Date: 19 Sep 2002 18:50:28 +0200 From: Daniel Tourde <daniel.tourde@bredband.net> To: freebsd-doc@freebsd.org, blackend@freebsd.org Subject: We, poor Eurpoeans.... Message-ID: <1032454228.392.2.camel@maerlyn.bredbandsbolaget.se>
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Hello,
I am a newbye with FreeBSD. I have used RedHat Linux for several years
now but I gave a try to FreeBSD lately and, so far, I am EXTREMELY happy
and impressed by it.
I have however a simple problem that leads to these very simple remarks:
I am a European, this means that, by this side of the atlantic ocean,
the paper format is named A4 and is 29.4 cm long and 21 cm large (1 inch
= 2.54 cm).
I would like to print the FreeBSD handbook (to begin with) and to read
it comfortably at home. I looked on the FTP site and I found 4 main
formats for the handbook:
pdb
rtf
ps
pdf
I cannot open either the .pdb or the .rtf files with AbiWord. Word opens
the .rtf file but somehow, all the figures have disappeared and to be
honest, I don't really like Microsoft Word...
The .ps and .pdf files are in the American letter format, not in A4 and
here, in Europe, we do not have letter format paper....
Here is my question:
Wouldn't it be possible to have generated automatically (that is to say
ready for download and print, for newbye like me...) the books in A4
format?
The available manuals are single-sided. At work I have access to a
printer that can print in double side (with a more than 500 pages
manual, this is a BIG advantage...), isn't it possible to also have
manuals in single AND double-sided format? By double-side manual I am
referring to manual with an extra-margin for the cover (different for
odd and even pages and pages number on the left then on the right...)
If this is not possible because of the size of the files on the FTP
server, could you please leave a README files explaining how to
regenerate the .ps and .pdf from the handbook source file and with the
different possible options. As I said, I am a newbye and certainly not
familiar with the secrets of DocBook...
To sum up:
Now there are available manuals in letter single-sided format (pdf, ps)
Isn't it possible to put on the FTP site as well:
letter double-sided
A4 single-sided
A4 double-sided (.pdf and .ps).
I think this is just a matter of modifying slightly some scripts. I
simply don't know yet where they are and how to modify them, otherwise I
would have done it myself.
If this becomes too many files, just a README file on the FTP website,
summing up how to generate the .ps and .pdf according to the needs and
wishes of anyone.
I propose (but this is just a suggestion) that a margin of .75 inch for
the A4 format to be used where 1 inch is used in letter format and 1
inch where 1.25 inches is used in letter format. In double-side format,
an extra margin (for the cover, odd, even, odd...) of 0.25 inch could be
used.
I have also an other question. I have installed FreeBSD at home and
looked under /usr/share/doc/. There I found the books but so far, the
only format I can read is the .txt format. Is there a package to install
to get the manual sources and/or the .ps and .pdf manual as well?
Thanks in advance for any answer.
Best regards
Daniel
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