A modest proposal

[Dal Pra Stefano 289689/IL <sdp@dei.unipd.it>]

First of all, i must tell you that my natural language is Italian, so i 
beg your pardon in advance about all my ridicolous mistakes. I'm quite
confident reading english text but i'm not so clever to write it
properly. 

I would illustrate an idea i had about a new, distribution dependent,
documentation project, which would help newcomers (and not)
understanding the meaning of standard Linux directoryes. 

I propose putting a WHATISHERE text file into every "standard" linux
directory with some brief description about that particular directory
(which kind of files go there and what are they intended for, when
useful) and some reference to the particular HOWTO, guide, man, doc
who best tell more about that. 

I would explain by an example the use such a WHATISHERE file could
have for a non-guru user: I recently recompiled my kernel referring to
Kernel-HOWTO, Modules-HOWTO, Lilo-HOWTO, man lilo, man lilo.conf, man
this, man that. During the (succesfull) process i had to cp my new
/usr/src/linux/arch/i386/boot/bzImage to /boot.
 There i found some misterious file like 
initrd-2.2.14.img, boot.0300, boot.b os2_d.b, and others.
While with the first one i had lucky by founding an explanation into "Linux
Questions and Answers" by ItalianLDP, i still am completely
ignorant about the others. I'm sure that some explanation exists, here or
there, but i have no idea how to find it without scanning some other
Mb of doc's. 

So i ask you: do you think it could be useful a WHATISHERE file which
briefly explain meaning of tipical files one find there, tipical rules
for the name files have, tipical unix-linux commands related with that
files, tipical use the system make with them?

I think it would be possible an "upgraded by users" distribution of
these WHATISHERE files: just put them into every standard directory
without specific informations, but with a "standardized form" like, for
example, this one:

*********************************************************************
WHATISHERE file for /etc/rc.d   , RedHat distributions

THIS IS A PREALFA DISTRIBUTION: IF YOU HAVE ENOUGH KNOWLEDGE ABOUT
THIS DIRECTORY, PLEASE CONSIDER FILLING-UPGRADING-CORRECTING SOME
EMPTY-WRONG FIELD IN THE PRESENT FORM AND MAIL IT TO:

Whatishere-Boss@some.where.xx 
Suggestions are alo welcome, THANK YOU!
         *********************************************


1) The files you find here are intended for:

        1.1) Their name tipically satisfy theese rules: 

2) Tipicals important file you find here are:

3) specifically they mean:
        [brief explaination foo1, see more about at ...], 
        [brief explaination foo2, see more about at ...]
        
4) some tipical unix command related with that are:
        [brief explaination/example command 1, see more about at ...]
        [brief explaination/example command 1, see more about at ...]

5) The subdirectories you find here are intended for:

6)  some good idea?

*********************************************************************

I think this is all the best i can do to give you an idea about what i
mean for WHATISHERE file. If you find this is a non-garbage idea
please let me know, i would appreciate. If you find this is just a
dull, impractical idea, please do not esitate to send me a 
"ReadThatFuckingManual" reply: I'll do not bother you anymore!

Thank you for reading, 

Stefano Dal Pra

        sdp@dei.unipd.it




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