[clue-admin] [Fwd: Re: [NCLUG] CLUE InstallFest, 12 Feb 2005]

[Collins Richey]

On Sat, 12 Feb 2005 21:27:43 -0700, David Anselmi <anselmi at anselmi.us> wrote:
> Crawford Rainwater wrote:
> > Folks:
> >
> > I received this last evening.  I plan on responding to her to clarify
> > that InstallFests are meant for the novice/newbie to attend and try out
> > Linux to some degree.  However, I do see her point as well since
> > typically I have had myself and several Linux ETC members there to
> > assist people out with a 1:4 ratio sometimes of savvy/guru:newwbie.
> 
> I know Liz from one of the CLUE installfests (years ago).  Here are my
> thoughts.
> 

[ snips ]

> Perhaps for her students, CSU could do a HOWTO that gets them the same
> system as they use in the lab.  
> 
> Perhaps the people who set up the CSU lab can do their own installfest
> around that theme (during work hours if they aren't motivated enough to
> give back to Linux).  Or they could come with students to our
> installfest and help bridge the gap between what we do and what they
> want.  I'd be happy to help students follow the CSU lab HOWTO.
> 
> Perhaps CLUE or NCLUG can sit down with Liz and/or a few students and
> see how we can align our skills and their needs.  
> Perhaps her students need some kind of instruction in this.  I've
> thought in the past about teaching an intro to Linux class (more than a
> day long)--maybe this is the audience for it.
> 
> Perhaps Liz should recommend (for extra credit?) reading a sysadmin book

> 
> To me "help a newbie get Linux installed" is problematic.  What then?
> Can they get anything useful done with it?  Can they keep it running
> (patches, install new software, fix config issues when they come up)?
> (Shoot, my minimalist, open community preferences probably don't fit
> very well with most newbies, much as I wish it were otherwise.)
> 
> I'll be interested to see what others say, and I'm really interested in
> continuing the discussion.
> 

Lots of good suggestions, but we're all speculating about the nature
of Liz's problem, and I would like to hear what exactly prompted her
complaint.

Just some random comments on Dave's post:

1. I have yet to encounter anyone at an installfest who was not
willing to learn and who had not made some attempts on his/her own.

2. Most newbies appear to be thankful for the help and capable of
persuing Linux on their own with a certain amount of handholding.

3. Nothing wrong with walking a newbie through a Debian install. I had
perfectly good results doing a gentoo install with a newbie who later
installed a half-dozen other distros on his own, and at today's
installfest he was working his way through Debian after his SUSE
turned up with unusable media.

4. Nothing wrong with a minimalist system if that's what the newbie
prefers. OTOH, nothing wrong with KDE or GNOME either.

5. Typically there are enough gurus or wanabes at an installfest to
cover topics like "my printer won't work."

A little OT here. I worked with a user at today's installfest who came
with Linspire installed and wanted help getting a modem to work. We
made some progress, but no phone line was available, so he left with a
homework asignment. Meanwhile, I was shocked to learn that Linspire
does not install man!!! I guess Windows refugees only want to push
buttons and don't care about learning commands.

6. An Intro to Linux class offered on a recurring basis is not a bad
idea, Dave. I'm sure others would be willing to help if you put
together something.

-- 
 Collins