Proposal to donate the writing of an ebook/book

[Michael Steinberg]

I like Linux and love Ubuntu, I admire the spirit which has made OSS 
work, and because I can't program but can write I thought writing a 
book would be a useful contribution.

I've been using Ubuntu myself since its release and have installed it 
on a number of computers I've given to others, often poor people who 
haven't had a computer before. Teaching them is a problem, though. I 
haven't found any introductory books that are Linux-oriented except for 
ones about Mepis and Linspire; a "starting off with Ubuntu" book would 
fill a niche and would also help popularize the distro.

As I see it right now, the book would cover installation, setup, and 
basic skills like navigating in the Open/Save box; customizing, adding 
applications (through Add Application, Synaptic, and apt-get, with a 
word on Automatix), fonts, printers etc.; sudo and administration; 
connecting via dialup and wireless; a few elementary command-line 
skills, what the programs do, and where to go for help. It would be 
structured in part around the default menus, but rather than tell 
people how to use the programs it would introduce each one and its 
function and cover the program's learning and support options. There 
would be a word or two  about some of the additional apps in the "Add 
Application" menu option. While the focus would be on GNOME, there 
should be at least a chapter on Kubuntu. A tentative outline follows, 
and I welcome all comments. I would be working with pre-release 
versions of Dapper, so it should be up-to-date when finished.

This isn't a difficult job. I'd solicit queries and requests through 
the beginner forum particularly, and for some topics would need to mine 
the Wiki or solicit people directly. Obviously the input of the doc 
team would be essential, but I don't think I need writing help, only 
fact-checking, editorial suggestions, and assistance with technical 
things I can't try out myself.

The whole thing would be GPL'd. I think of it as a pdf e-book for the 
site (though I'd learn XML if needed), but hard-copy books are still 
more useful than pdfs. It would also be lovely to produce it in 
physical form, perhaps with Ubuntu CDs in the back pocket and on sale 
in the Ubuntu store. "Everything you need to start out in Ubuntu." A 
perfect gift for friends and family!

Who am I? I'm an appellate lawyer in Rochester, New York, as far as 
income goes; but my real interest is in writing. I have a fairly 
abstract piece of social theory out from Monthly Review Press, The 
Fiction of a Thinkable World, which you can read about at 
http://www.monthlyreview.org/tfoatw.htm. (it would be terrific if you 
bought copies, too!) I also write frequently for http://www.mrzine.org.

Besides that, I've published a short history of the Adirondack 
Mountains in New York for younger readers which won awards when it came 
out, and I've been explaining computers to family and friends ever 
since I bought an Osborne. I think I can get the material across simply 
and clearly and with a good deal of humor.

I'd like to know how this sounds to the doc team. If you're interested, 
I have a sample chapter I can send in .pdf, and I can draft a detailed 
plan of work.

Michael Steinberg

OUTLINE (VERY TENTATIVE....)

1.	Why Linux? Why Ubuntu?	
2.	Hardware concerns: Winmodems, Wireless
3.	Getting & Installing Ubuntu
4.	Welcome to the Desktop
	1.	Gnome
		1.	Displays, desktop backgrounds, etc.
		2.	The Open/Save dialogue
		3.	Options in the system menu
		4.	The panel
	2.	KDE
5.	Basic skills
	1.	Nautilus
	2.	Further tweaking with administrative tools; sudo
	3.	Setting up dialup
	4.	Ndiswrapper & wireless
	5.	Fonts
	6.	Printers
	7.	Codecs
6.	Adding and customizing
	1.	Automatix
	2.	The package system
	3.	Add programs & update manager
	4.	Synaptic
	5.	Apt-get
7.	Graphics applications
	1.	The GIMP
	2.	Inkscape
	3.	Xsane
	4.	Other programs in the “Add Applications” menu
8.	Internet:
	1.	Web Browser
		1.	Adding plugins
	2.	Evolution & E-mail
	3.	IRC & IM
	4.	Other programs in the “Add Applications” menu
9.	Office applications
	1.	Open Office
	2.	Evolution: the rest of the story
	3.	pdfs and Adobe Reader
	4.	Other programs in the “Add Applications” menu
		1.	Scribus & DTP
10.	Programming
	1.	Nvu, Bluefish
11.	Sound & Video
	1.	Totem
	2.	Sound Juicer
	3.	Getting Real Player
	4.	Other programs in the “Add Applications” menu
12.	The Command line
	1.	The structure of Linux: CLI, X, etc.
	2.	Accounts & Permissions
	3.	Root & sudo
	4.	Basic file management
	5.	Other useful commands
13.	A chapter about Kubuntu
14.	Getting more help


*************************************************************
Michael Steinberg
109 Rutgers Street
Rochester, New York  14607-2840

(585) 242-0538 (h)	(585) 295-8544 (o) (585) 298-9323 (fax)
*************************************************************
I don't spoil my cats. I simply can't convince myself that my 
intentions are always more important than theirs.
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