decent curriculum (was: class this Wed!)

Dennis Kibbe plug-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us
Sun, 1 Sep 2002 09:16:17 -0700


On Sunday 01 September 2002 05:07 am, you wrote:
> We have lots of people starting to use GNU/Linux, but we haven't got the
> support network they need to bootstrap themselves. 'RTFM' and 'google for
> it' aren't what the new people need. Those who can bootstrap themselves are
> more likely to make it anyway. We need to move beginners into the
> intermediate area, or at least into acquainted.
>
> ciao,
>
> der.hans

This is exactly my experience mentoring a friend who wants to leave Windows 
behind. His complaint is that the Linux community is unfriendly to newbies 
(RTFM) and that you need to know too much just to understand the 
documentation.

Also, Linux is "just different" from Windows. It's roots are firmly in a 
networked from birth, multiuser, small tools heritage. Very often a Windows 
user coming to Linux will intuitively do the WRONG thing and not even realize 
it until someone points it out.

Dennis Kibbe