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What this Book Contains
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   The first part of this chapter introduces you to various terms that
will recur throughout the book.  It also tells you who has worked on GNU
`tar' and its documentation, and where you should send bug reports or
comments.

   The second chapter is a tutorial (Note: Tutorial) which provides a
gentle introduction for people who are new to using `tar'.  It is meant
to be self contained, not requiring any reading from subsequent
chapters to make sense.  It moves from topic to topic in a logical,
progressive order, building on information already explained.

   Although the tutorial is paced and structured to allow beginners to
learn how to use `tar', it is not intended solely for beginners.  The
tutorial explains how to use the three most frequently used operations
(`create', `list', and `extract') as well as two frequently used
options (`file' and `verbose').  The other chapters do not refer to the
tutorial frequently; however, if a section discusses something which is
a complex variant of a basic concept, there may be a cross reference to
that basic concept.  (The entire book, including the tutorial, assumes
that the reader understands some basic concepts of using a Unix-type
operating system; Note: Tutorial.)

   The third chapter presents the remaining five operations, and
information about using `tar' options and option syntax.

   The other chapters are meant to be used as a reference.  Each
chapter presents everything that needs to be said about a specific
topic.

   One of the chapters (Note: Date input formats) exists in its
entirety in other GNU manuals, and is mostly self-contained.  In
addition, one section of this manual (Note: Standard) contains a big
quote which is taken directly from `tar' sources.

   In general, we give both the long and short (abbreviated) option
names at least once in each section where the relevant option is
covered, so that novice readers will become familiar with both styles.
(A few options have no short versions, and the relevant sections will
indicate this.)