The Linux Library
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!
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
Emacs
GNU awk
PERL
Postgres database
SmallTalk
Taylor UUCP 1.05
TeX
Visual X Programming
X Interface Builder (TCL)
- Major Linux Archive Sites
- There are several major Linux archive sites including:
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:
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.
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:
Back up to Linux HomeBoy WebPage
This page written and maintained by:
John M. Fisk at
fiskjm@ctrvax.vanderbilt.edu