New User's Manual

[Thierry Laronde]

Hello,

I had a look to the new version of the user's manual. I do prefer the
way it is organized in this brand new version than the way it was in the
previous one.

As I'm writing a GRUB Howto for french users, I have tried to remember
what have been the difficulties for me the first time I met the GRUB.
Here are some reflexions :

1) I have to say that I do not like `grub-install' : it's difficult to
make something really portable, and I always find the use of
grub-install less straightforward than the use of the grub shell.
Secondly, by running the grub shell, the user _must_ have a taste of what is
the grub and has to learn a few basic commands : it's "educational", and
he can always read the info file at the very same moment ;

2) As with the GRUB you don't need another "kernel" if there is one on
your hard disk to boot, a floppy with the GRUB is a recovery floppy.
So the first step I do recommend is to install the GRUB on a floppy.
When one can boot from the floppy (via command line or menu), he can
attempt to override the MBR : the floppy is still here for recovery, and
he has enough knowledge not to complain, and to be able to boot.

2') In the HOWTO, I will give a menu.lst as an example with the 
translation of the keyboard into an azerty french, and some small files 
summarizing the fast boot sequence (root, kernel, boot), in order for 
the user to have, with the first floppy created, the remainder of the
procedure, accessed via the menu (to implement a `more' builtin is on my
TODO list ;). title Help on fast boot sequence, or something like that
will be sufficient.

3) I suggest in the info file to put the explanations about the
`menu.lst', and the explanation that if the menu exists in the standard
directory, it will be used if one uses the `setup' command, _before_ the
explanations about the installation of the GRUB. This will prevent some
misunderstanding for users thinking that the machine will boot automagically
without writing somewhere some commands.

Regards,
-- 
Thierry LARONDE <address@hidden>
10, rue du Bel Air, 74000 ANNECY - FRANCE/ Tel : 33.(0)4.50.67.46.61
/home du SDF (Site Debian Francophone) : http://www.polynum.com/sdf/