Knowledge base on website

NigelGreenway · 2016-11-08 10:27:59

One of the hardest things as a Linux beginner is knowing how to do x to get y working or how z works?

I am starting to write up my experiences, but they are on my website only and, well not easy to find as I don't get a lot of hits.

Although the forum can be rich with information, it can also get noisy in threads and hard to ascertain the actual information required as well sorting between opinions/facts.

Would it be feasible to set up a knowledge base where knowledge is correctly organised for ease of access? I mean things like setting up certain graphics cards, how to install applets for tint2 and so on?

Thoughts?

brontosaurusrex · 2016-11-08 11:06:04

This was discussed in some thread(s) already. Nowadays I'am thinking this could be simply a github 'repo' with some dirs and bunch of markdown files (github provides decent web search), avoiding wikis. Where readme.md would explain in detail how to write/engage/pull/push and so on.

Last edited by brontosaurusrex (2016-11-08 11:06:26)

nobody · 2016-11-08 11:52:41

Sounds very hard.

Step 1. Take the time.
Step 2. Write useful content.
Step 3. Publish useful content.
Step 4. Ensure that the content stays useufl by updating it whenever something changes.

I'd say it's not useful to do within the scope of BL since it's essentially Debian. No need to duplicate existing Debian and Ubuntu or old #! resources. Well fair enough, it's already happen(ing|ed).

All of those steps are hard. Every wiki I see that is not very popular is out-of-date. The Debian wiki is outdated, the Arch wiki is oftentimes outdated, the Ubuntu wiki is outdated in large parts, so it's unlikely that such an effort won't produce yet another outdated wiki. BL is also vastly less popular than any one of these distros.

What would be best I think is a curated 1-page, hierarchical link list on useful posts on certain topics. The forum here is not well suited for this since a table of contents is like a PITA to browse.

As such, rex's suggestion of maybe a single, nested, sorted list for this purpose sounds like a good idea.

No problem to set up an extra repo for such a thing...

Sector11 · 2016-11-08 14:00:25

I remember when new to Linux I started doing this same thing with Zim for my own personal use.

It very quickly became a monster. Changing from a P-III to an AMD-64, changing video cards a few time and I was spending more time creating/updating entries than I was using my computer. never mind changing distros - that adds another level of Zim maintenance. Now if you can type 100 words a minute vs my three it might be different.

Searching the net became the best way, and 'bookmarking' certain links, like to my motherboard, sound card etc etc ... and then as mentioned: the Debian and ARCH wiki's are a friend indeed.

NigelGreenway · 2016-11-08 14:46:55

I github repo would be good. To be honest, it is more about help/knowledge being available, how that is delivered doesn't matter providing it is clear, not ambiguous and, well, helpful.

iMBeCil · 2016-11-08 16:03:29

As a maintainer of several (small) web sites and having seen quite a few 'oh-cool-lets-put-it-on-the-web-page' cases, I can say that this

twoion wrote:

Step 1. Take the time.
Step 2. Write useful content.
Step 3. Publish useful content.

is comparatively trivial thing to do. (One does it once, spend certain time on that, learn a few things ...)

But this one

twoion wrote:

Step 4. Ensure that the content stays useufl by updating it whenever something changes.

really is a b*tch. As soon as 1-3 are ready, and someone put some (useful) content, game is usually over. Unless there is a guy who will be paid (as in: being somehow responsible) for updating the content ...

<pesimistic>The secret is: don't spend much time for steps 1-3. Step 4 will fail, anyway.</pesimistic>

IMHO, BL forum seems to me still the best solution. However, I wonder if organization (which is superb IMHO) and 'Search the forum' procedure for BL forum can be improved somehow ... I don't know how, though ... But sometimes, I have problems looking for my own posts with certain advices (OTOH it might be me :8 ) ... Basically, I'm missing tags for the posts (alongside with sticky).

Sector11 wrote:

I remember when new to Linux I started doing this same thing with Zim for my own personal use.
It very quickly became a monster. Changing from a P-III to an AMD-64, changing video cards a few time and I was spending more time creating/updating entries than I was using my computer.

Haha, join the club, Sector11 ... same here

ohnonot · 2016-11-09 06:55:18

+1 to what imbecil wrote about point 4.

NigelGreenway wrote:

To be honest, it is more about help/knowledge being available, how that is delivered doesn't matter providing it is clear, not ambiguous and, well, helpful.

learn to formulate proper search terms, learn to use the forums search function.

PS:
do we have some documentation on how the search works? maybe here?

Head_on_a_Stick · 2016-11-09 07:28:06

NigelGreenway wrote:

things like setting up certain graphics cards

Guides from the Debian wiki work for BunsenLabs, the NVIDIA page is thoroughly excellent in every way:

https://wiki.debian.org/NvidiaGraphicsDrivers

Portal here:

https://wiki.debian.org/GraphicsCard

KrunchTime · 2017-01-24 01:10:12

Sector11 wrote:

I remember when new to Linux I started doing this same thing with Zim for my own personal use.
It very quickly became a monster. Changing from a P-III to an AMD-64, changing video cards a few time and I was spending more time creating/updating entries than I was using my computer. never mind changing distros - that adds another level of Zim maintenance. Now if you can type 100 words a minute vs my three it might be different.
Searching the net became the best way, and 'bookmarking' certain links, like to my motherboard, sound card etc etc ... and then as mentioned: the Debian and ARCH wiki's are a friend indeed.

I keep a Linux Tips database using Treepad under Wine. Yes, it's work keeping it updated, but links can eventually break or cease to exist and you have the overhead of maintaining those as well.

damo · 2017-01-24 01:46:27

^^ It isn't taboo around here - there is a link to the Arch wiki in Menu -> Help

^Anyone can post a HowTo in Scripts,Tutorial and Tips. It doesn't need a mod's "approval"

Sector11 · 2017-01-24 02:03:14

There is also: Help & Support (Other) - so your HowTo doesn't need to be Bunsen or even Debian related.

Not sure how well "HowTo: Mom's Apple Pie" would go though.

damo · 2017-01-24 02:13:18

GreenMartian wrote:

Blind trust, I love it! How fitting for BL's wonderful community - trust.
BM

Well, not exactly "blind" trust! Hopefully this is a reasonably moderated community forum, not a dictatorship, but inaccurate advice will soon get pointed out by someone. It is unlikely a thread would ever be deleted, but there might be a big red danger sign appearing at the top

Sector11 · 2017-01-24 02:17:52

KrunchTime wrote:

I keep a Linux Tips database using Treepad under Wine. Yes, it's work keeping it updated, but links can eventually break or cease to exist and you have the overhead of maintaining those as well.

That has a "lite" freeware version for Linux you know.

Now I just write txt files under one of my directories Like:
/media/5/Conky/00_TIPS_N_STUFF/

Gee, conky - who would have guessed.
I have other as well but you know me ... I'm a conky nut.

and I have my own search:

 23 Jan 17 @ 23:11:16 ~
  $ ff /media/5 colour*
/media/5/-ConkyPitStop-/Didier-T/colours.png
/media/5/ConkyStuff/Other_Stuff/colour-dots.tar.gz
/media/5/Conky/images/glass_android_icons/colour-picker.png
/media/5/Conky/00_TIPS_N_STUFF/colours_name.txt
/media/5/Conky/00_TIPS_N_STUFF/colours_code.txt
/media/5/Conky/00_TIPS_N_STUFF/colours_hex_codes.txt
/media/5/Conky/00_TIPS_N_STUFF/colours_web_safe_3.txt
/media/5/Conky/00_TIPS_N_STUFF/colours_conky.txt
/media/5/Conky/00_TIPS_N_STUFF/colours_rgb_codes.txt
/media/5/Conky/00_TIPS_N_STUFF/colours_more.txt
/media/5/Conky/00_TIPS_N_STUFF/colours_web_safe_2.txt
/media/5/Conky/00_TIPS_N_STUFF/colours_506.txt
/media/5/Dropbox/Other_Stuff/colour-dots.tar.gz
/media/5/conky/colours
/media/5/conky/mrpeachy-lua/colour-lua.png
/media/5/conky/mrpeachy-lua/colour-LUA.txt
/media/5/conky/conkyconky/colours
/media/5/conky/colour.conky
/media/5/conky/Conky_From_Palm/Tips-Tricks-info/colours_name.txt
/media/5/conky/Conky_From_Palm/Tips-Tricks-info/colours_code.txt
/media/5/conky/Conky_From_Palm/Test/colours.tar.gz
/media/5/conky/Conky_From_Palm/Test/colours
/media/5/conky/mrpeachy/colour-dots.tar.gz
/media/5/conky/mrpeachy/colour-dots-2.tar.gz
/media/5/conky/mrpeachy/colour-dots
/media/5/conky/mrpeachy/colour-dots/colour-dots.tar.gz_old
 
 23 Jan 17 @ 23:11:21 ~
  $

function:

# find a file
ff() {
find "$1" -name "$2"
}

sff() {
sudo find "$1" -name "$2"
}

OH WOW!!!!! /Conky_From_Palm/ now those are OLD!!!!!!!!!!
Palm Tungsten died years ago

Sector11 · 2017-01-24 02:23:43

I'm the evil mod that has been known to put magic spells on unwanted posts resulting in the original writers getting blisters on their fingertips. So yea, blind trust sounds good. ]:D

Seriously: damo speaks wisdom.

Head_on_a_Stick · 2017-01-24 07:38:38

GreenMartian wrote:

I've found the Arch forums invaluable for the information that you may be looking for.

+1

Some real experts hang out over there

GreenMartian wrote:

blind trust

Whilst moderator approval is not required to post in the tricks & tips section, rest assured that all threads are vetted shortly after posting.

https://xkcd.com/386

damo · 2017-01-24 14:19:44

Head_on_a_Stick wrote:

...
https://xkcd.com/386

That is my all-time xkcd fave, thanks for the re-post!

ohnonot · 2017-01-24 17:52:41

Sector11 wrote:

KrunchTime wrote:
I keep a Linux Tips database using Treepad under Wine. Yes, it's work keeping it updated, but links can eventually break or cease to exist and you have the overhead of maintaining those as well.
That has a "lite" freeware version for Linux you know.

there's also treeline, a native linux app that has been around for 15 years...

edit:
sorry for OT!

Last edited by ohnonot (2017-01-24 17:53:09)

jjanderson5 · 2017-03-08 17:17:15

I have been a Crunchbang/Bunsenlabs user for a number of years now. Today I was looking for information about Bunsenlabs and this thread caught my eye. It did not provide me with the information I was looking for. It wasn't until I reach the end of the thread that I realized the thread makes a plea for part of solution, but it misses what I think is a 2nd part to a solution.

Solution for what? Finding knowledge.

I have found over the years, that finding out information about a Linux release is doable, but frequently requires some exploration and/or asking questions on the forum. Not bad, and it works.

I think the author of this thread is looking for a "knowledge base" on the website where users can go first, and hopefully find rather quickly, how to do something. To be useful, the knowledge base needs to be well structured so one can navigate quickly to the appropriate area. To some degree I did find some useful contributions at the Crunchbang forums. Hopefully, they are here at BL also [I don't know since I have not had to do any serious searching in the past year]. If a good knowledge base can be assembled here at BL, it can only help.

The Missing Part

The part of the search for knowledge about BL that I think is missing, is a road map. A road map of what? Well, a roadmap of Bunsenlabs. I would really like to see a road map available so new and ignorant (I'm in the ignorant class) can look at it and know:
- what is Bunsenlabs Linux
- who makes Bunsenlabs Linux
- how is Bunsenlabs Linux made
- what is the picture (architecture) of Bunsenlabs Linux
- how do I get help
# have I done my homework and still need help
# should help come from BL
# should help come from Debian
# should help come from other forums

I believe a roadmap will help new users and possibly experienced users. I'm assuming that this type of document does not exist, but if anyone knows of one, please point me to it.

I'm curious if others agree with me. If so, I would be willing to taking a shot
at writing up a road map. No promise on how long it will take, but it would be a work in progress.

Jim Anderson

Last edited by jjanderson5 (2017-03-08 17:31:30)

damo · 2017-03-08 17:59:13

jjanderson5 wrote:

...
The Missing Part
The part of the search for knowledge about BL that I think is missing, is a road map. A road map of what? Well, a roadmap of Bunsenlabs. I would really like to see a road map available so new and ignorant (I'm in the ignorant class) can look at it and know:
- what is Bunsenlabs Linux
- who makes Bunsenlabs Linux
- how is Bunsenlabs Linux made
- what is the picture (architecture) of Bunsenlabs Linux
- how do I get help
# have I done my homework and still need help
# should help come from BL
# should help come from Debian
# should help come from other forums
...

To be fair, much of this is answered on BunsenLabs Linux/About, which also includes:

bunsenlabs wrote:

....
In general, we recommend new users to visit and sign up for our forums: It provides plenty of resources and assistance in dealing with every configuration aspect of the BL distribution, and is the main platform for user-to-user support as well as the place to voice suggestions and report bugs.
There are a few independent communities, see here for a list.
FAQ and How to get started
Refer to the Getting Started section on the forums, and
Please do also look at our dedicated FAQ page page for more general information and bug reporting guidelines.

Also, see Post #3 above.

How to improve is an on-going discussion, as you can see. It was always intended that the forums would be the main resource for BL-specific help, but there are several links in Menu -> Help & Resources for other options (Debian wiki, Arch wiki etc).

hhh · 2017-03-08 18:13:11

I was also noticing that the forum needs some cleanup. The #! section, is it useful anymore? Our stickies, some are invaluable, others not so much. And we don't even have a post recommending how to do weekly/monthly maintenance on one's system.

I'm in 8 directions at once right now, as I think many people IRL are at this time of year, but I think we should make the time.

And, as always, thanks for your hard work.

#1 2016-11-08 10:27:59

Knowledge base on website

#2 2016-11-08 11:06:04

Re: Knowledge base on website

#3 2016-11-08 11:52:41

Re: Knowledge base on website

#4 2016-11-08 14:00:25

Re: Knowledge base on website

#5 2016-11-08 14:46:55

Re: Knowledge base on website

#6 2016-11-08 16:03:29

Re: Knowledge base on website

#7 2016-11-09 06:55:18

Re: Knowledge base on website

#8 2016-11-09 07:28:06

Re: Knowledge base on website

#9 2017-01-24 01:10:12

Re: Knowledge base on website

#10 2017-01-24 01:46:27

Re: Knowledge base on website

#11 2017-01-24 02:03:14

Re: Knowledge base on website

#12 2017-01-24 02:13:18

Re: Knowledge base on website

#13 2017-01-24 02:17:52

Re: Knowledge base on website

#14 2017-01-24 02:23:43

Re: Knowledge base on website

#15 2017-01-24 07:38:38

Re: Knowledge base on website

#16 2017-01-24 14:19:44

Re: Knowledge base on website

#17 2017-01-24 17:52:41

Re: Knowledge base on website

#18 2017-03-08 17:17:15

Re: Knowledge base on website

#19 2017-03-08 17:59:13

Re: Knowledge base on website

#20 2017-03-08 18:13:11

Re: Knowledge base on website

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