ubuntu-manual team mailing list archive

[Kelvin Gardiner <kelvin@xxxxxxxx>]

Hi,

Here are a few comments on the Alpha. I've read the alpha quite quickly 
so I may of missed something I've claimed to be included. Some stuff 
maybe known to the authors but not yet committed, apologies if you are 
already aware of these points. I've also asked questions to clarify some 
points, the current text my well be correct but I thought it best to ask.

My chapter has turned out to be quite short. Therefore if any one wants 
me to help them out by writing a section somewhere I'd be happy to.

Regards,
Kelvin


Comments based rev 220.

Content

Page xi: "Ubuntu, and Linux in general, is very different from other 
common operating systems such as Microsoft Windows or Mac OS X." OS X is 
built on Apple's Darwin OS which is POSIX complaint, so OS X is a much a 
Unix implementation as Linux is and so is not "very" different. I think 
this should be reworded.


Page 2: Suggests checking your OS manual to find out how to burn CDs. 
This should also link to here: 
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/BurningIsoHowto 
<https://help.ubuntu.com/community/BurningIsoHowto>

Page 2: Ordering a CD includes: "Be warned, however — the ..." This is 
not very friendly, is the Be warned necessary?

Page 6: After approximately twenty minutes, the installations will 
complete. As this depends on CPU and HDD speed etc. Something like: "The 
installation time will depend on your computer, but usually takes around 
20 minutes on most modern computers."


Page 8: The Notification Area.

"Just as Windows has the System Tray, Ubuntu has the Notification Area. 
" And OS X?

This is being revised for lucid 
https://blueprints.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+spec/dx-lucid-application-indicator 
the text should reflect these changes if it does not already (I haven't 
checked the progress of this for a while).

Page 9: Getting Help suggests Google. What about the community help and 
wiki?

Page 12 / 13: Doesn't seem to mention how to bookmark. Should also state 
dragging a folder to the side pane does this.


Page 17: "... you can uncheck it to disable all network connections. 
This may be
useful when you must shut off all wireless communication, for example in 
an airplane." Does this shut down the hardware or just stop the OS 
"accessing" the hardware? If it does is this guaranteed on all machines?


Page 17: The VPN note my be more meaningful by adding: "VPN is often 
required to access workplace or university networks."

Page 25: States the default search engine is Google. This is now Yahoo 
for Lucid.

Page 28: By default, Firefox will search the web using the Google search 
engine.

Page 29: Google results.

Firefox section: Doesn't seem to cover private browsing.

Evolution: Examples include gmx.com. Are we promoting this service? 
Suggested all URLs are example.com

Empathy: Should we cover using Facebook chat.


Page 40: Sending and receiving files. I don't think this can be done 
with every service. Note is needed to mention this.


Page 41: Should "creating a new version" come after "importing" (I don't 
use f-spot, this maybe fine).

Page 44: In hardware and devices. "Majority of the Graphics Devices are 
manufactured by three well known companies..." I think this means 
graphics chip sets.

Page 47: I'm still not convinced about the "Software and Packages" 
title. It sounds too much like software packaging. Maybe something like 
"Managing Software" would be better.

Page 51: has <<<<<<< TREE, ======= and >>>>>>> MERGE-SOURCE lines from a 
bzr merge.

Page 54: Adding More Software Repositories. GUI is good blah blah, but 
since adding a LP PPA can be done by sudo add-apt-repository 
ppa:the/ppa/path I think it should be included as an alternative. This 
is particularly easy when used with alt+f2.

Page 55: System Maintenance, should cover Computer Janitor.


Page 57: Command Line. Should we include commands not to run e.g. sudo 
rm -r /. There is a handy list on the forums.

Page 71: "In general, we recommend that you install the 64-bit flavor of 
Ubuntu." If you have a 64-bit processor. I'm thinking of old machine in 
schools, libraries etc here.

Page 72: "... do numerous tasks often better than the ones included by 
default." Really, so why aren't they the default apps then? This is 
subjective.

Page 73:

The guide is covering Jokosher. Do many new users want to do audio 
editing. If so, I hear off more people using Audacity.

VirtualBox included in Ubuntu is the OSE edition.



=== General ===

Most sections do not have labels like chapters. I think all sections 
should have labels so we can link to them.

The guide is aimed at a desktop install. I think this should be 
mentioned in the introduction (if it is and I missed it, apologies).

System -> Preferneces -> Preferred Applications is not covered (at least 
no search results).

I have used the system docs, server guide and community help to make 
sure my content is consistent with other Ubuntu help docs. I think each 
of these should be clearly mentioned in the credits.

In a number of places there are good community help docs with further 
information. I suggest we link to them wherever possible. Maybe included 
a note about this in the introduction.