Topic: Does Anyone Ever Read the Manual

[pnllan]

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I enjoy helping people, and have found that the regulars here Apache Lounge do as well.

When I first started down the Apache/PHP/MySQL/Perl path, I used to get aggravated when someone on a forum (NOT HERE though) asked me - "Have you read the manual". I was aggravated because I had, and thought that the documentation was not that good - at least in the particular areas I was having trouble with. I cannot remember every line of these manuals, but I have read them all (over and over), and refer back to them OFTEN.

I NOW understand why I was asked if I had read the manual. Many (NOT ALL) of the inquiries I see here are covered in the BASICS of the said manuals.

Please READ the MANUALS...there is a lot of GREAT INFO in them

When you get stuck...THEN ask your questions here.

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[James Blond]

It is very usefull to download the whole documentation in the *.chm format. So you have ONE single file and do not need the internet, also you can you the searching function to find things faster.

in many languages availible for Version 2.2.2

german (deutsch)
englisch
spanisch (espanol)
other languages

[pips]

I've just downloaded the manual, so will read it before asking my next question, as I may well find the answer in there!

The expression R.T.F.M. is always a good one!

Cheers, Phil.

[gordonsutton]

I think I spend 1/2 of my time in the manuals. However, since I am a newbie it is very difficult for me to associate all of the information in a manner that addresses my questions. I can get individual directive information but I am not able yet to string them together with all of sub-references to various commands and options.

I will continue to read the manuals but really would like to have a reference to a book that explains it to beginners in a cohesive manner. Well cohesive to me which may be a hard task.

If you have any non offensive suggestions, I would be glad to hear them.

Gordon Sutton

[clubikimakuri]

James Blond,

Thanks for the links! Very handy.

gordonsutton,

I feel the same way...I spend a lot of time reading the manual, but as a total beginner it's difficult to tie all the information together. Looking forward to the day when I can tho!

To the experienced users, thanks for helping with my basic questions. I'll do my best to answer them myself before coming here.

Cory.

[Matternor]

I've read the Apache manual, and I'm still reading it. Too bad there isn't an 'Apache for Dummies' book since almost all of the documentation that I have read so far can be somewhat confusing. Before I downloaded Apache, I bought the O'Reilly book on Apache; which has now become the first O'Reilly book that I regret buying.

Reading the documentation is getting easier, but it's definitely not newbie oriented (even moreso since its obvious that Linux is the preferred OS for Apache).

[HobbyTech]

I know what you mean about the O'Reily book....and the sad thing is, most of their books are the best.

For installation puposes, at least, there is a much better book: Web Database Applications with PHP & MySQL (by Williams & Lane, O'Reily, 2002). Apache isn't even in the title. It covers installing Apache 1.3 and 4.0 in Appendix A, and almost all the info was relevant to 2.2 as well. I'm hopeful that it doesn't take too long for a revision to come out, as the new Apache will change some PHP behavior.

I remember stuff much better (and can understand it later, too), if I take good notes. The book is very clearly written in the first place. Anyway, even reading the Apache docs for 2.2 didn't tell me much more than I already knew, and for a newbie, it was very easy to fit the info in the docs into what I already read in the book! I hope it gets upgraded for Apache 2.2.x soon, maybe when the next PHP revision comes out.

But the only chapter that covers Apache much is #9, "Authentication and Security", teaching about stateless and session-based apps, including how both HTTP and PHP play a part.

However, it seems most people here are using the Apache/PHP/MySQL/(and maybe Perl) architecture, and this book is great at that! A lot of books claim to have projects that help you, but this one really does. You follow the design of a winestore (containing miscellaneous information in various tables, not just price, making many of their examples a good learning tool for various apps), throughout the entire book.

Other books on the same architechture begin with extensive command-line MySQL management, which is horrible if you want to use MySQL mainly for web apps and to deliver managed content. After some intro to PHP syntax, variables, simple regex, and basic functions, it uses web-application coding right off the bat, using PHP, and then onto expanding functionality with MySQL. A much, much better approach!

This book enabled me to install Apache/PHP/MySQL very easily and jump straight into PHP coding with nary a hitch. But since it's not an "Apache book", I don't know how long it will be until the next one comes out. I also wonder if these authors have a book that is really about Apache?

[James Blond]

Are there some tips from you? ISBN: 0596000413
But why do ypu post such a long text without knpwledge? For me it seems you don't want to share knowledge as selling us the book

[HobbyTech]