ׁHi Dotan! On Sunday 13 September 2009 09:43:00 Dotan Cohen wrote: > > When talking with someone a few days ago, I had a moment of Serendipity > > (see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serendipity ). Why don't we do a > > "Welcome-to- FOSS" (Free and Open Source Software) this year instead of > > "Welcome-to-Linux"? We could show people some cool stuff about FOSS in > > both Linux and Windows: > > I think that this is a great idea, in fact I often introduce new users > to Firefox and occasionally to Open Office as well.
Yes. > > > 1. Cross-platform (or even Windows-only) User-oriented FOSS - Firefox, > > OpenOffice.org, Inkscape, VirtualBox, GIMP, 7-zip, Notepad++, Audacity, > > various FOSS games, other stuff here - > > http://wiki.perl.org.il/index.php/FOSS_on_Windows and here - > > http://www.opensourcewindows.org/ > > This is a great idea. I must state, however, that in contrast to other > FOSS applications (such as Firefox, Audacity, and Thunderbird), > introductions to Open Office and Gimp should start with their > drawbacks (OOo-MSO compatibility issues, Gimp UI different than > Photojopa). Once users convince themselves that they can live with the > drawbacks, they are then ready to accept the benefits. Firefox, > Thunderbird, and Audacity do not suffer from serious drawbacks so this > is not really an issue with them. > Yes, indeed. I also found Inkscape to be relatively complete and intuitive, even for me who was used to Corel-Draw. Last time I checked, Corel-Draw didn't support partial opacity (= "alpha") very well, which Inkscape does very well. I haven't worked with Adobe Illustrator, or http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macromedia_FreeHand , so I can't compare it to them. Dia also has some drawbacks like missing features, or a relatively clunky UI. > > 2. Open Source Development with a focus on rapid > > scripts/GUI-programs/etc. development using > > Perl/Python/Ruby/etc.[ScriptLang] > > > > 3. "Don't be afraid of the command line." - why the UNIX command line can > > be useful. > > No! This should _never_ be in an introduction to anything! _You_ find > it comfortable, others find it scary. Don't tread here. Yes you're right. ("Bad Shlomi! No cookie!"). Anyway, we may delay such a presentation presenting command line opossumness to shortly after the series. (a la Haifux' "Staying in Linux"). > > > 4. The Free and Open Source Software philosophy and ideology and its > > positive implications on FOSS development and the computer and software > > industry: > > > > - http://www.shlomifish.org/philosophy/foss-other-beasts/ > > > > - http://www.shlomifish.org/philosophy/obj-oss/ > > > > - Also see the links from there. > > > > (Ori would probably be happy to give it.) > > Just don't make it a religion and people will be interested. > It is a religion: http://stallman.org/saint.html Also: http://www.shlomifish.org/humour/fortunes/shlomif.html#sf-pm-perl-saints- instead-of-heroes (short URL: http://xrl.us/bfkgzn ) > > 5. And naturally and possibly - something about how to try out Linux, > > possibly using a VirtualBox/etc. VM. > > I find that giving them a dual-boot system works better than giving them a > VM. Ah, well, it cannot hurt to tell them about the possibility of a VM. OK, it seems there isn't a consensus about whether to have a Welcome-to-Linux or Welcome-to-Open-Source . Looking at: http://welcome.linux.org.il/2008/timetable.html I think it is showing its age. Even if we do a Welcome-to-Linux, we should rethink the format. Regards, Shlomi Fish -- ----------------------------------------------------------------- Shlomi Fish http://www.shlomifish.org/ Interview with Ben Collins-Sussman - http://shlom.in/sussman Chuck Norris read the entire English Wikipedia in 24 hours. Twice. _______________________________________________ Perl mailing list [email protected] http://mail.perl.org.il/mailman/listinfo/perl
