1. Introduction

Development in the world of Linux takes place at an incredible speed and it can be difficult to keep abreast with the latest development. This HOWTO gives you a few guidelines on how to get the information you need, fast and efficiently. Most are quite familiar with using the World Wide Web (WWW) and Usenet News but as will be shown here there are many other methods that can be as good or even better.

There are now many new translations available and special thanks go to the translators for the job and the input they have given:

• Polish translation by Tomasz Sienicki tsca (at) cryogen.com
• French Translation by Jean-Albert Ferrez Jean-Albert.Ferrez (at) epfl.ch
• Portuguese Translation by Duarte Loreto dnloreto (at) esoterica.pt
• Japanese translation by Satoru Takahashi hisai (at) din.or.jp

1.1 Copyright

This HOWTO is copyrighted 1998 Kjell Sundby, Kjetil Bakkeskaug and Stein Gjoen.

Unless otherwise stated, Linux HOWTO documents are copyrighted by their respective authors. Linux HOWTO documents may be reproduced and distributed in whole or in part, in any medium physical or electronic, as long as this copyright notice is retained on all copies. Commercial redistribution is allowed and encouraged; however, the author would like to be notified of any such distributions.

All translations, derivative works, or aggregate works incorporating any Linux HOWTO documents must be covered under this copyright notice. That is, you may not produce a derivative work from a HOWTO and impose additional restrictions on its distribution. Exceptions to these rules may be granted under certain conditions; please contact the Linux HOWTO coordinator at the address given below.

In short, we wish to promote dissemination of this information through as many channels as possible. However, we do wish to retain copyright on the HOWTO documents, and would like to be notified of any plans to redistribute the HOWTOs.

If you have questions, please contact the Linux HOWTO coordinator, at linux-howto@metalab.unc.edu via email.

1.2 Disclaimer

Use the information in this document at your own risk. We disavow any potential liability for the contents of this document. Use of the concepts, examples, and/or other content of this document is entirely at your own risk.

All copyrights are owned by their owners, unless specifically noted otherwise. Use of a term in this document should not be regarded as affecting the validity of any trademark or service mark.

Naming of particular products or brands should not be seen as endorsements.

You are strongly recommended to take a backup of your system before major installation and backups at regular intervals.

1.3 News

Updated links to LinuxNetMag

Did a major link check but linkrot sets in quickly.

Added link to Penguin Magazine.

Added more information on the workings of mailing lists. Also proper indexing is now added.

Renamed Dejanews to Deja and one chapter title. Also added note on translation now underway. Minor typos fixed.

Added link to Polish translation

Added link to Linux Focus and Linux Magazine.

Added links to French and Japanese translations as well as several online resources.

Link rot is setting in, numerous corrections made. Also expanded on searching choices.

1.4 Credits

Tomasz Sienicki | tsca <tsca (at) cryogen.com>
Satoru Takahashi <hisai (at) din.or.jp>