Good Tutorial??

When i was totally new at reverse engineering (some three months ago), i depended mostly on tutorials to learn basic things every cracker should know. Now being a little independent, i want to write tutorials to share NEW things i am learning while studying protections...

According to you guys, what are the features of a good tutorial for newbies- should it have plenty of pictures and explanations or just brief? and where can i post them to make them readily available to everyone?

I just wrote something on ASprotect 1.31 IAT Fixing and to tell u frankly i myself can't follow what i wrote LOL !!!


ThanxX
deviljin

I think a good tutorial for newbies include the following:

1) Be clear in your explanation:

• What is the target?
• Which tools are used?
• How to find the addresses needed to crack
• How to bypass these addresses, maybe in different ways

2) Pictures are good but it's not necessary to use them, just write down the code that is needed.

Originally Posted by deviljin

myself can't follow what i wrote

3) If this is true, rewrite your tut so you can follow your self.
How can a beginner follow your tut if you (a little independent cracker) can't follow?

4) If a part of your tut is so basic that you think anyone knows this:
Explain it because you're writing a tutorial for absolute beginners

Maybe i forgot something
Just my (a cracking newbe) opinion

Greetz,
Dutchdre

[JMI]

ALWAYS re-read your tutorial like you had NEVER seen it before or knew anything about the program you are reversing and as if you know little about reversing in general. I don't mean you have to explain EVERYTHING, but you need to make sure that, in general, what you say is clear enough to be followed by many with lesser skills and many reading a 'foreign" language.

Then see if you can actually follow the tut, not knowing what YOU actually already know about the program and the tools. May writers forget that they are reading the tut with information that is ONLY inside their heads and might not really be clear to those who read the tut without that knowledge.

Regards,

I would say, you should write easy to look at and clear. Best is, to show screenshots for tricky sections and loosen up the chapters. If you want to write good instructions, you have to think about the best you have ever read and the best you think is possible to write. If you know html, there is a nice way to do it, too.

To add to Dutchdre's list,

perhaps list the prerequisite knowledge needed to follow your tutorial,
i.e. maybe some hints as to what they should study up on before tackling
your tutorial.

I think what might benefit newbies would be if the author of the tutorials
talked about the process they went through to determine how to crack
the target, even briefly mentioning deadends that they encountered in their quest.
Well maybe alot of people wouldn't like this approach, but I think
it would be good for newbies to now and then see another reversers tactics somewhat in "action".

I've read some tut's where pictures helped, but in alot of cases
I don't think there necessary.

All the above are very helpful, I would add.

1. If you assume that your audience knows nothing about cracking and the tools required, you will force yourself to write clear instructions.

2. Spell out clearly in your mind and then on paper the steps, don't exclude whats in your head, the person reading the tutorial can't assume anything.

3. If possible, add little notes to make it clear what your are talking about.
I have read tutorials before that assumes something a few paragraphs up, very difficult to follow when you dont know what the writer is intending you to look at.

Hope this is helpful, I applaude you on taking the initiative to write a tutorial and help out. Maybe before you post you can pm to somebody for review?

Thanks,
Dr Pete

Originally Posted by DrPete

2. Spell out clearly in your mind and then on paper the steps, don't exclude whats in your head, the person reading the tutorial can't assume anything.

That's a good one... I think that instead of screenshots, just have the output that you get, with notes and such. You should have almost everything that you do in your tutorial... don't skip anything because it seems simple. for example, you should put "press next" or "you should get..."