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title: Support
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---

  If you need help using Octave, you have many options, from reading
  the Octave manual, asking for help on the mailing lists, chatting
  online with other Octave users, or paying for commercial support.

  <h1>Support Expectations</h1>
  <p>
    The Octave community is a loosely organized association of
    volunteers.  Your interactions with the community will be better
    if you have the <a href="support-expectations.html">right
    expectations about the support options</a> available to you.
  </p>

  <h1>Commercial Support</h1>
  <p>
    Community support can be great, and with the Octave community it
    often is, but sometimes you need to know that your question will
    be answered.  We maintain a <a href="commercial-support.html">list
    of people and organizations who offer commercial support
    contracts</a> for Octave.  This list is available as a service to
    the community and the support providers.  The Octave project does
    not provide endorsements or recommendations.
  </p>

  <h1>User Community</h1>
  <p>
    There is an active user community centered around Octave.
    <a href="support-expectations">Please understand</a>
    that the people answering your question on the mailing list or IRC
    channel, or helping to fix the bug you reported are doing so as
    volunteers.
  </p>

  <h2>Documentation</h2>

  <h3>Reference Manual</h3>
  <p>
    Octave is fully documented by a comprehensive
    800 page manual.
  </p>
  <p>
    The on-line <a href="doc/interpreter/index.html">HTML</a>
    and <a href="octave.pdf">PDF</a> versions of the manual are
    generated directly from the Texinfo source files that are
    distributed along with every copy of the Octave source code.  The
    complete text of the manual is also available at the Octave prompt
    using the <samp>doc</samp> command.
  </p>

  <p>
    A printed version of the Octave manual may be ordered from
    <a href="http://www.network-theory.co.uk/octave/manual">Network Theory,
    Ltd.</a>.  Any money raised from the sale of this book will
    support the development of free software.  For each copy sold $1
    will be donated to the GNU Octave Development Fund.
  </p>

  <h3>Frequently Asked Questions</h3>
  <p>
    If you are new to Octave, you may have some
    <a href="http://www.octave.org/wiki/FAQ">questions
    that have been asked (and answered) a few times before.</a>
  </p>

  <h3>Wiki</h3>
  <p>
    The <a href="http://wiki.octave.org">Octave Wiki</a> is a great
    place to look for information about things that are not covered in
    the manual, or other transient topics (Google Summer of Code,
    Octave Conferences, etc.).
  </p>

  <h2>Contacting Other Users for Help</h2>

  <h3>Mailing List</h3>

  <p>
    If your question isn't answered in the FAQ, the manual, or the Wiki,
    the <a href="mailto:help@octave.org">help@octave.org</a> mailing
    list is a good resource.
  </p>

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  <h3>Chat</h3>
  <p>
    Too impatient for email? You can find Octave developers and users
    on
    the <a href="http://webchat.freenode.net/?channels=octave&amp;uio=MT1mYWxzZSYyPXRydWUmMTI9dHJ1ZQda"><code>#octave</code>
    channel</a>
    at <a href="http://freenode.net"><code>irc.freenode.net</code></a>. The
    atmosphere is relaxed and chat isn't restricted to matters
    strictly pertaining to Octave.
  </p>

  <h2>Reporting Bugs</h2>
  <p>
    If you think you've found a bug, you are encouraged to
    <a href="bugs.html">report it</a>.
  </p>