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Groups > alt.os.linux.mint > #45635 > unrolled thread

DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users

Started by"Alan K." <alan@invalid.com>
First post2025-10-27 08:14 -0400
Last post2025-10-29 08:42 -0400
Articles 20 on this page of 186 — 25 participants

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Contents

  DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users "Alan K." <alan@invalid.com> - 2025-10-27 08:14 -0400
    Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2025-10-27 09:43 -0400
      Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users "J. P. Gilliver" <G6JPG@255soft.uk> - 2025-10-27 14:03 +0000
        Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2025-10-27 10:19 -0400
        Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2025-10-27 21:37 +0000
          Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2025-10-28 01:26 -0400
            Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2025-10-28 06:08 +0000
              Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2025-10-28 02:59 -0400
              Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Felix <none@not.here> - 2025-10-28 21:29 +1100
              Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users "J. P. Gilliver" <G6JPG@255soft.uk> - 2025-10-28 11:17 +0000
                Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2025-10-28 23:11 +0000
                  Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users "J. P. Gilliver" <G6JPG@255soft.uk> - 2025-10-29 13:36 +0000
                    Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2025-10-29 21:37 +0000
                      Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2025-10-29 19:52 -0400
              Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Frank Slootweg <this@ddress.is.invalid> - 2025-10-28 13:14 +0000
    Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users "J. P. Gilliver" <G6JPG@255soft.uk> - 2025-10-27 13:54 +0000
      Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2025-10-27 10:12 -0400
      Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Dan Purgert <dan@djph.net> - 2025-10-27 15:01 +0000
      Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2025-10-27 21:35 +0000
        Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2025-10-27 19:06 -0400
          Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2025-10-27 23:10 +0000
        Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Felix <none@not.here> - 2025-10-28 12:20 +1100
          Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users "J. P. Gilliver" <G6JPG@255soft.uk> - 2025-10-28 11:18 +0000
            Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Felix <none@not.here> - 2025-10-28 23:26 +1100
            Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Dan Purgert <dan@djph.net> - 2025-10-28 13:10 +0000
              Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Felix <none@not.here> - 2025-10-29 00:21 +1100
            Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2025-10-28 23:14 +0000
              Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users "J. P. Gilliver" <G6JPG@255soft.uk> - 2025-10-29 13:43 +0000
                Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Handsome Jack <jack@handsome.com> - 2025-10-29 14:13 +0000
                  Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2025-10-29 11:16 -0400
                    Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2025-10-29 21:42 +0000
                      Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2025-10-29 20:02 -0400
                    Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Anssi Saari <anssi.saari@usenet.mail.kapsi.fi> - 2025-10-30 15:32 +0200
                      Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2025-10-30 21:11 +0000
                Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Dan Purgert <dan@djph.net> - 2025-10-29 15:00 +0000
                  Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2025-10-29 12:24 -0400
                    Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2025-10-29 21:41 +0000
                      Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2025-10-29 20:12 -0400
                    Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Dan Purgert <dan@djph.net> - 2025-10-30 10:10 +0000
                Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2025-10-29 21:39 +0000
                  Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2025-10-29 20:37 -0400
        Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Frank Slootweg <this@ddress.is.invalid> - 2025-10-28 13:23 +0000
    Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Windows Devil <invalid@invalid.invalid> - 2025-10-27 14:00 +0000
      Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2025-10-27 11:16 -0400
        Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Monsieur <Monsieur@notreal.invalid> - 2025-10-27 18:19 +0100
          Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Felix <none@not.here> - 2025-10-28 11:31 +1100
        Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2025-10-27 21:34 +0000
          Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Frank Slootweg <this@ddress.is.invalid> - 2025-10-28 13:35 +0000
      Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2025-10-27 21:32 +0000
      Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Daniel70 <daniel47@nomail.afraid.org> - 2025-10-28 22:09 +1100
        Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users "J. P. Gilliver" <G6JPG@255soft.uk> - 2025-10-28 11:27 +0000
      Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Mike Easter <MikeE@ster.invalid> - 2025-10-28 16:27 -0700
      Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users "s|b" <me@privacy.invalid> - 2025-10-29 19:57 +0100
        Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2025-10-29 21:44 +0000
          Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Felix <none@not.here> - 2025-10-30 10:32 +1100
          Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Frank Slootweg <this@ddress.is.invalid> - 2025-10-30 15:30 +0000
        Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Frank Slootweg <this@ddress.is.invalid> - 2025-10-30 15:22 +0000
          Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users "s|b" <me@privacy.invalid> - 2025-10-30 16:59 +0100
            Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2025-10-30 14:33 -0400
            Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Frank Slootweg <this@ddress.is.invalid> - 2025-10-31 13:58 +0000
              Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users "s|b" <me@privacy.invalid> - 2025-10-31 19:48 +0100
                Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Frank Slootweg <this@ddress.is.invalid> - 2025-10-31 20:20 +0000
                  Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users "s|b" <me@privacy.invalid> - 2025-11-01 13:53 +0100
                Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2025-10-31 18:55 -0400
                  Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users "s|b" <me@privacy.invalid> - 2025-11-01 14:29 +0100
                Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2025-11-01 05:59 -0400
                  Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users "s|b" <me@privacy.invalid> - 2025-11-01 14:33 +0100
                    Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2025-11-01 09:50 -0400
                      Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users "s|b" <me@privacy.invalid> - 2025-11-01 16:11 +0100
                        Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2025-11-01 20:26 +0000
                          Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Mike Easter <MikeE@ster.invalid> - 2025-11-01 13:58 -0700
                Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Char Jackson <none@none.invalid> - 2025-11-01 17:00 -0500
          Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Felix <none@not.here> - 2025-10-31 11:28 +1100
            Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2025-10-31 08:23 -0400
              Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Felix <none@not.here> - 2025-10-31 23:37 +1100
                Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users "s|b" <me@privacy.invalid> - 2025-10-31 19:52 +0100
                  Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Frank Slootweg <this@ddress.is.invalid> - 2025-10-31 20:20 +0000
                    Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Mike Easter <MikeE@ster.invalid> - 2025-10-31 13:57 -0700
                      Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2025-10-31 23:02 +0000
                      Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Frank Slootweg <this@ddress.is.invalid> - 2025-11-01 16:10 +0000
                        Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Mike Easter <MikeE@ster.invalid> - 2025-11-01 11:01 -0700
                          Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Mike Easter <MikeE@ster.invalid> - 2025-11-01 12:00 -0700
                          Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2025-11-01 19:40 +0000
                            Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Mike Easter <MikeE@ster.invalid> - 2025-11-01 14:44 -0700
                              Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Sump <sumpusent@outlook.com> - 2025-11-01 23:00 +0000
                                Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Mike Easter <MikeE@ster.invalid> - 2025-11-01 17:07 -0700
                                  Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Frank Slootweg <this@ddress.is.invalid> - 2025-11-02 14:21 +0000
                                Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2025-11-02 01:17 +0000
                            Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Frank Slootweg <this@ddress.is.invalid> - 2025-11-02 14:07 +0000
                    Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users vallor <vallor@vallor.earth> - 2025-11-01 02:28 +0000
                      Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Frank Slootweg <this@ddress.is.invalid> - 2025-11-01 16:19 +0000
                Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2025-10-31 23:00 +0000
                Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Felix <none@not.here> - 2025-11-03 10:40 +1100
                  Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Felix <none@not.here> - 2025-11-04 13:13 +1100
                    Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2025-11-04 05:24 -0500
                      Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Felix <none@not.here> - 2025-11-04 21:41 +1100
                        Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users yossarian <<nomail@gmail.com>> - 2025-11-04 12:41 +0100
                          Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users yossarian <<nomail@gmail.com>> - 2025-11-04 13:04 +0100
                            Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Felix <none@not.here> - 2025-11-05 00:45 +1100
                        Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users vallor <vallor@vallor.earth> - 2025-11-04 12:53 +0000
              Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2025-10-31 22:59 +0000
                Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Frank Slootweg <this@ddress.is.invalid> - 2025-11-01 16:41 +0000
            Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Frank Slootweg <this@ddress.is.invalid> - 2025-10-31 14:53 +0000
              Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Felix <none@not.here> - 2025-11-01 10:21 +1100
        Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users lisa <not.in.use@home.invalid> - 2025-10-30 21:18 +0100
          Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users "s|b" <me@privacy.invalid> - 2025-10-30 21:40 +0100
            Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users lisa <not.in.use@home.invalid> - 2025-10-30 22:51 +0100
              Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users "s|b" <me@privacy.invalid> - 2025-10-31 19:53 +0100
            Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2025-10-30 18:23 -0400
              Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users "s|b" <me@privacy.invalid> - 2025-10-31 20:45 +0100
    Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Stan Brown <someone@example.com> - 2025-10-27 09:14 -0700
      Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2025-10-27 13:17 -0400
        Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users "Alan K." <alan@invalid.com> - 2025-10-27 13:58 -0400
        Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users "J. P. Gilliver" <G6JPG@255soft.uk> - 2025-10-27 18:38 +0000
          Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users "J. P. Gilliver" <G6JPG@255soft.uk> - 2025-10-27 18:43 +0000
          Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Daniel70 <daniel47@nomail.afraid.org> - 2025-10-29 22:00 +1100
            Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users "J. P. Gilliver" <G6JPG@255soft.uk> - 2025-10-29 14:03 +0000
              Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Daniel70 <daniel47@nomail.afraid.org> - 2025-10-30 19:54 +1100
                Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2025-10-30 21:18 +0000
            Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2025-10-29 21:48 +0000
          Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Dan Purgert <dan@djph.net> - 2025-10-29 11:50 +0000
            Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Felix <none@not.here> - 2025-10-29 23:31 +1100
              Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Felix <none@not.here> - 2025-10-29 23:42 +1100
                Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2025-10-29 08:50 -0400
                  Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users vallor <vallor@vallor.earth> - 2025-10-29 20:34 +0000
                    Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2025-10-29 21:20 -0400
                Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Jeff Layman <Jeff@invalid.invalid> - 2025-10-30 08:25 +0000
                  Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2025-10-30 14:41 -0400
                    Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Jeff Layman <Jeff@invalid.invalid> - 2025-10-31 09:04 +0000
        Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Mike Easter <MikeE@ster.invalid> - 2025-10-28 16:40 -0700
    Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users MikeS <MikeS@fred.com> - 2025-10-27 20:47 +0000
      Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2025-10-27 21:18 +0000
        Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Felix <none@not.here> - 2025-10-28 12:10 +1100
        Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Frank Slootweg <this@ddress.is.invalid> - 2025-10-28 13:44 +0000
          Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Felix <none@not.here> - 2025-10-29 10:27 +1100
      Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2025-10-28 02:09 -0400
        Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Handsome Jack <jack@handsome.com> - 2025-10-28 07:13 +0000
          Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2025-10-28 05:06 -0400
            Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users "J. P. Gilliver" <G6JPG@255soft.uk> - 2025-10-28 11:59 +0000
            Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Daniel70 <daniel47@nomail.afraid.org> - 2025-10-29 23:13 +1100
              Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2025-10-29 08:58 -0400
                Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Daniel70 <daniel47@nomail.afraid.org> - 2025-10-30 00:32 +1100
          Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Daniel70 <daniel47@nomail.afraid.org> - 2025-10-29 22:55 +1100
      Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Bob Martin <bob.martin@excite.com> - 2025-10-28 07:09 +0000
      Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Mike Easter <MikeE@ster.invalid> - 2025-10-28 16:46 -0700
        Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Hank Rogers <Hank@nospam.invalid> - 2025-10-28 20:03 -0500
          Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Mike Easter <MikeE@ster.invalid> - 2025-10-28 19:10 -0700
            Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Felix <none@not.here> - 2025-10-29 17:33 +1100
              Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Daniel70 <daniel47@nomail.afraid.org> - 2025-10-29 23:18 +1100
                Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Felix <none@not.here> - 2025-10-29 23:36 +1100
                  Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Daniel70 <daniel47@nomail.afraid.org> - 2025-10-30 00:42 +1100
                    Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Felix <none@not.here> - 2025-10-30 01:05 +1100
                      Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users "J. P. Gilliver" <G6JPG@255soft.uk> - 2025-10-29 14:36 +0000
                      Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2025-10-29 11:29 -0400
                        Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2025-10-29 22:05 +0000
                          Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users marc <marc@none.of.your.business> - 2025-10-30 18:20 +0100
                    Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2025-10-29 21:58 +0000
                      Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users "J. P. Gilliver" <G6JPG@255soft.uk> - 2025-10-30 07:26 +0000
                        Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2025-10-30 21:46 +0000
                  Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2025-10-29 21:57 +0000
                    Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Jeff Layman <Jeff@invalid.invalid> - 2025-10-30 08:45 +0000
                      Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Dan Purgert <dan@djph.net> - 2025-10-30 10:28 +0000
                        Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Jeff Layman <Jeff@invalid.invalid> - 2025-10-30 11:01 +0000
                          Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Dan Purgert <dan@djph.net> - 2025-10-30 13:13 +0000
                            Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Jeff Layman <Jeff@invalid.invalid> - 2025-10-30 14:35 +0000
                              Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2025-10-30 13:51 -0400
                              Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2025-10-30 21:45 +0000
                              Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Dan Purgert <dan@djph.net> - 2025-10-30 22:58 +0000
                                Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Jeff Layman <Jeff@invalid.invalid> - 2025-10-31 08:43 +0000
                          Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2025-10-30 21:33 +0000
                      Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2025-10-30 21:27 +0000
                    Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users MikeS <MikeS@fred.com> - 2025-10-30 10:16 +0000
                      Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2025-10-30 14:04 -0400
                        Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2025-10-30 21:20 +0000
                      Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2025-10-30 21:19 +0000
                        Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2025-10-30 18:34 -0400
                    Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2025-10-30 23:09 +0000
              Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users vallor <vallor@vallor.earth> - 2025-10-29 20:28 +0000
          Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users "s|b" <me@privacy.invalid> - 2025-10-30 17:01 +0100
            Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2025-10-30 14:19 -0400
              Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users "s|b" <me@privacy.invalid> - 2025-11-01 14:42 +0100
        Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Frank Slootweg <this@ddress.is.invalid> - 2025-10-29 11:31 +0000
          Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users MikeS <MikeS@fred.com> - 2025-10-29 13:12 +0000
            Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2025-10-29 12:13 -0400
    Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Mike Easter <MikeE@ster.invalid> - 2025-10-28 19:55 -0700
      Re: DistroWatch Q&A: Advice for new Linux users Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2025-10-29 08:42 -0400

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#45752

FromJeff Layman <Jeff@invalid.invalid>
Date2025-10-30 08:45 +0000
Message-ID<10dv8jd$3hf8p$2@dont-email.me>
In reply to#45740
On 29/10/2025 21:57, Lawrence D’Oliveiro wrote:
> gunzip -c $(man -w bash) | groff -ktman -Tpdf | okular -

(computer name):~$ gunzip -c $(man -w bash) | groff -ktman -Tpdf | okular -

groff: fatal error: cannot load 'DESC' description file for device 'pdf'
org.kde.okular.core: No plugin for mimetype '"application/x-zerosize"'.

Also fails with qpdfview (my default pdf viewer), but with a less 
informative error message.

-- 
Jeff

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#45756

FromDan Purgert <dan@djph.net>
Date2025-10-30 10:28 +0000
Message-ID<slrn10g6fer.286.dan@djph.net>
In reply to#45752
On 2025-10-30, Jeff Layman wrote:
> On 29/10/2025 21:57, Lawrence D’Oliveiro wrote:
>> gunzip -c $(man -w bash) | groff -ktman -Tpdf | okular -
>
> (computer name):~$ gunzip -c $(man -w bash) | groff -ktman -Tpdf | okular -
>
> groff: fatal error: cannot load 'DESC' description file for device 'pdf'
> org.kde.okular.core: No plugin for mimetype '"application/x-zerosize"'.

Chances are you've only got 'groff-base' installed, rather than the full
'groff' package.  


If you want to double-check/fix it:

  1. "command -v groff" to get exact path where 'groff' happens to be
      installed to. I expect it to be /usr/bin/groff.
  2. "dpkg -S /usr/bin/groff" to get the package name that installed 
      the file.  It'll probably be "groff-base"
  3. "apt install groff" to install the full package.
  4. Run that command from Lawrence again



-- 
|_|O|_|
|_|_|O| Github: https://github.com/dpurgert
|O|O|O| PGP: DDAB 23FB 19FA 7D85 1CC1  E067 6D65 70E5 4CE7 2860

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#45757

FromJeff Layman <Jeff@invalid.invalid>
Date2025-10-30 11:01 +0000
Message-ID<10dvgj1$3hf8p$4@dont-email.me>
In reply to#45756
On 30/10/2025 10:28, Dan Purgert wrote:
> On 2025-10-30, Jeff Layman wrote:
>> On 29/10/2025 21:57, Lawrence D’Oliveiro wrote:
>>> gunzip -c $(man -w bash) | groff -ktman -Tpdf | okular -
>>
>> (computer name):~$ gunzip -c $(man -w bash) | groff -ktman -Tpdf | okular -
>>
>> groff: fatal error: cannot load 'DESC' description file for device 'pdf'
>> org.kde.okular.core: No plugin for mimetype '"application/x-zerosize"'.
> 
> Chances are you've only got 'groff-base' installed, rather than the full
> 'groff' package.
> 
> 
> If you want to double-check/fix it:
> 
>    1. "command -v groff" to get exact path where 'groff' happens to be
>        installed to. I expect it to be /usr/bin/groff.

It was indeed /usr/bin/groff using that command, although I see that 
groff appears in many other folders according to Nemo's search facility.

>    2. "dpkg -S /usr/bin/groff" to get the package name that installed
>        the file.  It'll probably be "groff-base"

It was.

>    3. "apt install groff" to install the full package.

Successfully installed. There's quite a lot of it, but I've plenty of 
disk space.

>    4. Run that command from Lawrence again

It worked perfectly and that pdf is *much* easier to read than a 
screenful of "manual" instructions in the Terminal. I've saved it for 
future reference.

Thanks for the help. I switched from Windows to Linux 10 years ago - 
first Ubuntu and then Mint - and will be a "newbie" forever! But as long 
as there are experts willing to help out and provide the /exact/ 
instructions to enter into a Terminal (and I've yet to find one who 
won't), then Linux will never be the mystery that non-users make it out 
to be. I don't need to know how what's "under the hood" works to take it 
for a drive!

-- 
Jeff

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#45758

FromDan Purgert <dan@djph.net>
Date2025-10-30 13:13 +0000
Message-ID<slrn10g6p4i.286.dan@djph.net>
In reply to#45757
On 2025-10-30, Jeff Layman wrote:
> On 30/10/2025 10:28, Dan Purgert wrote:
>> On 2025-10-30, Jeff Layman wrote:
>>> On 29/10/2025 21:57, Lawrence D’Oliveiro wrote:
>>>> gunzip -c $(man -w bash) | groff -ktman -Tpdf | okular -
>>>
>>> (computer name):~$ gunzip -c $(man -w bash) | groff -ktman -Tpdf | okular -
>>>
>>> groff: fatal error: cannot load 'DESC' description file for device 'pdf'
>>> org.kde.okular.core: No plugin for mimetype '"application/x-zerosize"'.
>> 
>> Chances are you've only got 'groff-base' installed, rather than the full
>> 'groff' package.
>> [...]
>>    3. "apt install groff" to install the full package.
>
> Successfully installed. There's quite a lot of it, but I've plenty of 
> disk space.

Yeah, the "quite a lot" is why it's not installed by default, same as
other things like vim.  Most people don't need all the fluff, so I guess
the idea is to save space on the install ISOs.
>
>>    4. Run that command from Lawrence again
>
> It worked perfectly and that pdf is *much* easier to read than a 
> screenful of "manual" instructions in the Terminal. I've saved it for 
> future reference.

Great! Something you might want to consider here is making yourself a
little manpage wrapper script so you can get the PDF output for any
manpages you want to read.

Something like this ought to do it -- though admittedly this is rather
off the cuff, so might have an egregious error or three.

  #!/usr/bin/env bash 
  
  #usage reminder if we forgot the input parameter, or had too many
  if [[ $# -ne 1 ]]; then
    printf "man2pdf error: incorrect number of parameters given.\n"
    printf "usage: man2pdf <topic> (e.g. man2pdf bash).\n"
    exit 1
  fi

  #'man -w' will return 0 only if the manpage exists
  if $(man -w $1 &>/dev/null ) ; then
    gunzip -c $(man -w "$1") | groff -ktman -Tpdf | okular -
  else
    printf "man2pdf error: No manual page for \"$1\" found.\n"
  fi

Save it as say "/usr/local/bin/man2pdf", and make sure it's executable.

Alternatively, in Mint, I believe that if you create a $HOME/bin/
directory, it will be added to your $PATH on the next login.  But that
has the "downside" of not being globally accessible then (mostly a
concern if you have multiple users on your PCs -- SO, kids,
just-for-banking, whatever).

-- 
|_|O|_|
|_|_|O| Github: https://github.com/dpurgert
|O|O|O| PGP: DDAB 23FB 19FA 7D85 1CC1  E067 6D65 70E5 4CE7 2860

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#45761

FromJeff Layman <Jeff@invalid.invalid>
Date2025-10-30 14:35 +0000
Message-ID<10dvt44$3hf8q$1@dont-email.me>
In reply to#45758
On 30/10/2025 13:13, Dan Purgert wrote:
> On 2025-10-30, Jeff Layman wrote:
>> On 30/10/2025 10:28, Dan Purgert wrote:
>>> On 2025-10-30, Jeff Layman wrote:
>>>> On 29/10/2025 21:57, Lawrence D’Oliveiro wrote:
>>>>> gunzip -c $(man -w bash) | groff -ktman -Tpdf | okular -
>>>>
>>>> (computer name):~$ gunzip -c $(man -w bash) | groff -ktman -Tpdf | okular -
>>>>
>>>> groff: fatal error: cannot load 'DESC' description file for device 'pdf'
>>>> org.kde.okular.core: No plugin for mimetype '"application/x-zerosize"'.
>>>
>>> Chances are you've only got 'groff-base' installed, rather than the full
>>> 'groff' package.
>>> [...]
>>>     3. "apt install groff" to install the full package.
>>
>> Successfully installed. There's quite a lot of it, but I've plenty of
>> disk space.
> 
> Yeah, the "quite a lot" is why it's not installed by default, same as
> other things like vim.  Most people don't need all the fluff, so I guess
> the idea is to save space on the install ISOs.
>>
>>>     4. Run that command from Lawrence again
>>
>> It worked perfectly and that pdf is *much* easier to read than a
>> screenful of "manual" instructions in the Terminal. I've saved it for
>> future reference.
> 
> Great! Something you might want to consider here is making yourself a
> little manpage wrapper script so you can get the PDF output for any
> manpages you want to read.
> 
> Something like this ought to do it -- though admittedly this is rather
> off the cuff, so might have an egregious error or three.
> 
>    #!/usr/bin/env bash
>    
>    #usage reminder if we forgot the input parameter, or had too many
>    if [[ $# -ne 1 ]]; then
>      printf "man2pdf error: incorrect number of parameters given.\n"
>      printf "usage: man2pdf <topic> (e.g. man2pdf bash).\n"
>      exit 1
>    fi
> 
>    #'man -w' will return 0 only if the manpage exists
>    if $(man -w $1 &>/dev/null ) ; then
>      gunzip -c $(man -w "$1") | groff -ktman -Tpdf | okular -
>    else
>      printf "man2pdf error: No manual page for \"$1\" found.\n"
>    fi
> 
> Save it as say "/usr/local/bin/man2pdf", and make sure it's executable.
> 
> Alternatively, in Mint, I believe that if you create a $HOME/bin/
> directory, it will be added to your $PATH on the next login.  But that
> has the "downside" of not being globally accessible then (mostly a
> concern if you have multiple users on your PCs -- SO, kids,
> just-for-banking, whatever).

Thanks for the script. I'm the only user of this laptop, so I'll 
probably do it via a $HOME/bin/ directory. I've never made an executable 
file, but I'll have a read up on how to do it.

I have a question or perhaps two (they might be related) - which perhaps 
should be directed to Lawrence, but I'm pretty sure you'll know the 
answer. After running:
:~$ gunzip -c $(man -w bash) | groff -ktman -Tpdf | okular -
the terminal remained open, and when I tried to close it was warned that 
there was still a process running in it, and closing the terminal would 
kill it. Why does that script not end cleanly (if that's the right term)?

Also, at the end, he said:
(Substitution of alternative PDF viewer is left as an exercise for the
reader.)
I tried the $ gunzip... expression he used, but substituting qpdfview 
for okular.

That, however, resulted in qpdfview opening, but with an error message:
"Warning
Could not open '-' "

I was a bit puzzled, but then remembered that when Okular opened with 
the manual text, I tried to save it but couldn't as both "Save" and 
"Save as" were greyed out. I was able to print that manual as "another" 
pdf, and that's what I was referring to in my reply as being much easier 
to use.

Okular is not only a pdf reader, but the properties of that manual 
document refer to it as being a pdf (v 1.4). Why was it not saveable 
directly as a pdf, and what went wrong with the qpdfview command if it 
is a pdf?

-- 
Jeff

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#45767

FromPaul <nospam@needed.invalid>
Date2025-10-30 13:51 -0400
Message-ID<10e08ir$3s4gf$1@dont-email.me>
In reply to#45761
On Thu, 10/30/2025 10:35 AM, Jeff Layman wrote:
> On 30/10/2025 13:13, Dan Purgert wrote:
>> On 2025-10-30, Jeff Layman wrote:
>>> On 30/10/2025 10:28, Dan Purgert wrote:
>>>> On 2025-10-30, Jeff Layman wrote:
>>>>> On 29/10/2025 21:57, Lawrence D’Oliveiro wrote:
>>>>>> gunzip -c $(man -w bash) | groff -ktman -Tpdf | okular -
>>>>>
>>>>> (computer name):~$ gunzip -c $(man -w bash) | groff -ktman -Tpdf | okular -
>>>>>
>>>>> groff: fatal error: cannot load 'DESC' description file for device 'pdf'
>>>>> org.kde.okular.core: No plugin for mimetype '"application/x-zerosize"'.
>>>>
>>>> Chances are you've only got 'groff-base' installed, rather than the full
>>>> 'groff' package.
>>>> [...]
>>>>     3. "apt install groff" to install the full package.
>>>
>>> Successfully installed. There's quite a lot of it, but I've plenty of
>>> disk space.
>>
>> Yeah, the "quite a lot" is why it's not installed by default, same as
>> other things like vim.  Most people don't need all the fluff, so I guess
>> the idea is to save space on the install ISOs.
>>>
>>>>     4. Run that command from Lawrence again
>>>
>>> It worked perfectly and that pdf is *much* easier to read than a
>>> screenful of "manual" instructions in the Terminal. I've saved it for
>>> future reference.
>>
>> Great! Something you might want to consider here is making yourself a
>> little manpage wrapper script so you can get the PDF output for any
>> manpages you want to read.
>>
>> Something like this ought to do it -- though admittedly this is rather
>> off the cuff, so might have an egregious error or three.
>>
>>    #!/usr/bin/env bash
>>       #usage reminder if we forgot the input parameter, or had too many
>>    if [[ $# -ne 1 ]]; then
>>      printf "man2pdf error: incorrect number of parameters given.\n"
>>      printf "usage: man2pdf <topic> (e.g. man2pdf bash).\n"
>>      exit 1
>>    fi
>>
>>    #'man -w' will return 0 only if the manpage exists
>>    if $(man -w $1 &>/dev/null ) ; then
>>      gunzip -c $(man -w "$1") | groff -ktman -Tpdf | okular -
>>    else
>>      printf "man2pdf error: No manual page for \"$1\" found.\n"
>>    fi
>>
>> Save it as say "/usr/local/bin/man2pdf", and make sure it's executable.
>>
>> Alternatively, in Mint, I believe that if you create a $HOME/bin/
>> directory, it will be added to your $PATH on the next login.  But that
>> has the "downside" of not being globally accessible then (mostly a
>> concern if you have multiple users on your PCs -- SO, kids,
>> just-for-banking, whatever).
> 
> Thanks for the script. I'm the only user of this laptop, so I'll probably do it via a $HOME/bin/ directory. I've never made an executable file, but I'll have a read up on how to do it.
> 
> I have a question or perhaps two (they might be related) - which perhaps should be directed to Lawrence, but I'm pretty sure you'll know the answer. After running:
> :~$ gunzip -c $(man -w bash) | groff -ktman -Tpdf | okular -
> the terminal remained open, and when I tried to close it was warned that there was still a process running in it, and closing the terminal would kill it. Why does that script not end cleanly (if that's the right term)?
> 
> Also, at the end, he said:
> (Substitution of alternative PDF viewer is left as an exercise for the
> reader.)
> I tried the $ gunzip... expression he used, but substituting qpdfview for okular.
> 
> That, however, resulted in qpdfview opening, but with an error message:
> "Warning
> Could not open '-' "
> 
> I was a bit puzzled, but then remembered that when Okular opened with the manual text, I tried to save it but couldn't as both "Save" and "Save as" were greyed out. I was able to print that manual as "another" pdf, and that's what I was referring to in my reply as being much easier to use.
> 
> Okular is not only a pdf reader, but the properties of that manual document refer to it as being a pdf (v 1.4). Why was it not saveable directly as a pdf, and what went wrong with the qpdfview command if it is a pdf?
> 

okular - &          # Detach the process from the terminal ?
                    # Can still close if parent is lost.
                    # I don't know if there is a way to make "init" inherit the process (the boss parent)

groff -ktman -Tpdf | tee filename.pdf | okular - &    # tee makes a copy of a stream, as well as passing it on
                                                      # Normally I would use tee, only on a text stream.
                                                      # While piping is cool, you can also break it down to separate commands
                                                      # Separate commands allows checking errno or whatever

For filename, the already-evaluated   $(man -w "$1")  could
be stored in a variable, and will require removing the zip extension
from the end and slapping the .pdf on the end. A real scriptor
will have to code this for you.

   Paul (who is not a bash scriptor, nor a .bat scriptor either :-) )

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#45783

FromLawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid>
Date2025-10-30 21:45 +0000
Message-ID<10e0ma6$n2t$8@dont-email.me>
In reply to#45761
On Thu, 30 Oct 2025 14:35:48 +0000, Jeff Layman wrote:

> After running:
> :~$ gunzip -c $(man -w bash) | groff -ktman -Tpdf | okular -
> the terminal remained open, and when I tried to close it was warned
> that there was still a process running in it, and closing the
> terminal would kill it. Why does that script not end cleanly (if
> that's the right term)?

Could it be an instance of okular or something was still running,
leftover from a previous failed attempt?

> Also, at the end, he said:
> (Substitution of alternative PDF viewer is left as an exercise for the
> reader.)
> I tried the $ gunzip... expression he used, but substituting qpdfview
> for okular.
>
> That, however, resulted in qpdfview opening, but with an error message:
> "Warning
> Could not open '-' "

It could be that qpdfview doesn’t accept “-” as a synonym for standard
input. It’s a convention understood by some programs (also usable for
standard output, depending on context) but not others. You could try
more the explicit filename “/dev/stdin”, and see if that works.

> Okular is not only a pdf reader, but the properties of that manual
> document refer to it as being a pdf (v 1.4). Why was it not saveable
> directly as a pdf, and what went wrong with the qpdfview command if it
> is a pdf?

Remember that Okular is primarily a document reader, not a document
creator/editor. I’ve never used its Save-As function; occasionally I
have used Export to extract selected parts of pages from a document.
According to the Okular Handbook
<https://docs.kde.org/stable/en/kdegraphics/okular/okular.pdf>, the
Save functions are only available if the format-specific backend
supports them; plainly the PDF one does not.

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#45790

FromDan Purgert <dan@djph.net>
Date2025-10-30 22:58 +0000
Message-ID<slrn10g7rd4.286.dan@djph.net>
In reply to#45761
On 2025-10-30, Jeff Layman wrote:
> On 30/10/2025 13:13, Dan Purgert wrote:
>> On 2025-10-30, Jeff Layman wrote:
>>> On 30/10/2025 10:28, Dan Purgert wrote:
>>>> On 2025-10-30, Jeff Layman wrote:
>>>>> On 29/10/2025 21:57, Lawrence D’Oliveiro wrote:
>>>>>> gunzip -c $(man -w bash) | groff -ktman -Tpdf | okular -
>>>>>
>>>>> (computer name):~$ gunzip -c $(man -w bash) | groff -ktman -Tpdf | okular -
>>>>>
>>>>> groff: fatal error: cannot load 'DESC' description file for device 'pdf'
>>>>> org.kde.okular.core: No plugin for mimetype '"application/x-zerosize"'.
>>>>
>>>> Chances are you've only got 'groff-base' installed, rather than the full
>>>> 'groff' package.
>>>> [...]
>>>>     3. "apt install groff" to install the full package.
>>>
>>> Successfully installed. There's quite a lot of it, but I've plenty of
>>> disk space.
>> 
>> [...]
>> Alternatively, in Mint, I believe that if you create a $HOME/bin/
>> directory, it will be added to your $PATH on the next login.  But that
>> has the "downside" of not being globally accessible then (mostly a
>> concern if you have multiple users on your PCs -- SO, kids,
>> just-for-banking, whatever).
>
> Thanks for the script. I'm the only user of this laptop, so I'll 
> probably do it via a $HOME/bin/ directory. I've never made an executable 
> file, but I'll have a read up on how to do it.

Save the file, then 'chmod o+x thefile"

  chmod --> change mode (permission) bits
  o+x --> for "o"wner, set the e"x"ecute bit 
  thefile --> just a placeholder for the filename you saved it as

>
> I have a question or perhaps two (they might be related) - which perhaps 
> should be directed to Lawrence, but I'm pretty sure you'll know the 
> answer. After running:
>:~$ gunzip -c $(man -w bash) | groff -ktman -Tpdf | okular -
> the terminal remained open, and when I tried to close it was warned that 
> there was still a process running in it, and closing the terminal would 
> kill it. Why does that script not end cleanly (if that's the right term)?

Because the okular (the last part of that pipeline) was still running.

>
> Also, at the end, he said:
> (Substitution of alternative PDF viewer is left as an exercise for the
> reader.)
> I tried the $ gunzip... expression he used, but substituting qpdfview 
> for okular.
>
> That, however, resulted in qpdfview opening, but with an error message:
> "Warning
> Could not open '-' "

you'll need to read the qpdfview manual to determine what switch (if
any) it needs to be told "read from stdin".  

It may also be the case that you cannot pipe input into qpdfview (I know
evince has this shortcoming).

> I was a bit puzzled, but then remembered that when Okular opened with 
> the manual text, I tried to save it but couldn't as both "Save" and 
> "Save as" were greyed out. I was able to print that manual as "another" 
> pdf, and that's what I was referring to in my reply as being much easier 
> to use.

Artifact of opening it from a pipeline.  

If you want to save the output as a file, this is a little more
straightforward:

  gunzip -c $(man -w WHATEVER) | groff -ktman -Tpdf > WHATEVER.pdf


Instead of sending the groff conversion output of the "WHATEVER" manpage
into okular, the above command stuffs it into the file "WHATEVER.pdf"
(then you can open it with whatever viewer you want).

-- 
|_|O|_|
|_|_|O| Github: https://github.com/dpurgert
|O|O|O| PGP: DDAB 23FB 19FA 7D85 1CC1  E067 6D65 70E5 4CE7 2860

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#45797

FromJeff Layman <Jeff@invalid.invalid>
Date2025-10-31 08:43 +0000
Message-ID<10e1srq$a3h7$1@dont-email.me>
In reply to#45790
On 30/10/2025 22:58, Dan Purgert wrote:
> On 2025-10-30, Jeff Layman wrote:
>> On 30/10/2025 13:13, Dan Purgert wrote:
>>> On 2025-10-30, Jeff Layman wrote:
>>>> On 30/10/2025 10:28, Dan Purgert wrote:
>>>>> On 2025-10-30, Jeff Layman wrote:
>>>>>> On 29/10/2025 21:57, Lawrence D’Oliveiro wrote:
>>>>>>> gunzip -c $(man -w bash) | groff -ktman -Tpdf | okular -
>>>>>>
>>>>>> (computer name):~$ gunzip -c $(man -w bash) | groff -ktman -Tpdf | okular -
>>>>>>
>>>>>> groff: fatal error: cannot load 'DESC' description file for device 'pdf'
>>>>>> org.kde.okular.core: No plugin for mimetype '"application/x-zerosize"'.
>>>>>
>>>>> Chances are you've only got 'groff-base' installed, rather than the full
>>>>> 'groff' package.
>>>>> [...]
>>>>>      3. "apt install groff" to install the full package.
>>>>
>>>> Successfully installed. There's quite a lot of it, but I've plenty of
>>>> disk space.
>>>
>>> [...]
>>> Alternatively, in Mint, I believe that if you create a $HOME/bin/
>>> directory, it will be added to your $PATH on the next login.  But that
>>> has the "downside" of not being globally accessible then (mostly a
>>> concern if you have multiple users on your PCs -- SO, kids,
>>> just-for-banking, whatever).
>>
>> Thanks for the script. I'm the only user of this laptop, so I'll
>> probably do it via a $HOME/bin/ directory. I've never made an executable
>> file, but I'll have a read up on how to do it.
> 
> Save the file, then 'chmod o+x thefile"
> 
>    chmod --> change mode (permission) bits
>    o+x --> for "o"wner, set the e"x"ecute bit
>    thefile --> just a placeholder for the filename you saved it as
> 
>>
>> I have a question or perhaps two (they might be related) - which perhaps
>> should be directed to Lawrence, but I'm pretty sure you'll know the
>> answer. After running:
>> :~$ gunzip -c $(man -w bash) | groff -ktman -Tpdf | okular -
>> the terminal remained open, and when I tried to close it was warned that
>> there was still a process running in it, and closing the terminal would
>> kill it. Why does that script not end cleanly (if that's the right term)?
> 
> Because the okular (the last part of that pipeline) was still running.
> 
>>
>> Also, at the end, he said:
>> (Substitution of alternative PDF viewer is left as an exercise for the
>> reader.)
>> I tried the $ gunzip... expression he used, but substituting qpdfview
>> for okular.
>>
>> That, however, resulted in qpdfview opening, but with an error message:
>> "Warning
>> Could not open '-' "
> 
> you'll need to read the qpdfview manual to determine what switch (if
> any) it needs to be told "read from stdin".
> 
> It may also be the case that you cannot pipe input into qpdfview (I know
> evince has this shortcoming).
> 
>> I was a bit puzzled, but then remembered that when Okular opened with
>> the manual text, I tried to save it but couldn't as both "Save" and
>> "Save as" were greyed out. I was able to print that manual as "another"
>> pdf, and that's what I was referring to in my reply as being much easier
>> to use.
> 
> Artifact of opening it from a pipeline.
> 
> If you want to save the output as a file, this is a little more
> straightforward:
> 
>    gunzip -c $(man -w WHATEVER) | groff -ktman -Tpdf > WHATEVER.pdf
> 
> 
> Instead of sending the groff conversion output of the "WHATEVER" manpage
> into okular, the above command stuffs it into the file "WHATEVER.pdf"
> (then you can open it with whatever viewer you want).

That's all clear, thanks, and saved for reference.

-- 
Jeff

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#45782

FromLawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid>
Date2025-10-30 21:33 +0000
Message-ID<10e0liu$n2t$7@dont-email.me>
In reply to#45757
On Thu, 30 Oct 2025 11:01:53 +0000, Jeff Layman wrote:

> It worked perfectly and that pdf is *much* easier to read than a
> screenful of "manual" instructions in the Terminal. I've saved it
> for future reference.

Great. ;)

I suppose I should clarify (and break down) those cryptic-looking
groff(1) options at the start:

    -man -- include the macros needed for laying out man pages
    -k   -- run preconv(1) to convert any input encoding (i.e. UTF-8)
    -t   -- invoke tbl(1), in case man page has any tables in it

I have found the latter two useful for my own man pages, which is why
I included them. ;)

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#45781

FromLawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid>
Date2025-10-30 21:27 +0000
Message-ID<10e0l8r$n2t$6@dont-email.me>
In reply to#45752
On Thu, 30 Oct 2025 08:45:33 +0000, Jeff Layman wrote:

> groff: fatal error: cannot load 'DESC' description file for device 'pdf'

PDF is listed as one of the standard output devices for groff,
according to <https://manpages.debian.org/groff(1)#Output_devices>.
Are you running a non-Debian-derivative, where this is pushed to
a separate package?

This <https://manpages.debian.org/gropdf(1)> is the actual PDF output
driver for groff. On Debian it’s part of the “groff” package, not
“groff-base”.

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#45755

FromMikeS <MikeS@fred.com>
Date2025-10-30 10:16 +0000
Message-ID<10dvdtu$3jafb$1@dont-email.me>
In reply to#45740
On 29/10/2025 21:57, Lawrence D’Oliveiro wrote:
> 
> View nicely-typeset PDF version:
> 
>      gunzip -c $(man -w bash) | groff -ktman -Tpdf | okular -
> 
I thought you were advocating Linux as a nice, easy-to-use alternative 
to nasty, user-unfriendly Windows ????????????????

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#45768

FromPaul <nospam@needed.invalid>
Date2025-10-30 14:04 -0400
Message-ID<10e09bv$3sc1f$1@dont-email.me>
In reply to#45755
On Thu, 10/30/2025 6:16 AM, MikeS wrote:
> On 29/10/2025 21:57, Lawrence D’Oliveiro wrote:
>>
>> View nicely-typeset PDF version:
>>
>>      gunzip -c $(man -w bash) | groff -ktman -Tpdf | okular -
>>
> I thought you were advocating Linux as a nice, easy-to-use alternative to nasty, user-unfriendly Windows ????????????????

Open a second terminal, do man bash, it uses "less",
you can use your pageup and pagedown keys. No need for a PDF.
You keep the second terminal with the man page, at your elbow,
as you craft a command based on the content of the man page.

The PDF has the benefit of search, the search under "less" would be
potentially less friendly (if available at all). There is an advantage
to having a PDF, but we should not be reduced to making them manually
and on demand. If you're going to do one PDF, you should do the
whole blasted tree and get it over with.

The reason the manual information in a package is "not expanded"
into a plethora of formats, is space considerations. Nothing
prevents a distro from "expanding" every thing under
the sun in there (as packages are added via Synaptic).
But, they don't typically do that.

Some OSes, keep all their utility descriptions in a tool
that serves all of them and has a GUI. Again, taking
a little more space for the tool, the fonts associated
with good presentation, and so on. The one I was thinking of,
isn't in the list, and is from another point in time.

   https://itsfoss.com/man-pages-like-tools/

If you add a gazillion files to Linux... slash ends up
having a file count like Windows. And some of the brute
force searches on Linux are slow enough as it is.

Linux has "locate" (mlocate pkg?) and "sudo updatedb" to keep up-to-date
file location capabilities.

The limits of not-nice, are like the Kaspersky provided
Gentoo on their rescue CD. All documentation is removed,
and man xxx will find no man executable even. That's how they
could deliver a distro -- but "some sense of taste" keeps the
man tree around for the user.

A similar thing would be a "games" tree. A distro does not
have to provide one, and the "games" there would be for
historical reasons rather than entertainment value. In places
of business, when they distribute a master image of something,
the "games" are stripped off.

   Paul

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#45780

FromLawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid>
Date2025-10-30 21:20 +0000
Message-ID<10e0kr1$n6u$1@dont-email.me>
In reply to#45768
On Thu, 30 Oct 2025 14:04:44 -0400, Paul wrote:

> Open a second terminal, do man bash, it uses "less",
> you can use your pageup and pagedown keys. No need for a PDF.

No proportional fonts, though. And no difference in rendering of “-” 
versus “\-”. (Yes, we distinguish them in troff/groff for a reason.)

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#45779

FromLawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid>
Date2025-10-30 21:19 +0000
Message-ID<10e0kop$n2t$5@dont-email.me>
In reply to#45755
On Thu, 30 Oct 2025 10:16:29 +0000, MikeS wrote:

> On 29/10/2025 21:57, Lawrence D’Oliveiro wrote:
>> 
>> View nicely-typeset PDF version:
>> 
>>      gunzip -c $(man -w bash) | groff -ktman -Tpdf | okular -
>> 
> I thought you were advocating Linux as a nice, easy-to-use alternative
> to nasty, user-unfriendly Windows ????????????????

Feel free to show us how much easier it is to generate and view a PDF 
version of a man page on Dimdows ...

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#45788

FromPaul <nospam@needed.invalid>
Date2025-10-30 18:34 -0400
Message-ID<10e0p5e$2502$1@dont-email.me>
In reply to#45779
On Thu, 10/30/2025 5:19 PM, Lawrence D’Oliveiro wrote:
> On Thu, 30 Oct 2025 10:16:29 +0000, MikeS wrote:
> 
>> On 29/10/2025 21:57, Lawrence D’Oliveiro wrote:
>>>
>>> View nicely-typeset PDF version:
>>>
>>>      gunzip -c $(man -w bash) | groff -ktman -Tpdf | okular -
>>>
>> I thought you were advocating Linux as a nice, easy-to-use alternative
>> to nasty, user-unfriendly Windows ????????????????
> 
> Feel free to show us how much easier it is to generate and view a PDF 
> version of a man page on Dimdows ...
> 

dir /?   # In Command Prompt shell
dir -?   # In Powershell

If you run Robocopy and dump the help, that is more
than a page long, of options.

Windows users aren't supposed to need Terminal, just
like Linux and MacOS would claim the same thing. Not having
manual pages, shouldn't be an issue... if you don't
drop to Terminal like the "ideal user" Microsoft dreams of :-)

You're supposed to "Rent Office and be happy".

*******

As for generating a PDF on Windows, there is the Microsoft "Print To PDF"
driver. And MSEdge can view a PDF, and it is quite capable. On a document
that caused Adobe Acrobat to choke and die, MSEdge ate the damn thing.
26000 pages long, as a test. It took eight minutes to do a
textual search from end to end, and by the time I got to the
end, Windows started to execute a "garbage collection routine"
to recover some RAM. Pretty impressive really, as normally
you expect Adobe to piss all over Microsoft when it comes
to capability.

   Paul

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#45791

FromLawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid>
Date2025-10-30 23:09 +0000
Message-ID<10e0r7t$2lao$1@dont-email.me>
In reply to#45740
On Wed, 29 Oct 2025 21:57:21 -0000 (UTC), I wrote:

> View nicely-typeset PDF version:
> 
>     gunzip -c $(man -w bash) | groff -ktman -Tpdf | okular -

I should point out that that command sequence is a bit simpleminded in one 
respect: it assumes the man page source will always be gzip-compressed. If 
the “man -w «topic»” returns the name of a non-compressed text file, then 
the gunzip command will fail.

The alternative command that should be used in this situation is more like

    groff $(man -w «topic») -ktman -Tpdf | okular -

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#45732

Fromvallor <vallor@vallor.earth>
Date2025-10-29 20:28 +0000
Message-ID<10dttdj$354ct$1@dont-email.me>
In reply to#45701
At Wed, 29 Oct 2025 17:33:22 +1100, Felix <none@not.here> wrote:

> Mike Easter wrote:
> > Hank Rogers wrote:
> >> It's pretty easy to help new linux users. I just point them to the 
> >> man pages and say RTFM.  They get the message instantly.
> >
> > Perhaps you are being sarcastic. Or perhaps you are pretending to be 
> > one of those unhelpful linux helpers MikeS mentioned.  I see Win 
> > tracks in your header.
> >
> > In any case, while man pages are useful, the only person such flippant 
> > advice is useful is to someone who doesn't know that there are man pages.
> >
> > Most people seeking linux help need information provided in a more 
> > useful way than just what can be found in man pages, which are often 
> > found to be informative but suboptimal for an individual and specific 
> > question.
> >
> 
> where is the LM manual located?

Three important commands to learn:

$ man <command> # gives you the documentation of <command>

$ whatis <command> # gives you the short description of <command>

And most importantly, perhaps:

$ apropos <topic> # shows you commands that contain <topic> in the description

So if you want to find everything that mentions "directory":

$ apropos directory

You might want to use grep to limit the output:

$ apropos directory | grep '(1)'

Finally, we started a little "help file" back in the 90's when Linux
was young, which I've just put up here for posterity:

https://vallor.earth/unix.html

-- 
-v System76 Thelio Mega v1.1 x86_64 NVIDIA RTX 3090Ti 24G
   OS: Linux 6.17.5 D: Mint 22.2 DE: Xfce 4.18 
   NVIDIA: 580.95.05 Mem: 258G
   "If you have to ask what jazz is, you'll never know."

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#45765

From"s|b" <me@privacy.invalid>
Date2025-10-30 17:01 +0100
Message-ID<mmhgfeFii8qU2@mid.individual.net>
In reply to#45698
On Tue, 28 Oct 2025 20:03:13 -0500, Hank Rogers wrote:

> It's pretty easy to help new linux users.  I just point them to the man 
> pages and say RTFM.  They get the message instantly.

/s (?)

-- 
s|b

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#45769

FromPaul <nospam@needed.invalid>
Date2025-10-30 14:19 -0400
Message-ID<10e0a74$3tfqq$1@dont-email.me>
In reply to#45765
On Thu, 10/30/2025 12:01 PM, s|b wrote:
> On Tue, 28 Oct 2025 20:03:13 -0500, Hank Rogers wrote:
> 
>> It's pretty easy to help new linux users.  I just point them to the man 
>> pages and say RTFM.  They get the message instantly.
> 
> /s (?)
> 

There is a gentle message there, somewhere.

I got that treatment when I entered a UNIX shop.
I asked the guru there, two questions the first morning.
I'm not really a pest, like it wasn't the spanish inquisition,
and he laid down the rules pretty quickly. He said

   "buy a book, come back and see me if the book does not have the answer"

and he could name one I should have as he keeps one at his desk,
and this was sage advice. You read the available documentation
to some extent, so that the "easy" questions are handled without
wasting guru time. And rather than feeling shunned, the
recommendation was not done in a nasty style, and no insult
taken. It was good advice. But finding an entire book on Bourne
Shell back in the day, one item was out of print, and I had to
settle for a book which devoted one chapter to Bourne shell.
The successor to Bourne, is Bash which stands for Bourne Again Shell.

And that means going to the book store and seeing if an
entire book has been written on Bash shell instead.

Some things in Bash, are built-in capabilities, while
others require "helper executables" for their usage.
This can be confusing, if the man tree doesn't seem
to have the desired info.

You need somewhat of a primer, on dot files, like
configuration files squirreled away in your home
directory. And what some of them do. And under
what circumstances they are evaluated while you work.
Environment variable can be inherited, from one
forked process to another, but some things you do,
start with a fresh execution of a dot file
(like a .profile perhaps).

Just to list and see dot files, needs some help

   ls      # I don't want to see my stinking dot files

   ls -a   # Now, I want to see those files, as they contain secrets

Even directories can have dots, to hide them.

   ~/.config      # Example, absolute path would be /home/paul/.config

   cd /home/paul  # Which is the same as cd ~
   ls -a          # Maybe .config is there

   ls -a | grep -i config   # Reduce it to the one line of output
                            # For very large, garbage filled directories, do it like that

  Paul

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