Linux Library

## The Linux Library

#### Software Documentation | Archive Sites | Online Documentation

##### Copyright (c) 1995 John M. Fisk fiskjm@ctrvax.vanderbilt.edu
For information regarding copying and distribution of this material see the COPYING document.

Welcome to the Linux Library! Before we go much further let me explain just what the Linux Library is and is not...

### What the Linux Library is NOT

This is not a collection of FAQ's, HOWTO's, Linux Documentation Project (LDP) docs, or the usual stuff you'll find in any self-respecting " /doc " directory in your favorite Linux archive. As you've probably noticed by now, Matt Welsh et. al, have done a marvelous job of collecting these sorts of things and made them eminently accessible at the Linux Documentation Project homepage. If you're looking for any of these, go to Sunsite! :-)

### What the Linux Library actually is

It is an attempt to gather together something of the rest of the documents that have been written and left lying around the Internet. A lot of documentation besides just FAQ's and HOWTO's has been written for various programs and is often found at the archive sites where the source files reside. Problem is, these documents don't always make their way into the various distributions together with the program files. Hence, you can spend a LOT of time trying to figure out how to set up, for example, Taylor UUCP 1.05 and not know that there's a handy How-To-Set-It-Up type document available for it.

That's where the Linux Library comes in.

Actually, that's where I've started. What this really attempts to bring together are three things:

- Software Documentation for various programs which are not usually included in the documentation subdirectories at most archive sites.
- Links to the major Archive Sites for the larger software packages such as XFree86 (X Window), Andrew User Interface System (AUIS), TeX and LaTeX (CTAN archives), InterViews, and several others.
- Links to On-Line Documentation such as HTML authoring or setting up the NCSA HTTPD Web Server.

Admittedly, this is not going to be exhaustive, but I've tried to include as much as I can find initially and will add to it as time permits. Please don't hesitate to email me and make suggestions regarding additions!

Enjoy!

## Software Documentation

The following represents what I've been able, over a relatively short amount of time, to cull from various archive sites. Admittedly, this is far from exhaustive. I'll add to it as I can -- if you come across something that you think would be helpful to others, let me know and I'll include it!

ELF documentation

- ELF.doc.tar.gz (75k)
- elf.latex.tar.gz in LaTeX format (14k)
- elf.ps.gz in postscript format (47k)

Emacs

- emacs-manual-6.0.dvi.gz in .DVI format (300k)
- elisp-manual-19-2.4.tar.gz (1.9M)
- intro-emacs-lisp-95mar14.tar.gz (186k)

GNU awk

- gawk-doc-2.15.2.tar.gz (198k)
- gawk-ps-2.15.2.tar.gz in postscript format (288k)

PERL

- perlref-5.000.0.tar.gz (126k)
- perl5.000-doc.ps.gz in postscript format (360k)

Postgres database

- postgres4.0.1a.doc.tar.z (1.3M)

SmallTalk

- smalltalk-tutorial.txt.gz (41k)
- smalltalk-tutorial.ps.gz in postscript format (62k)

Taylor UUCP 1.05

- uucp-doc-1.05.tar.gz (339k)

TeX

- texdoc.taz (80k)

Visual X Programming

- vxp_Guide.ps.tar.gz in postscript format (293k)
- vxp_Tutorial.ps.tar.gz in postscript format (70k)

X Interface Builder (TCL)

- xf-doc-us.ps.gz in postscript format (551k)

## Archive Sites

Major Linux Archive Sites
  There are several major Linux archive sites including:
  - nic.funet.fi in Finland
  - sunsite.unc.edu at University of North Carolina
  - tsx-11.mit.edu at M.I.T. in Boston
  These are major software repositories and most have a large number of mirror sites. Mirror sites are generally preferable as they carry exactly the same software and are usually less crowded.
Andrew User Interface System (AUIS)
  Developed and available at Carnegie Mellon University, the Andrew User Interface System is an X Window system encompassing software development, WYSIWYG word processing, and mail handling. Impressive and huge.
X Windows XFree86 Project
  The X Window system was originally developed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology where ongoing development of the freely available XFree86 version continues.
InterViews
  InterViews was developed by the folks at Stanford University. It's an extensive graphical environment that incorporates a C++ interface. The system includes a WYSIWYG text editor (doc), a vector-oriented drawing program (idraw), an interface interface builder (ibuild), and a C++ class browser (iclass).
GNU Software
  GNU (" GNU's NOT UNIX) ") software repository at Massachusett's Institute of Technology remains a veritable cornucopia of excellent software. Often considered better than the original version, GNU software forms much of the foundational utilites and programs for most Linux distributions. This is a fun place to browse.
Comprehensive TeX Archive Network (CTAN)
  The Sam Houston State University CTAN archive provides a wealth of information, software, documentation, and helps for those interested in running Donald's Knuth's venerable TeX text-formatting system. If you're interested in, or simply having to use, TeX or LaTeX then this is the place for you!
VI Editor archives
  There are actually a couple of extensive vi editor archive sites that contain a number of helpful reference and tutorials to this revered editor:
  - cs.uwp.edu
  - alf.uib.no
  It also contains a variety of vi fix-me-ups to make using this rather spartan editor a bit more pleasurable.
Kermit
  And talking about venerable old software... :-)
  The Kermit telecommunications program developed at Columbia University is clearly one of the most widely ported programs in the civilized (?) world. Neither the fastest nor the most glamorous, this is the comm program to use if you're having to communicate between widely disparate platforms... besides, your friends will be very impressed when you can tell them that you actually enjoy and know how to use this great program. :-)
Sunsite .AU Sound file Collection
  If you've got a sound card then you need to check out the huge collection of .au sound files located at the University of North Carolina's Sunsite archive. A veritable smorgasbord of sound clips for trekkies, Monty Python fans, and serious TV addicts.
Kerberos
  OK... here's another major league package from the UN*X gurus at MIT. Kerberos is a network security package to keep all those hackers, crackers, and phreaks at bay. Since I don't run a network I can't tell you much about this one... it's here for you guys that need such things.

## On-line Documentation

The scope of what's available online is... well, VAST.
If you're looking for a specific subject there are a number of powerful search engines available. An excellent compilation of these services is available at:
Tennessee Commerce's " Search the Whole Internet "
What I've tried to collect here are some online tutorials and documentation of interest to the Linux user. Got something you'd like to add to the list? Email me!

The UNIX Reference Desk
  An inimitable, formitable, and veritable tour de force of UNIX gurudom! If you've got a UNIX question... this is your place to start looking.
Computer Programming Languages
  A compilation of links to resources for various and sundry programming languages from Ada to Z.
EMACS Lisp Language Online Documentation
  Want to extend your Extensible Self-Documenting Text Editor?
  You'll need to know a little ELISP and this site provides you with some solid foundational skills.
University of Florida's PERL Archive
  Everything you ever wanted to know about PERL... and links to get there.
SAL's Complete Documentation of Perl 5
  Brought to you by the folks at the Space Astrophysics Lab (SAL) this is even more of everything you wanted to know about Larry Wall's Practical Extraction and Report Language (PERL).
Tcl and Tk
  If you're programming in Tcl/Tk, or want to program in it, then this excellent site offers a marvelous stash of ftp'able software, documentation, and examples.
" UNIX is a Four letter Word... and VI is a Two letter Abbreviation "
  A humorous and comprehensive, albeit irreverant, online document for the venerable vi editor.
CERN httpd Online Documentation
  If you're planning to set up CERN's httpd Web server then you'll find a goodly helping of information about installation, administration, and trouble-shooting.
NCSA's httpd Online Documentation
  A twin-sister site to CERN's httpd website, this offers online and downloadable postscript versions of its installation and administration guides.
Setting up your own Local TCPIP Network
  Here's an indexed step-by-step recounting of one man's travails in setting up a local TCPIP network involving a Linux server and a Mac client. If you're thinking about a similar project here's a glimpse at what's in store...
The Web Developer's Virtual Library
  Finally got your web server up and running? Congrats!
  Now it's time to look for resources for development and this is your place to go. It's a self avowed " comprehensive catalog with over 1100 links to resources for web development... "
HTML Authoring Helps
  There are innumerable online docs to help get your HTML authorship skills honed. For starters try:
  - Ftp a copy of xhtml -- an excellent X Window HTML editor (Motif statically linked).
  - An extensive compendium of HTML authorship helps and links can be found at National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA).
  - Beginner's Guide to HTML at UIUC.
  - Composing Good HTML.
  - Dan Connolly, one of the developers of HTML, offers his own reference in the HTML Design Notebook.
  - For a comprehensive listing of HTML codes go to The HTML Quick Reference Guide.
  - A Beginner's Guide to URL's
  - A comprehensive tutorial on Fill-Out Forms.
  - And when you're finally ready to see if your page will fly... use the HTML Validation Service from Halsoft. This helpful service scours your HTML document looking for errors based upon the document type (HTML 1.0, HTML 2.0, HTML+) and then gives you a printout of what the errors are and where they occur.
  - You've gotten your webpage written and it looks great!. Now, to get it registered with the myriad indexing services (WebCrawler, Lycos, Yahoo) so the world can find it is a LOT easier thanks to Scott Banister's Submit-It! page which allows you to fill in one form, indicate which indexes you want to be registered with, and then click on the buttons.

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