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www/help gethelp.html
|
From: |
Karl Berry |
|
Subject: |
www/help gethelp.html |
|
Date: |
Mon, 02 Feb 2009 19:28:24 +0000 |
CVSROOT: /web/www
Module name: www
Changes by: Karl Berry <karl> 09/02/02 19:28:24
Modified files:
help : gethelp.html
Log message:
be more up front about distributors, finding bug report addresses, ...
CVSWeb URLs:
http://web.cvs.savannah.gnu.org/viewcvs/www/help/gethelp.html?cvsroot=www&r1=1.21&r2=1.22
Patches:
Index: gethelp.html
===================================================================
RCS file: /web/www/www/help/gethelp.html,v
retrieving revision 1.21
retrieving revision 1.22
diff -u -b -r1.21 -r1.22
--- gethelp.html 2 Feb 2009 18:59:40 -0000 1.21
+++ gethelp.html 2 Feb 2009 19:28:21 -0000 1.22
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
<!--#include virtual="/server/header.html" -->
-<title>How to Get Help with GNU Project Software - Free Software
Foundation</title>
+<title>Getting help with GNU software - Free Software Foundation</title>
<!--#include virtual="/server/banner.html" -->
-<h2>How to Get Help with GNU Software</h2>
+<h2>Getting help with GNU software</h2>
<p>The Free Software Foundation does not provide technical support. Our
mission is developing, preserving, and protecting <a
@@ -18,60 +18,73 @@
<p>You can obtain <a href="/doc/doc.html">GNU Project documentation</a>
through various methods, which should answer many of your questions.</p>
-<p>We do host many <a href="http://mail.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/";>mailing
-lists for GNU and other free software</a>. The mailing lists that begin
-with <code>help-</code> are lists for getting help from the community.
-If you can't find a mailing list for a particular GNU program, then
-please use the
-<a
-href="http://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/help-gnu-utils/";>help-gnu-utils</a>
-mailing list.</p>
-<p>There are <a href="/server/irc-rules.html">IRC-channels for GNU
-software</a> in which you can chat with developers and users.</p>
+<h3>Reporting bugs</h3>
-<p>For questions and problems relating to <a
-href="http://savannah.gnu.org";>savannah</a>, our hosting server
-available for both GNU and non-GNU projects, please see the <a
-href="http://savannah.gnu.org/contact.php";>savannah contact
-page</a>.</p>
-
-<p>The <a href="/prep/service.html">GNU Service Directory</a> is a list
-of people who offer support and other consulting services. It is also
-in the file ‘etc/SERVICE’ in the GNU Emacs distribution, and
-‘/pub/gnu/GNUinfo/SERVICE’ on a <a
-href="/order/ftp.html">GNU FTP host</a>. Contact us to get a copy or to
-be listed in it.</p>
-
-<p>If you find a deficiency in any GNU software, we want to know. Thus,
-we also maintain <a href="http://mail.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/";>mailing
-lists for bugs in GNU software</a>. Even if a mailing list is not
-listed, typically the address <address@hidden> will reach the
-right place for bug reporting (via an alias). So, if you find a bug in
-the canonical version of a GNU program, please try reporting it that
-way.</p>
-
-<p>When we receive a bug report, we usually try to fix the problem.
-While our bug fixes may seem like individual assistance, they are not;
-they are part of preparing a new improved version. We may send you a
-patch for a bug so that you can help us test the fix and ensure its
-quality. If your bug report does not evoke a solution from us, you may
-still get one from another user who reads our bug report mailing lists.
-Otherwise, use the <a href="/prep/service.html">GNU Service
-Directory</a>.</p>
+<p>Many companies now redistribute GNU software, often as part of a <a
+href="/links/links.html#FreeGNULinuxDistributions">GNU/Linux
+distribution</a>. When you find bugs in a GNU program that you
+installed with a given GNU/Linux distribution, please first try
+reporting the bug directly to the distributor, not to us, using the
+distributor's mailing lists or web forms. It is common for distributors
+to modify the original GNU software we release (as they are free to
+do!), and/or distribute older versions. The maintainers of the original
+GNU packages usually have no knowledge of what particular distributors
+have done.</p>
+
+<p>However, if you find a deficiency in the canonical release of a GNU
+package, we want to know. You can find out where to report bugs for a
+given package as follows:</p>
+
+<ul>
+<li>If you run the program on the command line with the <tt>--help</tt>
+ option, you should find the location where to report bugs, usually
+ at the end of the help message.</li>
+<li>Otherwise, look for the home page of the package. Information for
+ all GNU packages are included in the FSF/UNESCO <a
+ href="http://directory.fsf.org/GNU/";>Free Software Directory</a>.
+ It should also be prominently mentioned in the package
+ documentation or README files, and is often findable with a general
+ Internet search.</li>
+<li>The address <bug-<i>PROGRAM</i>@gnu.org> will generally work
+ for GNU packages, even if it is not a mailing list in its own
+ right.</li>
+<li>The source files for a package may give other clues.</li>
+</ul>
+
+<p>When we receive a bug report for our canonical releases, we usually
+try to fix the problem. While our bug fixes may seem like individual
+assistance, they are not; they are part of preparing a new improved
+version. We may send you a patch for a bug so that you can help us test
+the fix and ensure its quality. If your bug report does not evoke a
+solution from us, you may still get one from another user who reads our
+bug report mailing lists.</p>
<p>Please do not ask us to help you install software or learn how to use
it—but do tell us how an installation script fails or where
documentation is unclear.</p>
-<p>Finally, please note that many companies now redistribute GNU
-software, often as part of a GNU/Linux distribution. When you find bugs
-in a GNU program that you installed with a given GNU/Linux distribution,
-it is often useful to first try reporting the bug directly to the
-distributor, not to us. Sometimes, distributors have modified the GNU
-software (as they are free to do!) or they are running older versions.
-Thus, they may be the best people to find a bug as it pertains to a
-articular distribution.</p>
+
+<h3>Getting general help</h3>
+
+<p>We host many <a href="http://lists.gnu.org/";>mailing lists for GNU
+and other free software</a>, both for bug reporting and general
+discussion and help. The mailing lists with names beginning with
+<code>help-</code> are lists for getting help from the community. If
+you can't find a mailing list for a particular GNU program, then please
+use the <a
+href="http://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/help-gnu-utils/";>help-gnu-utils</a>
+mailing list.</p>
+
+<p>The <a href="http://www.fsf.org/resources/service";>FSF Service
+Directory</a> is a list of people who offer support and other consulting
+services. (Contact information for new and updated listings is on that
+page.)</p>
+
+<p>There are also <a href="/server/irc-rules.html">active IRC channels
+for GNU software</a> in which you can chat with developers and
+users.</p>
+
</div>
<!--#include virtual="/server/footer-short.html" -->
@@ -99,7 +112,7 @@
<p>
Updated:
<!-- timestamp start -->
-$Date: 2009/02/02 18:59:40 $
+$Date: 2009/02/02 19:28:21 $
<!-- timestamp end -->
</p>
</div>