points you to man 8 apt-get) that points to sources.list man page then: man 5 sources.list gives you _exactly_ the format. > I am trying to point out that this is a problem. Why not have a look > yourself, without cheeting by searching for the strings you already have > (assume you don't know the format) > > so search for "debian repository list" or "official debian repositories" > be imaginative and post back if you find a keyword which brings up > something useful. > > The problem, is that the net is littered with people asking and not > getting responses. Hiding any older, useful information completely. > Look in the archives for the debian-user mailing list: there are regular queries about "apt-get doesn't work / there's something wrong with my sources.list" - usually, it turns out that someone has made a typo in copying a line or whatever - we can all do it - but, almost invariably, someone will post a correct set of sources.list entries as part of the reply. Similarly with "mirror $foo isn't working at the moment, anybody got a valid set of entries in $country that they'd care to share"? > If anybody else dare think that I have not tried, why not just try > yourself rather than making assumptions. this list is so presumptious! > Do you think I _don't_ try when these questions come up? Stop being so presumptuous yourself :) Normally, my first response is to Google likely keywords or search the archives myself to reassure myself that the information is readily accessible out there. Only some readers of this list and posters to the list assume an inordinately high level of knowledge: most expect you to at least try to problem solve/show you have researched the problem and it is sometimes helpful to show exactly what you have done. So, for a contrived example, "My webcam doesn't work in Debian. Debian suxx" is not a useful comment. "I have a Logitech QuickCam [model]. The main machine is an AMD64, running Debian 4.0 with the stock kernel 2.6.18. I've installed what I believe to be the correct sources and compiled an appropriate module. [Steps I took]. Video card is an Nvidia - using the stock nv driver from the Debian x.org packaging. Trying to use it with GNOME and Ekiga, it gives me a green screen. Has anybody else experienced similar problems" is very good. "I've got a Logitech QuickCam model $foo. I've tried to get it running under Debian on an AMD64 machine with an Nvidia card but I'm having problems using it as a web cam. Can someone help/point me to a HOWTO? Prepared to give more details as required." is also useful _if_ you're prepared to answer questions to solve the problem and give feedback with the eventual solution at the end of the thread. Someone else may be searching Google for similar problems - and you build up the documentation that's missing. (Something like "Logitech QuickCam model $foo webcam problem [SOLVED] as a mail subject is very useful here.) Wikipedia - Debian - package management system - APT would have got you there just as well. Andy -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]