Linux Documentation Project

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Linux Documentation Project (TLDP) is an all-volunteer project that maintains a large collection of Linux (and Linux-related) documentation and publishes the collection online. It began as a way for Linux hackers to share their documentation with each other and with their users, and for users to share documentation with each other. Its documents tend to be oriented towards experienced users such as professional system administrators, but also contains tutorials for beginners.

The LDP originally began as an FTP site in 1992, but it went on the World Wide Web at MetaLab in 1993. It is believed to have been the first Linux related website ever.

Today, the LDP serves over 475 documents contributed by even more authors. About a dozen of them are book length, and most of those are available in print from major technical publishers including O'Reilly. The LDP publishes many HowTo documents, which instruct a user on the specific steps to take to achieve a desired goal. These goals are sometimes very specific, such as configuring a particular modem, and sometimes very broad, such as how to administer a network for an ISP.

Very broad topics are covered in the guides, which are book-length documents, usually on broad subjects such as security or networking.

The LDP also publishes Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) lists, man pages and other documents, as well as two webzines, the Linux Gazette and Linux Focus.

Much of the LDP collection is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL). Many other licenses are also used, as long as they are freely distributable. Current policy recommends the GFDL or the Open Publication License without exercising options A or B.

Linux Network Administrators' Guide is one book in the series.

The Linux Documentation Project should not be confused with The Linux Information Project (LINFO), although they sometimes are because of the similarity of the names. The latter is much newer and differs substantially with regard to its philosophy, its content and its appearance. One of the biggest differences is that LINFO is designed to be much broader in scope and provide much more than just how-tos; that is, it also provides information about the historical, economic, philosophical and other aspects of Linux and other free software. Moreover, it is designed to be useful and interesting to people at all levels of computer expertise, including absolute beginners.