I suggest that we develop at least some outlines for each class. That would be sufficient to get the ball rolling.
At 05:56 AM 2/1/2003 -0800, you wrote: >Sue: > >If I weren't already married... > >No, seriously, this is the type of input we were >looking for! > >I would like to say that the classes are being >well-planned and tweaked... I would like to, but I >can't without lying. > >The first few are going to be reactionary. Yeah, >that's a cool word. Reactionary. We were planning on >starting with the focus of "What do you guys want to >do?" and reacting to that. > >We would love it if everyone came in and wanted to be >ubergeek-overlords but since that would probably >frighten us away, productivity, and mini-howto's sound >much friendlier. > >John, help me out here. What is a good way to say "I >hope when I grow up to be that organized?" > >Doug Riddle > >--- Sue Smith <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > At that meeting, I said I would send to the list > > some thoughts I had on > > topics to cover, especially on finding Windows > > equivalents. All week at > > work I've been jotting down ideas, I typed them up > > this evening, then found > > that I'm probably taking the cake for extreme > > wordiness. Okay, it won't be > > the first prize I've gotten for that, so here goes > > my 5 1/2 cents' worth: > > > > Suggestions for a curriculum for new Linux users: > > > > Start with simple easy things. Show them early on > > that they can get into > > Linux and be productive without having to be a > > supergeek systems admin or > > programmer and without having to totally abandon > > Windows. (They may arrive > > at any or all of those later on their own.) > > > > Hold off on teaching how to install and tweak the OS > > until an intermediate > > level or on a separate track for intermediate to > > advanced users. Windows > > users nearly always buy a new computer with the OS > > and a lot of apps > > already installed. Let's get them productive as fast > > as possible, then > > start installing things. > > > > I found two articles on the Internet in the past few > > days that give some > > ideas for our classes and helping new users: > > > > "How do I do (insert task here) in Linux?"at > > http://users.netwit.net.au/~pursang/dtil/ . This one > > has a new users guide > > that is pretty well written. > > > > Experiences in helping a new Linux user, at > > >http://www.desktoplinux.com/articles/AT8221013471.html > > . This is rather > > wordy, but illustrates how someone who knows and > > cares zip about any OS can > > work happily in Linux with a little help from a > > mentor. > > > > I found these at http://www.linuxdailynews.com/ . > > This and similar news > > sites would be good to point out to students at all > > levels as a way of > > keeping informed. > > > > It might be good to arrange the classes either (1) > > as one long track, from > > beginner to advanced over the whole period that is > > planned, or (2) as two > > tracks, one beginner to intermediate with an > > emphasis on typical consumer > > apps, and the other as intermediate to advanced with > > an emphasis on working > > more with the OS, networking, etc. The intent in > > either case is to give > > both beginners and advanced students their own > > classes without boring the > > other. > > > > A topic that I think needs to be covered well, > > possibly to some extent in > > many different sessions, is "what's in it for > > Windows users" hopefully > > without aggravating Windows lovers too much. > > Security, stability, > > reliability, use as an Internet gateway, server for > > all the computers in > > the house, free and low-cost software, and other > > topics like this can be > > mentioned often. > > > > Early sessions for the newest users might be > > something like this, assuming > > that the OS and applications are loaded, and > > peripherals are attached and > > working: > > 1. Survival 101: How to turn it on, log in as a > > user, find most commonly > > used apps, open and close them, and end a session > > (what to do inside the > > app probably needs its own class). The need to work > > as a user rather than > > at root. How to power down safely. When to power > > down and when to let it run. > > 2. Survival 102: What's all the rest of this stuff > > on the screen? How to > > use four (or more! Wow!) screens? How to set up > > those screens for different > > uses. How to find and use the Help or User Guides. > > Open a terminal, and > > what the dickens is a terminal for? (add ...) > > 3.Productivity 101: How to use email, Internet, a > > word processor, a > > spreadsheet program, and a game or two. How to print > > documents and make > > backups. > > 4. Productivity 102: How to use software for loading > > digital images from > > camera or email, scanning and editing photos, > > sending photos through email. > > How to play music on the computer while working. > > Other office apps, > > depending on the interest shown and level of > > expertise. > > 5.New stuff 101: Installing new or revised software. > > Installing or > > connecting new hardware, like printers. Downloading > > software and installing it. > > 6.Productivity 201: More advanced graphics apps, > > like Gimp, or ...? Burning > > to CD music, photos, data backup, ... Using > > software for financial > > management, databases, genealogy, music editing, ... > > > > That's a start. Y'all help me out with specifics. > > I'm trying to picture a > > typical user, who does a fairly limited number of > > things, but whatever he > > does, he wants his computer and programs to work > > well without the old BSOD. > > > > At all levels, mention the Linux equivalent to > > Windows apps, or at least a > > way to accomplish the same thing in Linux that a > > specialized Windows app does. > > > > At the intermediate to advanced level, include: > > 1.ways to use Windows apps in Linux , like Wine > > 2.dual booting > > 3.understanding the OS, what a beginner can do > > safely at root > > 4.managing files and directories as a user and at > > root > > 5.syncing with a laptop and a pda > > 6.using a Linux-based pda > > 7.downloading GPS data > > 8.... Y'all help me here... I'm running out of > > ideas. > > > > Okay, last in a long message, my personal list of > > specific Windows apps > > that I would like to see in a Linux equivalent: > > > > WordPerfect Office, the whole thing, not just WP, > > version 11 > > Dragon Naturally Speaking > > Corel Draw and PhotoPaint, ver 11 > > Mapping software: ArcView, ArcGIS, ArcPad, StreetMap > > Music software: Cakewalk > > Games: Puzz3D (3d jigsaw puzzles), hundreds of > > versions of solitaire (from > > various sources) > > Norton Utilities (hopefully not needed, considering > > the strengths of Linux!) > > Financial software: Quicken > > Genealogy software: Family Tree Maker and Personal > > Ancestry File > > > > That's enough for a start. There's a lot I want to > > learn about using Linux, > > but wherever I can help in this endeavor, I will. I > > hope this flies. > > > > Sue > > > > > > At 07:14 AM 1/28/03 -0800, you wrote: > > > > >I want to thank John for taking over the Libranet > > install for me when I > > >had to leave the install fest last night! I hope > > it went well after I left. > > > > > >At the meeeting we discussed a focus for the class. > > The general feeling > > >seemed to be a class focused on how a user > > accustomed to Windows 95, 98, > > >or XP can accomplish similar tasks with Linux. > > > > > >Some frustration with a lack of standardization was > > expressed as well as a > > >desire to understand how to configure the menus and > > desktop to suit > > >personal tastes. > > > > > >Any suggestions for particular tasks and focus. > > > > > >John also mentioned that this is being sponsored by > > the CCCC, and that > > >memebers will get their seats first. If you are > > not a member of CCCC, now > > >might be a good time to join. > > >=== message truncated === > > >===== >Warmest Regards, > >Doug Riddle >http://www.dougriddle.com >http://fossile-project.sourceforge.net/ >http://www.libranet.com >-- "Firearms are second only to the Constitution in importance; they are >the Peoples' Liberty Teeth." - George Washington -- > > >__________________________________________________ >Do you Yahoo!? >Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now. >http://mailplus.yahoo.com > >_______________________________________________ >General mailing list >[email protected] >http://oxygen.nocdirect.com/mailman/listinfo/general_brlug.net --- Dustin Puryear <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Puryear Information Technology Windows, UNIX, and IT Consulting http://www.puryear-it.com
