Abbott Debian user since.... now
On Sat, 2003-02-08 at 17:50, Doug Riddle wrote: > 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 > > _______________________________________________ > General mailing list > [email protected] > http://oxygen.nocdirect.com/mailman/listinfo/general_brlug.net >
