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diff --git a/release/doc/en_US.ISO8859-1/readme/article.sgml b/release/doc/en_US.ISO8859-1/readme/article.sgml index a5161f2..676abad 100644 --- a/release/doc/en_US.ISO8859-1/readme/article.sgml +++ b/release/doc/en_US.ISO8859-1/readme/article.sgml @@ -1,5 +1,3 @@ -<!-- $FreeBSD$ --> - <!DOCTYPE article PUBLIC "-//FreeBSD//DTD DocBook V4.1-Based Extension//EN" [ <!ENTITY % man PUBLIC "-//FreeBSD//ENTITIES DocBook Manual Page Entities//EN"> %man; @@ -9,15 +7,338 @@ %mlists; <!ENTITY % release PUBLIC "-//FreeBSD//ENTITIES Release Specification//EN"> %release; -<!ENTITY % sections SYSTEM "readme.ent"> %sections; ]> <article> -&artheader; -&abstract; -§.intro; -§.about; -§.obtaining; -§.problems; -§.ack; +<articleinfo> + <title>&os; &release.current; README</title> + + <corpauthor>The &os; Project</corpauthor> + <pubdate>$FreeBSD$</pubdate> + + <copyright> + <year>2000</year> + <year>2001</year> + <holder role="mailto:doc@FreeBSD.org">The FreeBSD Documentation Project</holder> + </copyright> +</articleinfo> +<abstract> + <para>This document gives a brief introduction to &os; + &release.current;. It includes a roadmap to the other release + documentation files, as well as some pointers on obtaining &os; and + contacting the &os; development team.</para> +</abstract> +<sect1> + <title>Introduction</title> + + <para>This distribution is a &release.type; of &os; &release.current;, the + latest point along the &release.branch; branch.</para> + + <sect2> + <title>Target Audience</title> + +<![ %release.type.snapshot; [ + <para>This &release.type; is aimed primarily at early adopters and + various other users who want to get involved with the ongoing + development of &os;. While the &os; development team tries its + best to ensure that each &release.type; works as + advertised, &release.branch; is very much a work-in-progress.</para> + + <para>The basic requirements for using this &release.type are + technical proficiency with &os; and an understanding of the ongoing + development process of &os; &release.current; + (as discussed on the &a.current;).</para> + + <para>For those more interested + in doing business with &os; than in experimenting with new &os; + technology, formal releases (such as &release.prev;) are frequently more + appropriate. Releases undergo a period of testing and quality + assurance checking to ensure high reliability and dependability.</para> +]]> + +<![ %release.type.release; [ + <para>This &release.type; of &os; is suitable for all users. It has + undergone a period of testing and quality assurance + checking to ensure the highest reliability and dependability.</para> +]]> + + </sect2> + + <sect2 id="release-docs"> + <title>Release Documentation</title> + + <para>A number of other files provide more specific information + about this &release.type; distribution. These files are provided + in various formats. Most distributions will include both ASCII + text (<filename>.TXT</filename>) and HTML + (<filename>.HTM</filename>) renditions. Some distributions may + also include other formats such as PostScript + (<filename>.PS</filename>) or Portable Document Format + (<filename>.PDF</filename>). + + <itemizedlist> + <listitem> + <para><filename>README.TXT</filename>: This file, which + gives some general information about &os; as well as some + cursory notes about obtaining a distribution.</para> + </listitem> + <listitem> + <para><filename>RELNOTES.TXT</filename>: The release notes, + showing what's new and different in &os; &release.current; + compared to &os; &release.prev;.</para> + </listitem> + <listitem> + <para><filename>HARDWARE.TXT</filename>: The hardware + compatability list, showing devices with which &os; has been + tested and is known to work.</para> + </listitem> + <listitem> + <para><filename>INSTALL.TXT</filename>: Installation + instructions for installing &os; from its distribution + media.</para> + </listitem> + <listitem> + <para><filename>ERRATA.TXT</filename>: Release errata. + Late-breaking, post-release information can be found in this + file, which is principally applicable to releases (as opposed to + snapshots). It is important to consult this file before + installing a release of &os;, as it contains + the latest information on problems which have been found and + fixed since the release was created.</para> + </listitem> + </itemizedlist> + + </para> + + <para>Most information is also available from the + Documentation menu during installation.</para> + + </sect2> + +</sect1> +<sect1> + <title>About &os;</title> + + <para>&os; is an operating system based on 4.4 BSD + Lite for Intel, AMD, Cyrix or NexGen <quote>x86</quote> based PC + hardware and Compaq (formerly DEC) Alpha computers. Versions for + the IA64 and PowerPC architectures are currently under + development as well. &os; works with a + wide variety of peripherals and configurations and can be + used for everything from software development to games to Internet Service + Provision.</para> + + <para>This release of &os; contains everything you need to run + such a system, including full source code for the kernel and all + utilities in the base distribution. With the + source distribution installed, you can literally recompile the entire + system from scratch with one command, making it ideal for students, + researchers, or users who simply want to see how it all works.</para> + + <para>A large collection of third-party ported software (the + <quote>Ports Collection</quote>) is also provided to make it easy + to obtain and install all your favorite traditional UNIX + utilities for &os;. Each + <quote>port</quote> consists of a set of scripts to retrieve, + configure, build, and install a piece of software, with a single + command. Over 5000 ports, from editors to programming + languages to graphical applications, make &os; a powerful and + comprehensive operating environment that extends far beyond what's + provided by many commercial versions of UNIX. Most ports are also + available as pre-compiled <quote>packages</quote>, which can be + quickly installed from the installation program.</para> + + <para>Pointers to more documentation on &os; can be found in the + <ulink + url="http://www.FreeBSD.org/doc/en_US.ISO8859-1/books/handbook/bibliography.html#BIBLIOGRAPHY-FREEBSD">Books + & Magazines Specific to FreeBSD</ulink> section of the &os; Handbook. + Because of &os;'s strong UNIX heritage, many other articles and books written + for UNIX systems are applicable as well. A selection of these documents + can be found in the Handbook's <ulink + url="http://www.FreeBSD.org/doc/en_US.ISO8859-1/books/handbook/bibliography.html">Bibliography</ulink>. + </para> + + <para>If you're new to &os; then you should also read + all of the documentation files listed in <xref linkend="release-docs">, + all of which are available from the Documentation menu in the + installation program. + It may seem + like a lot to read, but it's important to at least acquaint yourself with + the types of information available, should you run into problems later. Once + the system is installed, you can also revisit this menu by running + the &man.sysinstall.8; utility.</para> + + <para>On-line + versions of the <ulink + url="http://www.FreeBSD.org/doc/en_US.ISO8859-1/books/faq/">FAQ</ulink> + (Frequently Asked Questions document) and <ulink + url="http://www.FreeBSD.org/doc/en_US.ISO8859-1/books/handbook/">Handbook</ulink> are always + available from the <ulink + url="http://www.FreeBSD.org/docs.html">FreeBSD Documentation + page</ulink> or its mirrors. + If you install the + <filename>doc</filename> distribution set, you can use a + Web browser to read the FAQ and Handbook locally.</para> + + <note> + <para>It is extremely important to read the errata for any given + release before installing it, to learn about any + <quote>late-breaking news</quote> or post-release problems. + The + errata file accompanying each release + (most likely right next to this file) is already out of + date by definition, but other copies are kept updated on the Internet + and should be consulted as the <quote>current errata</quote> for + this release. These + other copies of the errata are located at + <ulink url="http://www.FreeBSD.org/releases/"></ulink> + (as well as any sites which keep up-to-date mirrors of this + location).</para> + </note> +</sect1> +<sect1> + <title>Obtaining &os;</title> + + <para>&os; may be obtained in a variety of ways. This section + focuses on those ways that are primarily of use for obtaining a + complete &os; distribution, rather than updating an existing + installation.</para> + + <sect2> + <title>CDROM and DVD</title> + + <para>&os; -RELEASE distributions (for example, 4.3-RELEASE) may + be ordered on CDROM or DVD from several publishers. This is + frequently the most convenient way to obtain &os; for new + installations, as it provides a convenient way to quickly + reinstall the system if necessary. Some distributions include + some of the optional, precompiled <quote>packages</quote> from the + &os; Ports Collection.</para> + + <para>A list of the CDROM and DVD + publishers known to the project are listed in the <ulink + url="http://www.FreeBSD.org/doc/en_US.ISO8859-1/books/handbook/mirrors.html"><quote>Obtaining + FreeBSD</quote></ulink> appendix to the Handbook.</para> + </sect2> + + <sect2> + <title>FTP</title> + + <para>You can use FTP to retrieve &os; and any or all of its + optional packages from <ulink + url="ftp://ftp.FreeBSD.org/"></ulink>, which + is the + official &os; release site, or any of its <quote>mirrors</quote>.</para> + + <para>Lists of locations that mirror &os; + can be found in the <ulink + url="http://www.FreeBSD.org/doc/en_US.ISO8859-1/books/handbook/mirrors-ftp.html">FTP + Sites</ulink> section of the Handbook, or on the + <ulink url="http://www.freebsdmirrors.org/"></ulink> Web pages. + Finding a close (in networking terms) mirror from which to + download the distribution is highly recommended.</para> + + <para>Additional mirror sites are + always welcome. + Contact <email>freebsd-admin@FreeBSD.org</email> for more + details on becoming an official mirror site.</para> + + <para>Mirrors generally contain the floppy disk images necessary + to begin an installation, as well as the distribution files needed + for the install process itself. Some mirrors also contain some of + the ISO images necessary to create a CDROM of a &os; release.</para> + + </sect2> +</sect1> +<sect1 id="contacting"> + <title>Contacting the &os; Project</title> + + <sect2> + <title>Email and Mailing Lists</title> + <para>For any questions or general technical support issues, please send + mail to the &a.questions;.</para> + + <para>If you're tracking the -current development efforts, you + <emphasis>must</emphasis> join the &a.current;, in order to keep + abreast of recent developments and changes that may affect the way + you use and maintain the system. + + <para>Additionally, being a largely-volunteer effort, the &os; + Project is always happy to + have extra hands willing to help — there are already far more + desired enhancements than there is time to implement them. + To contact the developers on technical matters, or with offers of help, please + send mail to the &a.hackers;.</para> + + <para>Please note that these mailing lists can experience + <emphasis>significant</emphasis> amounts of traffic and if you have + slow or expensive mail access and are only interested in keeping up + with significant &os; events, you may find it preferable to + subscribe instead to the &a.announce;.</para> + + <para>All of the mailing lists can be freely joined by anyone + wishing to do so. Send mail to &a.majordomo; + and include the keyword <literal>help</literal> on a line by itself + somewhere in the body of the message. This will give you more + information on joining the various lists, accessing archives, etc. + There are a number of mailing lists targeted at special interest + groups not mentioned here; more information can be obtained either + through majordomo or the <ulink + url="http://www.FreeBSD.org/support.html#mailing-list">mailing lists + section</ulink> of the &os; Web site.</para> + + <important> + <para>Do <emphasis>not</emphasis> send email to the lists asking to + be subscribed. Use the &a.majordomo; address + instead.</para> + </important> + </sect2> + + <sect2> + <title>Submitting Problem Reports</title> + + <para>Suggestions, bug reports and contributions of code are + always valued — please do not hesitate to report any problems you + may find. Bug reports with attached fixes are of course even more + welcome.</para> + + <para>The preferred method to submit bug reports from a machine with + Internet mail connectivity is to use the &man.send-pr.1; command or + use the Web form at <ulink + url="http://www.FreeBSD.org/send-pr.html">http://www.FreeBSD.org/send-pr.html</ulink>. + <quote>Problem Reports</quote> (PRs) submitted in this way will be filed and + their progress tracked; the &os; developers will do their best to respond to all + reported bugs as soon as possible. <ulink url="http://www.FreeBSD.org/cgi/query-pr-summary.cgi">A list of all active PRs</ulink> is + available on the &os; Web site; this list is useful to see what + potential problems other users have encountered.</para> + + <para>Note that &man.send-pr.1; itself is a shell script that should + be easy to move even onto a non-&os; system. Using this interface + is highly preferred. + If, for some reason, you are unable to use &man.send-pr.1; to + submit a bug report, you can try to send it to the &a.bugs;.</para> + + <para>In any case, before submitting a PR, + please try to determine whether the problem might have already been + fixed since.</para> + + </sect2> + +</sect1> +<sect1> + <title>Acknowledgments</title> + + <para>&os; represents the cumulative work of many hundreds, if not + thousands, of individuals from around the world who have worked + countless hours to bring about this &release.type;. + For a complete list of &os; developers and contributors, please see + <ulink + url="http://www.FreeBSD.org/doc/en_US.ISO8859-1/articles/contributors/">Contributors + to FreeBSD</ulink> on the &os; Web site or any of its mirrors.</para> + + <para>Special thanks also go to the many thousands of &os; users and + testers all over the world, without whom this &release.type; simply would + not have been possible.</para> + +</sect1> </article> |
