Submissions to this document

# 4 Submissions to this document

Contents of this section

Here's information on how to make submissions to this docuement, and on the policy that we are using for postings to `comp.os.linux.announce` regarding commercial and mail-order announcements.

## 4.1 New `comp.os.linux.announce` policy

One of the purposes of this document is to present short summaries of the many Linux distributions in a compact form for new users to browse over. This document is not merely a concatenation of the various announcements of Linux distributions and the like.

Another purpose of this document is to remove some of the `advertisement' traffic from the newsgroup `comp.os.linux.announce`. The moderators of `c.o.l.a` (as well as many of the readers) feel that those people who are re-distributors of Linux distributions which they do not maintain should not be allowed to post periodic advertisements in `c.o.l.a.`... after all, `c.o.l.a` is for announcements important to the Linux community; it is not a moderated sales board.

Therefore, if you are distributing Linux software which you do not maintain, the only way that you will be allowed to post information to `c.o.l.a` is through this HOWTO. Information on submitting entries to this HOWTO is given below. (To submit a posting for `c.o.l.a`, mail it to `linux-announce@tc.cornell.edu`. Exceptions are given below.

Here's an example. If you are, for example, reselling the SLS distribution of Linux on floppies via mail order, the first time that your mail-order service is available, you may post an announcement to `c.o.l.a`. Thereafter, you must submit an entry in this HOWTO, which will be periodically posted to the newsgroup. Only in the event that you do something dramtically new with your service will you be allowed to post to `c.o.l.a` about it. (`Dramatically new' does not include changing your prices or the versions of the software that you distribute. The moderators have the final say on just what consititutes `dramatically new'. :) ) The purpose of this is to reduce the number of periodic postings from people who are using `c.o.l.a` as an electronic billboard.

However, if you maintain and organize your own distribution of Linux (whether it be available for anonymous FTP, mail order, or both), then you will be allowed to post to `c.o.l.a` whenever you release a new version. You will not be allowed to make periodic postings about your distribution, in order to `advertise' it every month; only when a new version is released will you be allowed to post to `c.o.l.a` about it. Of course, you should include information on your distribution in this HOWTO.

I hope that this policy is not too confusing; the one basic rule is that we won't permit postings to `c.o.l.a` which are merely advertisements for your distribution or mail order service. The posting must include new information which is of interest to the Linux community at large. Remember that `c.o.l.a` postings are archived on `sunsite.unc.edu`; once your posting is out of the news spool it is not gone forever.

## 4.2 How to submit an entry for this HOWTO

I encourage anyone and everyone who maintains a Linux distribution or mail order service (or consulting service, and the like), to submit information on their service to this HOWTO. It's easy and fun, and it's free advertising. This document is posted to many places and is archived (see the next section).

### Types of submissions

We are interested in submissions for:

- Complete distributions of Linux software, available either via anonymous FTP, UUCP, or mail order. By `complete distribution' we mean any set of software which can be used to build a complete Linux system from scratch.
- Layered products or individual software packages available only via mail order. If your software package is available via anonymous FTP, chances are people can find it. Software products only available via mail-order include commercial things such as Motif, and any other commercial software ported to Linux.
- Any other LINUX-SPECIFIC goods available via mail order, such as Linux-specific books and documentation, T-shirts, and assorted paraphrenalia.
- LINUX-SPECIFIC services such as telephone or e-mail consulting and technical support. This category also includes miscellany such as development contracts.

If the number of submissions for services and layered products is large, I'll create a separate HOWTO for these items.

### How to submit

To submit an entry to this HOWTO, please send mail to `mdw@sunsite.unc.edu` with the following information. This `format' is not machine-parsable; any of the fields may be any length that you wish, but I'd like to keep each entry down to, say, 50 lines.

Name:

  Name of service or distribution

Distributor:

  Name of company, person, etc. who distributes/maintains the service or distribution

Description:

  Description of the distribution or service that you provide. If this is a software distribution, please include information such as what software is included, versions, general overview of installation, requirements, and so on.

Availability:

  Where your service or distribution is available. This can be an FTP site (including directory pathname, please), a mailing address, phone number, e-mail address, etc.

Ordering:

  How to order your distribution or service, if applicable. Include prices, shipping information, methods of payment, etc.

Miscellaneous:

  Anything else that you find relevant.

Please keep your entry as short as possible. If you need to include extensive information, please make a reference to where one can FTP or mail to get more information on your distribution; these entries are only meant to be POINTERS to where one can find information on your service or distribution.

If you provide more than one service or distribution, please use SEPARATE ENTRIES for each.

Some things (such as books, t-shirts, etc.) won't fit exactly into this entry; just be sure to include all relevant information. In other words, this "entry form" is simply the bare minimum that you must include in your submission to the Distribution-HOWTO; feel free to change, add, or leave out "fields" as you see fit.

I will more than likely edit your entries to some degree if I find any irrelevant information, or if the entry is overly verbose. Otherwise the content should remain the same.

When making submissions to the Distribution-HOWTO, you grant implicit permission for me to use the entries in other materials, such as books from the LDP, and other online documents. For example, information from the Distribution-HOWTO may be included in a published Linux book. If you do not want me to include your entry in materials other than the Distribution-HOWTO, please say so.

## 4.3 Acknowledgements

Thanks to Bill Riemers, who produced the first version of the Distribution HOWTO and provided helpful advice. Also, thanks to all of the people who have contributed to this document. I hope that future releases of this HOWTO will be useful to the Linux community; unfortunately, gathering information on the many services out there is a difficult task. Your contributions make this task much easier.

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