
   This is the Linux Documentation Project ``Manifesto''
   Last Revision 21 December 1993 -- Matt Welsh (email
   mdw@sunsite.unc.edu)
   
   This file describes the goals and current status of the Linux
   Documentation Project, including names of projects, volunteers, FTP
   sites, and so on.
   
Overview

   The Linux Documentation Project is working on developing good,
   reliable docs for the Linux operating system. The overall goal of the
   LDP is to collaborate in taking care of all of the issues of Linux
   documentation, ranging from online docs (man pages, texinfo docs, and
   so on) to printed manuals covering topics such as installing, using,
   and running Linux. The LDP is essentially a loose team of volunteers
   with no real central organization; anyone who is interested in helping
   is welcome to join in the effort. We feel that working together and
   agreeing on the direction and scope of Linux documentation is the best
   way to go, to reduce problems with conflicting efforts--- e.g. two
   people writing two books on the same aspect of Linux wastes someone's
   time along the way.
   
   The LDP is set out to produce the canonical set of Linux online and
   printed documentation. Because our docs will be freely available (as
   per the GNU GPL; see below) and distributed on the net, we are able to
   easily update the documentation to stay on top of the many changes in
   the Linux world. We're also talking with a few companies about
   possibly publishing the LDP manuals once more of them become
   available. (A few smaller companies are printing and distributing LDP
   manuals even now; more on that later). If you're interested in
   publishing any of the LDP works, see the section ``Publishing LDP
   Manuals'', below.
   
Getting Involved

   The canonical way to get involved with the LDP is to join the
   linux-doc activists mailing list. To do so, send mail to:
   majordomo@vger.rutgers.edu with the line
   subscribe linux-doc
   in the message body (not the subject). This will add you to the
   mailing list.
   
   Of course, you'll also need to get in touch with the coordinator of
   whatever LDP projects you're interested in working on; see the next
   section.
   
Current Projects

   For a list of current projects, see the LDP Homepage. The best way to
   get involved with one of these projects is to pick up the current
   version of the manual and send revisions, editions, or suggestions to
   the coordinator.
   
Glossary and Global Index

    A glossary of terms and an index for the entire set of LDP manuals. I
   don't remember who's putting this together; please remind me. :) This
   should be comprehensive as well as a reference. * FTP sites for LDP
   works LDP works can be found on sunsite.unc.edu in the directory
   /pub/Linux/docs. LDP manuals are found in /pub/Linux/docs/LDP, HOWTOs
   and other documentation found in /pub/Linux/docs/HOWTO. Various ALPHA
   docs can be found on on tsx-11.mit.edu:/pub/linux/ALPHA/LDP.
   
Documentation Conventions

    Here are the conventions that are currently used by LDP manuals. If
   you are interested in writing another manual using different
   conventions, please let us know of your plans first. We'd like the LDP
   manuals to have a common look and feel, and this is implemented with a
   LaTeX style file (see below).
   
   The set of printed manuals (i.e. everything but the man pages) are
   formatted using LaTeX. The primary objective is to have PRINTED, not
   online, manuals. The LoTeX tool (currently under development by Olaf
   Kirch) can be used to generate plain ASCII (and later, texinfo) from
   the LaTeX source.
   
   Please don't mail me saying that I shouldn't be using LaTeX for the
   LDP manuals; well over 500 pages of material has already been written
   in LaTeX, and we're not about to convert. Many a flame war has been
   sparked over this issue, but it's a done deal. New manuals don't
   necessarily need to be written using LaTeX, but you should use the
   same conventions and look as we have implemented with the current
   manuals.
   
   The printed manuals should use Michael K. Johnson's "linuxdoc.sty"
   style sheet and documentation conventions, found in the file
   "linuxdoc.tar.z" under the alpha directory. We're trying to achieve a
   unified look in the manuals, both for sake of consistency and
   portability (in this way, we can easily change the look and feel of
   the manuals by changing linuxdoc.sty), and so that all of the
   authors/editors are on common ground using the same style sheet.
   
   The LDP license/copyright should be used to copyright all works. It's
   a liberal copyleft like the GPL, but applies to printed documents and
   protects the LDP manuals from publication without our permission. The
   license is printed in the section ``Copyright'', below.
   
   The copyright for each manual should be in the name of the head writer
   or coordinator for the project. ``The Linux Documentation Project''
   isn't a formal entity and shouldn't be used to copyright the docs.
   
Copyright and License

    The following copying license applies to all LDP manuals. Please read
   it carefully---it is somewhat like the GNU GPL, but there are several
   conditions in it that differ from what you may be used to. If you have
   any questions, please mail Matt Welsh and I'll try to clarify.
   
   The Linux Documentation Project manuals may be reproduced and
   distributed in whole or in part, subject to the following conditions:
   
   All Linux Documentation Project manuals are copyrighted by their
   respective authors. THEY ARE NOT IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN.
     * The copyright notice above and this permission notice must be
       preserved complete on all complete or partial copies.
     * Any translation or derivative work of Linux Installation and
       Getting Started must be approved by the author in writing before
       distribution.
     * If you distribute Linux Installation and Getting Started in part,
       instructions for obtaining the complete version of this manual
       must be included, and a means for obtaining a complete version
       provided.
     * Small portions may be reproduced as illustrations for reviews or
       quotes in other works without this permission notice if proper
       citation is given.
     * The GNU General Public License referenced below may be reproduced
       under the conditions given within it.
       
   Exceptions to these rules may be granted for academic purposes: Write
   to the author and ask. These restrictions are here to protect us as
   authors, not to restrict you as educators and learners.
   
   All source code in Linux Installation and Getting Started is placed
   under the GNU General Public License, available via anonymous FTP from
   prep.ai.mit.edu:/pub/gnu/COPYING.
   
Publishing LDP Manuals

    If you're a publishing company interested in distributing any of the
   LDP manuals, read on.
   
   By the license given in the previous section, anyone is allowed to
   publish and distribute verbatim copies of the Linux Documentation
   Project manuals. You don't need our explicit permission for this.
   However, if you would like to distribute a translation or derivative
   work based on any of the LDP manuals, you must obtain permission from
   the author, in writing, before doing so.
   
   All translations and derivative works of LDP manuals must be placed
   under the Linux Documentation License given in the previous section.
   That is, if you plan to release a translation of one of the manuals,
   it must be freely distributable by the above terms.
   
   You may, of course, sell the LDP manuals for profit. We encourage you
   to do so. Keep in mind, however, that because the LDP manuals are
   freely distributable, anyone may photocopy or distribute printed
   copies free of charge, if they wish to do so.
   
   We do not require to be paid royalties for any profit earned from
   selling LDP manuals. However, we would like to suggest that if you do
   sell LDP manuals for profit, that you either offer the author
   royalties, or donate a portion of your earnings to the author, the LDP
   as a whole, or to the Linux development community. You may also wish
   to send one or more free copies of the LDP manual that you are
   distributing to the author. Your show of support for the LDP and the
   Linux community will be very appreciated.
   
   We would like to be informed of any plans to publish or distribute LDP
   manuals, just so we know how they're becoming available. If you are
   publishing or planning to publish any LDP manuals, please send mail to
   Matt Welsh (address at the top of this file). It's nice to keep tabs
   on who's doing what.
   
   We encourage Linux software distributors to distribute the LDP manuals
   (such as the Installation and Getting Started Guide) with their
   software. The LDP manuals are intended to be used as the "official"
   Linux documentation, and we'd like to see mail-order distributors
   bundling the LDP manuals with the software. As the LDP manuals mature,
   hopefully they will fulfill this goal more adequately.
