If you've ever browsed the computer section of your local bookstore you've probably noticed the dearth (if not complete absence) of Linux titles. The relatively small demand for Linux information, as opposed to Windows or OSX, makes most big tech publishers reluctant to commit to printing large tomes about what is still a small part of the consumer computing world. And what little does make it to bookshelves is usually confined to one of the 'big three' distros (Ubuntu, Fedora, SUSE) along with an occasional book on one of the better known server-type Linuxes such as pfSense or Centos.
Some 'specialist' flavors of Linux like LFS, Arch and Gentoo have always had their own good quality docs available on their websites. But that's the been the exception to the rule for most distros.
One of the oldest (and still excellent IMO) Linux distributions is Patrick Volkerding's
Slackware. Slackware was first released in 1993 and has continued through 13+ stable versions as of this day, making it the oldest
still actively maintained distro in existence. Linux would not be where it is today without Slackware.
Because Slackware's 'product' philosophy differs from most other versions of Linux, it's gradually become less and less mainstream than those heavily funded and promoted distros such as Ubuntu and RedHat. Which is a shame. Because Slackware is a very modern, well-maintained, and carefully crafted version of Linux.
One of the biggest problems with Slackware (and Linux as a whole) is the general lack of
comprehensive and
easily found technical documentation. You can always Google and run down various information sources. There's usually a small doc collection to be found here, or a knowledgeable blogger there. But that's not the same as having an official "book" that's both easy to find
and actively maintained.
Part of the problem is certain misguided individuals in the larger Nix community. These are the idiots who view having to dig for information as a necessary rite of passage to the nirvana that is Linux. The other part of the problem is that good technical documentation is hard to write and tedious to edit. With the end result being that the "docs" for a distro usually never get beyond the talking stage. (Note: even the big distros usually try to fluff it off with a small collection of how-tos and FAQs - and relegate all
unpaid support requests to a volunteer-staffed help forum. Hardly an ideal solution for the average enduser.)
Slackware has recently decided to do something about that.
Enter "SlackDocs" the
Slackware Linux Documentation Project:
Project Charter
Knowledge is power. Scattered and unfocused power is useless. To state it plainly, the vision and the ultimate goal of the Slackware Linux Documentation Project is to become the primary worldwide resource for all Slackware related information. This is a lofty goal, indeed. However, there is confidence that venerable Slackware Linux, the oldest actively maintained distribution of GNU/Linux, has the user base to accomplish this goal. You are invited to join and be a partner in this endeavor.
Who can help? Anyone can, from your uncle Ed who tinkers with Slackware on his old laptop to Linux gurus with development level skill sets. All are welcome. All can contribute something of value to this project. A wiki type resource such as this thrives on community. You've seen for yourselves what the GNU/Linux and Open Source communities have done in the past and are still doing today. Working together, the potential for success is greatly increased.
This project will need article submissions that run the entire gamut of Slackware knowledge. There will be a need for serious technical articles on hardware control, software applications, Slackware Linux implementations in business and personal computing, system administration, etc. Articles will also be needed from the every day Slacker on topics ranging from simple howtos to complicated resolutions and workarounds.
Submitted articles, as with most wiki type resources, will be peer reviewed. Corrections may be needed, amendments added, and so forth. No article should be deemed unimportant. If it has relevance to Slackware Linux and will assist someone somewhere to better utilize this operating system, then it is a worthwhile article. What is being done here is being done for others. This is an archive of knowledge being built for the future. Your participation will be the mortar that holds the bricks in place.
In order to fulfill the goals of this project, a reliance on civil discourse and the presence of a strong spirit of cooperation will be necessary. The rules here are simple. Be kind and considerate in your dealings with others. This project is not about individuals. It's about a community sharing and working together toward a goal. Your ego will not be a part of the Slackware Linux Documentation Project. Please leave it in the coat closet by the front door before you login.
That is the our contract with one another and with the future.
Many times, projects such as these start with good intentions only to 'peter out' once the initial blush of enthusiasm wears off. In the case of the Slackware however, there's far less chance of that happening because there's an already a well-maintained knowledgebase that's been running for years courtesy of Slackware loyalist Eric Hamleers. Eric has been chartered to bring the new doc project to fruition. And looking at the
charter page on the new wiki, it seems he has a very clear idea of how this project needs to operate in order to be a success. It's worth a read by anybody who is doing (or planning) any sort of community project. Everything is clearly spelled out and made completely transparent, including an explanation as to why DocuWiki was selected for the project site.
One of the most interesting things is how they plan to get around the problem with most online-only wiki-based documentation:
downloadable daily snapshots:
The choice for DokuWiki was made for several reasons; its syntax makes it more suitable for writing documentation as opposed to MediaWiki, which is more general-purpose. Also, DokuWiki is self-contained in a single directory and does not require an SQL database, which makes it highly portable (the intention is to make a “daily snapshot” tarball available for download once the Wiki foundation is complete).
All in all, a very nice move in the right direction. Let's wish them well!
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