5. Usenet Newsgroup Archives
The ability to search for and retrieve information from archived posts
to the Linux-related (Usenet) newsgroups represents a powerful means of
troubleshooting in Linux.
Search engines permit one to search the archives by stipulating the
forum, keywords, authors, dates, language and combinations thereof.
Because the number of Linux-related newsgroups is large, the likelihood
of finding useful information is high.
The main web site that currently provides access to Usenet archives
using a search engine is http://groups.google.com. The
most effective way to do a search is to use its Advanced Groups
Search page.
I would like to relate a brief anecdote to demonstrate the efficacy of
this approach. The first time I attempted to build a kernel, I was
presented with this error message when I invoked a "make"
command:
make[1]: as86: Command not found
make[1]: *** [bootsect.o] Error 127
make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/linux/arch/i386/boot'
make: *** [zImage]
Error 2
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I had no idea what as86 was, but I entered it as the
keyword in the Subject field of the Advanced Groups
Search page at groups.google.com, and was presented with a large number
of posts from folks who had encountered the same problem. Respondents
had provided the reason and solution: I did not have an assembler/linker
necessary to create machine code, and the bin86
package provided it. I downloaded and installed a RPM package of the
latter and was on my way. This entire process took about 10 minutes!