Sue, Sorry for the delay in responding to your excellent email containing your suggestions for the CCCC Linux class. Busy fighting new email client... :P
I've responded with comments interspersed in your original message below. On Fri, 31 Jan 2003 22:45:45 -0600, 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.) Agreed. The suggestion was made that we use Knoppix (http://www.knoppix.org/en) as the Linux distro in the class. A short description of Knoppix is that it is a bootable CD that runs Linux off of your CDROM drive without having to install anything on your hard drive. We can easily make copies of the Knoppix CDs and give them to class members, in return for a blank CD. The students can then take them home and try them out on their home PCs and possibly do practice exercises. Knoppix would allow the students to be immediately productive, as it has Open Office, Gimp, and many other tools, games, etc. It can even auto- detect network cards and modems and make it easy to connect to the Internet. Are there any comments on this idea? Unless I hear of a good reason not to use Knoppix as part of the classroom materials, I will assume it is mutually agreed upon. > 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. Again, agreed. However, I am realizing it is harder to teach the seemingly simpler concepts about Linux, and easier to teach the harder ones. :) I think it would be best to start out with a beginner's level class and guage the interest towards the end of the classes in a more advanced class. > 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/ > <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 > <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/ > <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. Very good sites, and there are many others as well. I like the idea of using existing content on the web as class materials; it shows the class members that the Linux community is about helping each other and will encourage them to look for more information and answers to their questions. Another good resource to use in class is the RUTE Guide: http://rute.sf.net. Tim Fournet and I discussed the Linux class and the RUTE guide at length at Perk's recently and determined that not all sections of the guide would be useful to beginner's, but it still contains lots of useful material. We even came up with a rough outline for the class. You can view it at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cccclinuxsig/files/sections.txt After reviewing it just now, I realize that we were still aiming way over a beginner's head. I'd like to redo the outline in light of your suggestion to cater to a complete beginner. > 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. Two or more classes makes more sense. The task now is to determine what will constitute the subject outline for the first "beginner's" class. > 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. As well as the ability to run an Internet capable OS on hardware only suitable for Windows 3.1. ;) You are definitely right on with these ideas. I'll bet the Internet gateway and firewall capabilities would interest a number of people. > 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. Good ideas, but if we use Knoppix, there won't be any logins. Sure, teaching students about logins is important, but the advantages of using Knoppix outweigh teaching students about logins immediately. > 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 ...) I like it. Reading your ideas gives me more ideas. Initially, Tim and Doug and I discussed a 12 lesson class, but now I'm thinking about just 3 or 4 class sessions to teach a smaller, inter-related group of concepts about Linux. I see that we need to approach the classes as if we were brand new to Linux and were looking at the desktop for the first time. "What do I do now?" "How do I run programs?" "How do I change the desktop?" etc. I think the first few lessons should be geared around getting newbies familiar with the Desktop: 1. How to use the menus 2. How to use the taskbar 3. How to use system configuration apps/tools ... > 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. However, users will have to know a little about networking and modems first before being able to connect to the Internet. By having all students use Knoppix, at least it would be easier to help students do so. > 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, ... All great ideas. I'm realizing most Linux geeks don't worry so much about apps and concentrate more on getting the OS to do things. For instance, I barely know how to use Gimp, as well as a lot of other software in most Linux distros. The attraction of Microsoft Windows is that it smooths out the learning curves for basic networking, etc., so there is more emphasis on user-friendly applications. > 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. We can certainly help out with the specifics. > 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. Good idea. Most (all?) of the students are going to be M$ Windows users. > 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. One of the strengths (weaknesses?) is that Linux has a _lot_ of differnet ways to do things. For instance, there are many apps used to sync PDAs. It all depends on which software is available and what is easiest to use. We can certainly recommended what we know about from experience, but there is way too much Linux software out there and being introduced all the time for us to know the best app to use for a specific function. I feel we will have to rely on our best judgement here. > 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 Open Office (http://www.openoffice.org) KOffice (http://www.koffice.org) AbiWord (http://www.abisource.com) > Dragon Naturally Speaking IBM ViaVoice for Linux (http://www-3.ibm.com/software/speech/news/20000825- iw.html) > Corel Draw and PhotoPaint, ver 11 Gimp (http://www.gimp.org) > Mapping software: ArcView, ArcGIS, ArcPad, StreetMap GRASS (http://www.cecer.army.mil/grass/GRASS.main.html) > Music software: Cakewalk Lots! (http://www.hitsquad.com/smm/linux/) > Games: Puzz3D (3d jigsaw puzzles), hundreds of versions of solitaire Too many to list. Google for "linux" + whatever game you are looking for. There are also many linux game sites out there. > (from various sources) > Norton Utilities (hopefully not needed, considering the strengths of > Linux!) Not sure how to answer this exactly, but I will say that yes, you are correct; newbies won't have to worry about needing utilities like defrag. > Financial software: Quicken GnuCash (http://www.gnucash.org) and others. > Genealogy software: Family Tree Maker and Personal Ancestry File Ftree (http://www.vjet.demon.co.uk/ftree/) and others. > 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. Cool. Thank you so much for taking the time to write up these ideas. They have been very helpful. The idea of organizing and teaching this class seems kinda overwhelming at first. I keep thinking "where do I start?". So, you have helped us a lot. > Sue Thanks Sue! John Hebert ps: Doug, see below. > 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. Unfortunately, I didn't finish it. I hope to finish installing Linux on Sue's computer at a later time. > 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. > > Warmest Regards, > > Doug Riddle -- John Hebert System Engineer I T Group, Inc. http://www.it-group.com
