From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 From: Alex Sassmannshausen Subject: [PATCH] Doc: Introduction: rewrite for style and clarity. Date: Thu, 23 Jan 2014 09:15:50 +0100 Message-ID: <1390464950-5967-2-git-send-email-alex.sassmannshausen@gmail.com> References: <1390464950-5967-1-git-send-email-alex.sassmannshausen@gmail.com> Return-path: Received: from eggs.gnu.org ([2001:4830:134:3::10]:43726) by lists.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.71) (envelope-from ) id 1W6FT0-0007DV-4h for guix-devel@gnu.org; Thu, 23 Jan 2014 03:16:58 -0500 Received: from Debian-exim by eggs.gnu.org with spam-scanned (Exim 4.71) (envelope-from ) id 1W6FSo-0004yi-BF for guix-devel@gnu.org; Thu, 23 Jan 2014 03:16:50 -0500 Received: from mail-ee0-x22a.google.com ([2a00:1450:4013:c00::22a]:55626) by eggs.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.71) (envelope-from ) id 1W6FSo-0004yZ-0X for guix-devel@gnu.org; Thu, 23 Jan 2014 03:16:38 -0500 Received: by mail-ee0-f42.google.com with SMTP id e49so234437eek.15 for ; Thu, 23 Jan 2014 00:16:37 -0800 (PST) In-Reply-To: <1390464950-5967-1-git-send-email-alex.sassmannshausen@gmail.com> List-Id: "Development of GNU Guix and the GNU System distribution." List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , Errors-To: guix-devel-bounces+gcggd-guix-devel=m.gmane.org@gnu.org Sender: guix-devel-bounces+gcggd-guix-devel=m.gmane.org@gnu.org To: guix-devel@gnu.org * dmd.texi (Introduction): Rewrite for style and clarity. --- dmd.texi | 52 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++------------------------ 1 file changed, 28 insertions(+), 24 deletions(-) diff --git a/dmd.texi b/dmd.texi index 841ce7c..4e06e93 100644 --- a/dmd.texi +++ b/dmd.texi @@ -78,24 +78,28 @@ the GNU system. @cindex service manager This manual documents the @dfn{dmd} service manager. It is used to -start and stop system services (typically daemons). It ensures that -this will work---by automatically starting services that are needed for -another service to run and avoiding that conflicting services are -started at the same time. It does so in a very flexible way. dmd is -the @dfn{init system} on the GNU system---the first user process that is -started when the system boots, typically with PID 1, running as -@code{root}, and taking care of system-wide services. It is also a -useful tool that assists unprivileged users in the management of their -own daemons. - -As with all flexible software, it takes some work to learn how to use -it. To make it as easy as possible for you, this manual contains a -chapter that enables you to start using dmd without reading about all -the details first @ref{Jump Start}. The second chapter @ref{deco and -dmd} describes the programs in detail. The other chapters provide a -reference with examples, where all possibilities that dmd provides are -explained. An exception is the last chapter, which contains -information for those brave enough to modify dmd itself. +start and stop system services (typically daemons) in a reliable +fashion---by automatically starting prerequisites (``required +services'') and by preventing conflicting services from being started. +dmd is designed to be flexible when choosing what services to start +and stop. + +dmd is the @dfn{init system} of the GNU operating system---it is the +first user process that gets started, typically with PID 1, and runs +as @code{root}. Normally the purpose of init systems is to manage all +system-wide services, but dmd can also be a useful tool assisting +unprivileged users in the management of their own daemons. + +Unfortunately all flexible software requires some time to master and +dmd is no different. But don't worry: this manual should allow you to +get started quickly. Its first chapter is designed as a practical +introduction to dmd and should be all you need for everyday use +(@ref{Jump Start}). In chapter two (@ref{deco and dmd}) we will +describe the deco and dmd programs, and their relationship, in more +detail. The chapters following chapter 2 provide a full reference +manual and plenty of examples, covering all of dmd's capabilities. +Finally, the last chapter provides information for those souls brave +enough to hack dmd itself. The name dmd stands for @dfn{Daemon Managing Daemons} (or @dfn{Daemons-Managing Daemon}?). @@ -105,12 +109,12 @@ The name dmd stands for @dfn{Daemon Managing Daemons} (or @cindex GOOPS This program is written in @dfn{Guile}, an implementation of the Scheme programming language, using the @dfn{GOOPS} extension for -object-orientation, therefore Guile is also used as the language for -the configuration (@pxref{Top,,, guile, GNU Guile Reference Manual}). -When you want to make use of advanced features of -dmd, you should know how to work with Guile and GOOPS, but it has been -tried to make using basic features of dmd possible without knowing how -to program in Scheme at all. +object-orientation. Guile is also dmd's configuration language +(@pxref{Top,,, guile, GNU Guile Reference Manual}). We have tried to +make dmd's basic features as accessible as possible---you should be +able to use these even if you do not know how to program in Scheme. A +basic grasp of Guile and GOOPS is required only if you wish to make +use of dmd's more advanced features. @c @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ -- 1.7.9.5