MX Linux Forum

After some 150 hours of work, Gordon and I are pleased to announce that the MX Linux Users Manual (alpha) is available off the Manuals tab at the top of the page. Its concept is to provide well-organized and succinct introductory material for the beginning and intermediate needs of the MX Linux user, simultaneously providing drill-down resources (such as some of the excellent technical Wikis) for advanced needs.

Like all alphas, this one needs a lot of attention: some things are missing, some things are confused, and some things are just plain wrong. But it sets a firm base upon which to build. Over the next 5 weeks, our collective job is to bring this up to beta level. I will be making separate posts tomorrow to keep things somewhat organized, but the general priority is this:

• Write the missing sections marked with an "Under construction" icon (e.g., Basic Use).
• Review, revise and correct Section 3 Configuration, perhaps most especially Network
• Review Section 2 Installation for accuracy and completeness (particularly Partitioning)
• Review Section 6 Advanced Use, especially on MX Advanced Apps
• Collect screencaptures to clarify the text (e.g., again, Partitions, where a video or two <cough> would be terrific)
• Begin to collect a few useful links for each topic, and review the ones that are there

I know that may sound like a lot, but with many hands on the wheel we should have no trouble getting to where we need to be by the end of February.

The core team:
--I will serve as Managing Editor, with primary responsibility for the content.
--Gordon has good experience with Lyx (and LaTeX behind it), and will be responsible for the creation and maintenance of the pdf version, working on other aspects as time permits.
--SilverBear will be handling the html coding, where he has lots of experience (the Mepis 11 Manual is his work).
But we also need Community participation in the areas listed above. If anyone is interested in taking responsibility for a subarea (screencaptures, for example), that would be even better.

WIth all of us engaged, I look forward to the successful completion of this important MX Linux project.

Jerry,
Looking good so far!
Do you want to be using this thread as a "work clearinghouse" for questions, suggestions, etc?

General questions and suggestions, sure. But more detailed stuff should wait until I get up some dedicated threads or I will never find it again. Plus, I intend to take some time off here for a bit...

OK.
I've downloaded the document.
Email me about whatever it was you wanted me to do with headings, whenever you catch your breath!

Gordon is working on a pdf for those who work better from printed copy.

General question. When working with the document what is the preferred editor? With what I have I would copy it into LibreOfiice writer, edit and save as html. Kind of awkward and looking for suggestions. I do not have the time or ambition to learn Latex or whatever it is called.

LO is fine, or really anything. Lyx is very forgiving.

And don't save it into html--then I just have to copy it off a web page again!

Jerry3904 wrote:LO is fine, or really anything. Lyx is very forgiving.

ODT, plain text, even versions of Word. Preferably NOT in pdf or html.

Yesterday, Jerry posted the alpha copy of the new MX Linux Users Manual.

Today, an alpha PDF of the same manual is available from the same place, the Manuals Tab top of the page. This PDF will provide the
option of a printed MX manual

In the first posting, Jerry wrote," this one needs a lot of attention. Some things are missing, some things are confused, and some things are just plain wrong." Because the pdf is derived from the original, it has the same errors and omissions, plus an untidy layout. Empty space on some pages, a few lines spilling into the margins, pages not numbered. We suggest that you do not print this alpha for any use except review.

Over the next five weeks we plan to fill in the information gaps, fix the mistakes and reformat this pdf ready for printing. There are two options. Single side or double side printing? Preferably both, we only need to change the margins. The final will be close to 100 pages, double side print would reduce this to 50 sheets.

We are working in Lyx with a single master file. Any corrections and additions should go to the feedback address, or the Forum threads, but not in pdf. Contributions in Lyx or Latex would be welcome.