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Posted to users@httpd.apache.org by Donald Henson <we...@wepin.com> on 2003/12/27 17:05:00 UTC
[users@httpd] Newbie Question
(I'll bet you've never seen that subject before.) :-)
I'm a double newbie. I've been trying to learn everything about Linux
(SuSe Linux 9.0 Pro) for about four months. I'm just today starting to
try to learn something about Apache (1.2.38). Apache was installed by
default when I installed Linux so I know next to nothing about
administering Apache.
I have attempted to learn several Linux software packages. One thing I
have observed is that in most cases, the Linux software works great but
the help tends to be not there at all or somewhat arcane if present.
(Help tends to come from mailing lists like this one rather than a
formal help system.) For example, I might look up a how-to on, say, how
to save files in XYZ. Instead of a simple instruction like "Click the
Save Button", there's a long and involved discussion of various file
systems. So...
Can anyone point me to a tutorial-style help system for Apache that will
lead me through some of the basic functions of Apache without assuming
that I'm an experienced network administrator? Something with a gui
would be best but anything that works will do. Thanks for any assistance
as several other learning tasks depend on this one being successful.
Don Henson
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Re: [users@httpd] Newbie Question
Posted by Jerry Ford <jf...@katzenjammer.us>.
Snip: "I know how frustrating the documentation can be. It's usually
thrown together as an afterthought..."
Actually, in the case of Apache, that's not entirely true. There are
some pretty good docs buried under the avalanche of old, out-of-date,
and in some cases not-very-good to-begin-with docs on the Apache
website. They are just extremely difficult to find.
The real problem, IMHO, is lack of doc management. Nobody's pruning the
weeds. The doc set contains old stuff that should have been either
updated or weeded out long ago. So, for newbies (and oldies, too, who
haven't committed every last paragraph of every last doc to memory) the
task of ferreting out the good information from the bad can be monumental.
And the byzantine layout of the Apache website doesn't help much.
And, I suppose, I'm not helping you much either, except to let you know
that you're not alone, everybody has had to confront the same huge,
difficult learning curve. But it can be done. If you dig deep enough
you can find what you need.
Good luck, from one of those tech writers referenced below (for a
commercial networking company :)
Jerry
Michael Scott wrote:
>Quoting Donald Henson <we...@wepin.com>:
>
>
>
>>(I'll bet you've never seen that subject before.) :-)
>>
>>I'm a double newbie. I've been trying to learn everything about Linux
>>(SuSe Linux 9.0 Pro) for about four months. I'm just today starting to
>>try to learn something about Apache (1.2.38). Apache was installed by
>>default when I installed Linux so I know next to nothing about
>>administering Apache.
>>
>>
>
>Donald, I'm in somewhat the same situation as you, though I've been using Linux
>for several years. I know how frustrating the documantation can be. It's
>usually thrown together as an afterthought, and as any programmer knows, writing
>the docs is the least fun part of any project. That's why most big companies
>hire technical writers to do that part. Plus, the programmers have the annoying
>habit of assuming everyone knows as much about their software and the OS as they
>do. IMO, this will have to be resolved if Linux ever wants to become a
>mainstream product for anyone other than Uber-Geeks.
>
>OK Enough ranting. I purchased the O'Reilly book "Apache, The Definitive
>Guide". It does a good job of explaining all the details of the httpd.conf
>file, and even has step-by step tutorials on building a web site. The only
>problem with this type of book is, by the time it's published, it's somewhat
>obsolete, so you have to have to go to the online docs to learn new features.
>But at least it lets you get your feet wet. I hope this helps.
>----------------------
>- Mike Scott
>- mscott@pyewacket.org
>
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>
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RE: [users@httpd] Newbie Question
Posted by Rafael Faura <rf...@bassy.net>.
I strongly agreed here. I recently purchased "O'Reilly - Apache, The
Definitive Guide (3rd Edition)" and seems to be, for me, extremly outdated.
This book was published on December 2002 and it's full of Apache 1.3
examples, but a few (at least on the first 6 chapters) of 2.0 ones. It's
also contradictory on many paragraphs (if we compare it against the official
2.1 Apache Docs).
In my case, i'm using Apache 2.0.48, seems that's better to invest more time
into the official docs instead buying a book like this. Anyway it's good to
have a book into your bookshelf for reference.
I also purchased "O'Reilly - Apache Cookbook" (November 2003), hope its
content will be more updated than "The Definitive Guide" ... By the way, i
asked an O'Reilly sales manager some weeks ago about the 4th Edition of "The
Definitive Guide": we'll have to wait until late 2004 of early 2005 :/
----------------------------
Rafael Faura Cucalon
Web Developer
rfaura@bassy.net
Bassy Servicios Informaticos
http://www.bassy.net
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Re: [users@httpd] Newbie Question
Posted by Michael Scott <ms...@pyewacket.org>.
Quoting Donald Henson <we...@wepin.com>:
> (I'll bet you've never seen that subject before.) :-)
>
> I'm a double newbie. I've been trying to learn everything about Linux
> (SuSe Linux 9.0 Pro) for about four months. I'm just today starting to
> try to learn something about Apache (1.2.38). Apache was installed by
> default when I installed Linux so I know next to nothing about
> administering Apache.
Donald, I'm in somewhat the same situation as you, though I've been using Linux
for several years. I know how frustrating the documantation can be. It's
usually thrown together as an afterthought, and as any programmer knows, writing
the docs is the least fun part of any project. That's why most big companies
hire technical writers to do that part. Plus, the programmers have the annoying
habit of assuming everyone knows as much about their software and the OS as they
do. IMO, this will have to be resolved if Linux ever wants to become a
mainstream product for anyone other than Uber-Geeks.
OK Enough ranting. I purchased the O'Reilly book "Apache, The Definitive
Guide". It does a good job of explaining all the details of the httpd.conf
file, and even has step-by step tutorials on building a web site. The only
problem with this type of book is, by the time it's published, it's somewhat
obsolete, so you have to have to go to the online docs to learn new features.
But at least it lets you get your feet wet. I hope this helps.
----------------------
- Mike Scott
- mscott@pyewacket.org
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