[Asterisk-Users] FAQ, Documentation, How-to, etc

[David Gomillion]

Steven Sokol <> wrote:
> Rather than telling newbies (especially the technically challenged)
> to "google for it", we could send them a link to the ebook and tell
> them to run the search in Acrobat reader to find the answer.  Anybody
> want to start a thread building the outline for the book?   

This can open a whole new can of worms: how new of a newb* do we write
the manuals to?  Do we need instructions on how to install and use
Linux?  Should we explain what CVS is and why we are issuing the
command, or just give a cookbook?

My knowledge, as I am sure many of you on the list well know, is very
limited.  I would be willing to assist in writing up whatever I know how
to do.  It's just such a big project that I don't know where I'd begin.

Can we get a project manager (preferably a student or someone else with
lots of time) to compile the Table of Contents, get volunteers to guest
write a subchapter, etc?  With the work that Digium has put into
Asterisk, I would have no problem in the world with turning my work over
to them, as long as they agree to make the updated revisions of the
manual always available free of charge, at the very least to those who
helped write it.

My idea is:

1 Preparation
1.1 What is Linux?
1.2 Where do I download Linux?
1.3 What packages do I need to install?
2 Hardware
2.1 What hardware is required?
2.2 Zaptel Interfaces
2.3 VoIP phones
2.4 Soft phones
2.5 Known incompatibilities
3 Installing Asterisk
3.1 What is CVS?
3.2 How to download
3.3 How to compile and install
3.4 Loading drivers at boot time
3.5 Configuring Asterisk to automatically start
4 Configuring Asterisk
4.1 extensions.conf
4.2 zapata.conf
4.3 sip.conf
4.4 musiconhold.conf
4.5 voicemail.conf
..........
5 Common problems
..........
6 Debugging
..........
7 Applications
7.1 Music on Hold
7.2 Queues
7.3 Dial
7.4 Goto
..........

You get the idea.  Then, we could get a volunteer to write section 3.3,
then get another person to read it and make changes.  Finally, we could
pass it on to someone at Digium for final verification that the facts
presented are correct.

Comments?

Thanks,
David Gomillion