Re: Users Manual for MX-19
Posted: Sun Apr 12, 2020 9:52 pm
Hi Jerry,
Thanks for your untiring efforts on MX documentation and for your help in the forum. I am willing to revise part of the manual under your supervision if you are interested. For example, I've meant to say something about Chapter 2 of the manual ever since I first joined the forum two years ago.
Chapter 2 "Installation"
My problem with Ch 2 is that it is too long and complicated for users new to Linux and presents things in a unnatural order for the majority of users. The basic problem is that Section 2.3 is out of order. It should be placed after Section 2.4. That said, this chapter would less daunting if it were also split into two chapters to reduce the inertia of getting started.
Imagine someone wants to try out MX. Typically they want to proceed in the fastest way possible with a minimum amount of preparation. The preparation involved, especially in Section 2.3 "Pre-Installation", is potentially overwhelming for a beginner. They don't need the information in 2.3 before they run the live-USB in 2.4. In addition, they want to protect the current state of their computer in case they decide not to stay with MX. I don't think Ch 2 should include installation. That is too great an initial commitment of time and hardware. It should be about downloading and running MX from live media. Leave the relatively complicated procedure of full installation to a new Ch 3 after they gain some experience with MX, have time to think over the prep involved in Section 2.3, and get familiar with GParted, disk identification, and partitions.
A revised Ch 2 "Creating and Using Bootable Live Media (USB or DVD)" could cover the following topics:
1) Introduction including a general work flow chart.
2) Preparatory decisions to make based on your computer hardware.
(Sections 2.1.1, 2.1.2)
3) How to download and validate the ISO.
(Sections 2.2.1, 2.2.2)
4) How to create a bootable live-USB or live-DVD.
(Section 2.2.3)
5) How to run an MX-live USB (w/o persistence) including changing the BIOS.
(Section 2.4)
6) Overview of modifying the OS, saving changes w/ persistence, remastering if necessary, creating a snapshot, installing from a live OS, etc. Flow chart of steps and optional steps. This overview would reference other pages of the manual and not present detailed information on these subjects.
Create a new Ch 3 "Installation of MX" by moving some sections in the present Ch 2. Specifically, move sections 2.3, 2.5, and 2.6 to Ch 3.
The current Ch 3 and every chapter after would become X+1. For example, Ch 3 "Configuration" becomes Ch 4. If splitting Ch 2 is not advisable because it would create too much work renumbering all the chapters, sections, tables and figures for the remainder of the manual, then at least it should be reordered and partially rewritten. Perhaps have a Ch 2 Part 1 and Ch 2 Part 2. Alternatively, the rewrite could be done in two steps: rearrange Ch 2 for MX 19.2 & 19.3 and split the chapter for MX 20.0.
What do you think? [You don't have to be gentle. I'm not that sensitive.]
Thanks for your untiring efforts on MX documentation and for your help in the forum. I am willing to revise part of the manual under your supervision if you are interested. For example, I've meant to say something about Chapter 2 of the manual ever since I first joined the forum two years ago.
Chapter 2 "Installation"
My problem with Ch 2 is that it is too long and complicated for users new to Linux and presents things in a unnatural order for the majority of users. The basic problem is that Section 2.3 is out of order. It should be placed after Section 2.4. That said, this chapter would less daunting if it were also split into two chapters to reduce the inertia of getting started.
Imagine someone wants to try out MX. Typically they want to proceed in the fastest way possible with a minimum amount of preparation. The preparation involved, especially in Section 2.3 "Pre-Installation", is potentially overwhelming for a beginner. They don't need the information in 2.3 before they run the live-USB in 2.4. In addition, they want to protect the current state of their computer in case they decide not to stay with MX. I don't think Ch 2 should include installation. That is too great an initial commitment of time and hardware. It should be about downloading and running MX from live media. Leave the relatively complicated procedure of full installation to a new Ch 3 after they gain some experience with MX, have time to think over the prep involved in Section 2.3, and get familiar with GParted, disk identification, and partitions.
A revised Ch 2 "Creating and Using Bootable Live Media (USB or DVD)" could cover the following topics:
1) Introduction including a general work flow chart.
2) Preparatory decisions to make based on your computer hardware.
(Sections 2.1.1, 2.1.2)
3) How to download and validate the ISO.
(Sections 2.2.1, 2.2.2)
4) How to create a bootable live-USB or live-DVD.
(Section 2.2.3)
5) How to run an MX-live USB (w/o persistence) including changing the BIOS.
(Section 2.4)
6) Overview of modifying the OS, saving changes w/ persistence, remastering if necessary, creating a snapshot, installing from a live OS, etc. Flow chart of steps and optional steps. This overview would reference other pages of the manual and not present detailed information on these subjects.
Create a new Ch 3 "Installation of MX" by moving some sections in the present Ch 2. Specifically, move sections 2.3, 2.5, and 2.6 to Ch 3.
The current Ch 3 and every chapter after would become X+1. For example, Ch 3 "Configuration" becomes Ch 4. If splitting Ch 2 is not advisable because it would create too much work renumbering all the chapters, sections, tables and figures for the remainder of the manual, then at least it should be reordered and partially rewritten. Perhaps have a Ch 2 Part 1 and Ch 2 Part 2. Alternatively, the rewrite could be done in two steps: rearrange Ch 2 for MX 19.2 & 19.3 and split the chapter for MX 20.0.
What do you think? [You don't have to be gentle. I'm not that sensitive.]
