Server Starter Guide Recommendations

[Brian Shumate]

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1

Hello All,

My first bits of effort here, recommendations focused on the Ubuntu  
Server Starter Guide at http://doc.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/serverguide/C/.   
Please let me know if these recommendations are useful.

I'll gladly submit further recommendations on the remaining chapters  
upon hearing the verdict on these :

Also, should I be attempting to pull the version with Subversion and  
examine that instead of looking at the version at the above- 
referenced URL, and if so, where is the svn repository for this guide?

Thanks!

Brian

========http://doc.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/serverguide/C/ch01.html========

Inconsistent hyphenation in "System Related Reference":

Installation-Related Reference
...
System Related Reference
Network-Related Reference

========http://doc.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/serverguide/C/ch02.html========
For these services at least 500MB of disk space would suffice, but  
consider adding more space depending on the services you'd like to  
host with your server.

Perhaps "will" reads better than "would" here?

- --------
"Remember that these sizes don't include all the other materials  
which are usually to be found, such as user files, mail, and data. It  
is always best to be generous when considering the space for your own  
files and data."

'your own files and data'?

Being a "Server Starter Guide" will the machine being configured with  
help from this guide not be providing for the needs of other users  
too? Could this sentence be re-written similar to:

Remember that these sizes don't include disk space requirements for  
user data.  You should be generous when considering the disk space  
requirements for common user data such as documents, e-mail, and  
photographic images.
- --------
"Anytime you partition your disk, you should count on losing  
everything on the disk, no matter what program you use to do it."

This reads in a way that could be overly intimidating.  As if to say  
"You can be assured to lose all of your data whenever you partition a  
disk," which is not necessarily true, unless for example, the drive  
is at capacity.

Consider this instead:

Anytime you partition your disk, you should be prepared to lose  
everything on the disk should you make a mistake, or something goes  
wrong during partitioning such as unrecoverable power loss to the  
system.
- --------
"The programs used in installation are quite reliable and most have  
seen years of use; but they are also quite powerful and a false move  
can cost you. Even after backing up be careful and think about your  
answers and actions. Two minutes of thinking can save hours of  
unnecessary work."

a false move can cost me what?  Fifty bucks? My left arm?  ;-)  
Perhaps instead this sentence could read:

The programs used in installation are quite reliable, and most have  
seen years of use, but they also perform destructive actions, and one  
mistake in use can result in loss of your valuable data.
========http://doc.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/serverguide/C/ch02s02.html========
"Insert your installation CD into your CD-ROM drive and reboot the  
computer. The installation system is started immediately when booting  
from the CD-ROM. Once initialized your first screen will appear."

Is the guide just assuming the user installing knows that their  
particular server should be verified to be configured for CD-ROM boot  
before HDD boot?  Would it be too elementary to add a note that the  
server should be configured to boot from CD-ROM prior to inserting  
the disc and rebooting?

The guide states that it assumes the user has a basic understanding  
of their Ubuntu system, so this could imply a novice administrator  
who may overlook such a simple thing as ensuring boot device order,  
and that is why I ask.


-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
Version: GnuPG v1.4.1 (Darwin)

iD8DBQFDjLXo43QdCUQeBsARAkXVAKDDY89GH8Au+XTxRfGfH3TD0TTBtQCcDxnu
w0h3cFGZ2aRABypRYpXgpSM=
=+J+s
-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----