Would this be a bad time to say "Debian for world domination!" ;->
Doug Debian user since 1999 --- Abbott Mujica <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > thats exactly what i was gonna do for teachin at the > DOCE @ LSU! > lol sorry if ive been not postin... > im here! > > On Fri, 2003-02-07 at 23:04, John Hebert wrote: > > 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 > === 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
