Hello,

Let me quickly tell you about my idea, than I will go into greater detail.

This is a project idea for a book, though different than most books. This book I would expect to be 1000's of pages long and go over every detail that could think of in detail. Than we go on to not only give exercise of the user to do make the environment for them. I would like that to expand on that and create similar books for Perl, Python, C, C++, Networking, etc etc.

OK now let me explain what this is in detail:

This book should achieve this:

1) Cover every topic that we can possible think of.
This book should be like a linux "In a Nutshell", "Linux Complete Reference", "Linux Cookbook", and a class like "learn by doing" all combined.

2) Go into great detail
Mentioned above this book should be like the 3 most popular book "types" and a class like learning in one. To do this we will go into great detail. We should start by giving a basic overview of the concept (In a Nutshell), then we will go over it in greater detail on how you use it and why it works (Linux Complete Reference), we than would give examples of times that you will be using this and how it done ("Linux Cookbook"), last but not least it should than modify the system it is running on so that it needs to be fixed using the concepts just learn. The script should than check and make sure that the problem was really solved (script will also provided a reversal so that it can restore the PC back into working order)

3) Tests
You can read a book, you can do it right after you read it, but can you remember it after that? Can you use what you just learned and apply it to other concepts? This book should provide 'test' (at the end of each chapter) that will have questions and answers, 'alter' the system so you have to fix it using concept learned in the chapter.

3) Midterms and Finals
This will be like the 'tests' but it will cover EVERY thing learned. Final would be the full book and Midterms would be a 4 or 5 chapters or so. Midterms would continue to grow in size (i.e. midterm of chapter 11 would have both midterms from chapters 1-5 _and_ 6-11)

If we can achieve this type of book/resource, we will be providing a new way to learn, and I believe that this "new" way (which really isn't new just never been applied like this before (that I know of)) will allow for better trained users, better programmers, better Computer Scientist, etc.

Let me go into detail about the test and system 'altering' scripts mentioned above:

The test will/should be like any other test, that person gets a question and they give a answer. Let it be multiple choice or what command dose this. This is nothing special.
Though I really want to focus in on the system 'altering' scripts. I used the word 'altering' because I failed to think of a better word that would fit. What this script should do is:

a) Purposely create a problem with the system (that is fixed with the concept(s) just learned)
b) Tell the user how the problem was found (i.e. a error report from a user)
c) The reader should fix the problem
d) The script should check to make sure that it was fixed.
e) If the reader could not fix it, it should be able to restore the system to working order.

One problem this presents is: What if the user attempts to fix the problem, but does something that creates more of a problem and the script can not fix it. Well this is a risk that the reader will have to take. They will be strongly recommend not to use anything other than concepts learned to fix the problem, and we will try to build the 'alter' script so that it will be difficult to permanently cripple the system. Though this book should not be used on a live linux box (i.e. a functions server) and the reader should be OK with reinstalling linux if need be.

Like I said above I would like to not only have this project make a linux book but also ones on programming, networking, PC Hardware, etc etc.

If you have any questions or comments about this project _please_ post them. I want to hear what the community thinks about this and how it can be bettered. If you would like to work on this project _please_ let me know at abalmos at gmail dot com.

If I am able to get community support behind this project I will submit a request for project hosting at SourceForge.net, they do not normally host "content" projects but I am hoping they will make a exception. If you know of a better place (or would like to provide a place) to host this project please let me know.

Again, I urge you to post your comments, suggestions, anything, I really want to know what the public thinks about this.

Thanks for your time!,
Andrew

P.S. Linux, programing, PC Hardware, Networking, etc Is all new to me and I am still learning it. So I will not be a big help in the creation of this project. So I am trying to put together a team, I will though function as the Project Manager.

wget -r -l 0 http://www.tldp.org

print the result

Except that misses the whole "learn by doing" idea. Not only would this be a book, but would also have scripts that would create a problem (or a reason) to have to actually _use_ what you just learned. It will check up on you and make sure that you are retaining what you learned.

Reading doesn't do anything with out doing, this would try to solve the problem of the people that don't understand that.

Though I thank you for your reply, and I take it as you do not see this as something needed? More less this is what I am trying to judge from the community.

Andrew

I really meant by that comment I think you're trying to do too much.

It's a good concept but the sheer size of it is to much. Personally I think the best learn by doing with linux is to get some old cheap computer, download a distro and jump right in. I have a few linux books and none of them have taught me what I've learned screwing around with linux myself

No doubt this is the best way to learn, but I can not do that. I'm 15 and I can't have a job yet, i know theres others either in the same problem or money it really tight.

I can not go out a buy some old computers, or cards to play around with. Though I wish I could. This book would try to solve that where linux guru's may be able to create a problem better (or a reason to do it) than a linux newbie, like myself.

This is a large project, thats why I tried to break it down, first make it like a 'In a Nutshell" book, when that is done go back and expand on the idea and go into farther detail if possible. Than when thats done go back and try to make like a 'Cookbook' type section of each concept. _Than_ when thats done go back and add the 'learn' parts.

This would be a long term project that I would guess will never really end, by the time we finish there will be something else that needs to be changed to better fit it or new sections are needed to be added ect.

Andrew

just install LSF and learn to type 'man' alot. :P

I tryed installing LFS, it really didn't teach me anything....

I type man all the time, but it dosen't help if you dont know the command name...

Andrew

that's what tab completion is for

great idea, but the separation is bad. IMO
the reader should be able to skip through and read all the nutshell parts etc, but if you're going for a straight read thru, then you should be able to practice as you go. Other wise you might aswell just buy the three books. Your's needs to be different to succeed.

good luck!
titanium_geek

abalmos, I've also found that jumping in is the best way to learn. If you want a functioning computer while you mess around with linux, dual-boot. That's what I've done. I'm 16 and using my laptop for school. I'm dualbooting with XP so that when I mess up my debian system, i can still do school stuff

I dual boot but haven't turned on Windows in a long while too... Though I use KDE and do not know how to do anything with the shell. Though I'm learning by doing, I just am trying to solve the problem of haven't to buy multiple books, if thats what you are doing...

Andrew

I have a copy of linux unleashed and it is 1200 pages long
even at this size it olny skims over the topics you would like to cover
10,000 pages may do what you would like to do in depth
I doubt that one person could it it would tack so long that most of the info
would be outdated before you got done

I noticed it goes into programing details and such, that would not be covered in this book, but rather a programming book like it (original post states that I would like to not only make a linux book, but others (by other teams) on things like programing, networking, PC Hardware, etc). Also this book would be designed around System Administration, no applications like Wine, Any Games, etc...

Andrew

I still don't understand what you're trying to DO.

If you can write a book, go ahead and do it; if you can't, what's this thread about?