[aklug] Re: Install Fest - last minute info

My two cents: I've been strolling around a forum for the last 6 years built
by a fella from New Mexico: The starting page is thus:
> *
>
> This forum rated: Newbies Friendly
> *
> *
>
> If you need qualified and friendly help for Linux, this is the place. We
> will not shoot ourselves in the foot helping with Windows issues, unless
> it has to do with Firefox, Open Office (not the other "office"),
> Thunderbird, or The GIMP.
>
> You will be better served forgetting about Windows and its problems
> altogether in the long run.
>
> Come on in and browse and let us help you painlessly transition from the
> painful operating system called Windows. Don't fear asking questions,
> remember this is Newbies Linux.
>
> Trolling, spamming, and personal attacks will not be tolerated; other than
> that, we do support and encourage free speech.
> *
> You belong here if:
>
> You are tired of picking up farquing web VD using Internet Exploder
>
> Family, room mates, neighbors wish you would stop inventing new profanities
> every time Windows locks up on you - you would even make George Carlin and
> Howard Stern blush.....
>
> Your virus scanner (you do use one, right??) coughs up virus names longer
> than the ingredients in your shampoo
>
> Your Windows operating system (the epitome of oxymorons when Windoze is
> involved) generally drives you knucking futz
>
> If you had to answer "yes" to any or all of the above:
>
> Newbies Linux is just the place for you! You are among friends who
> understand your plight, and want to make life pleasant once again
>
> With Linux, you can surf all the sites you want without fear of Buffy in
> the buff popping up in front of your six year old and his friends as they
> try to locate Waldo
>
> Plus, in time your six year old should forget most of those four through
> six letter words you used to use
>
> You can then put the word "pissed" back strictly as a past tense word used
> in conjunction with relieving one's bladder
>
> Once again, you will think of beautiful mountain scenery when the word
> "vista" is mentioned instead of wanting to kill a computer for the sins of
> its operating system
>
> *If the penguin is on board, it is safe to boot up your computer.*

 That says it all for someone coming over to Linux from the world of
Windows. That's a lot of the reason(s) why I switched. Yes even five years
ago Linux had some major issues that was a showstopper for the meek, but you
know what-Window$ wasn't a cherry blossom either. I have two friends and
fellow firefighters that are trading their HP's loaded with VISTA (*V*iruses,
*I*nstability, *S*pamware, *T*rojans, *A*dware) for Apples now. Because they
don't know any better or know of any better alternatives. These supposed
showstoppers that plagued Linux just aren't there anymore with Amarok 2.0
(iPod) and the new 2.6.27 kernel in place-hardware support is phenomenol. To
say that Linux isn't a viable platform to play games is nonsense-Codeweavers
has the Game edition now that plays some pretty impressive titles natively.
Probably much better than Vista ever could. I hear "this piece of hardware"
or "driver" holds me from using Linux. Well I also see Window$ folks
struggling with the same issues. The only real difference is you pay for a
End User License with Window$ meaning you don't even own the OS versus Linux
where possession is tangible.
 The best story I could pass on was when I was up in Fairbanks. I went to
the local Computer store to get a new power cable. I was standing in line at
the service counter listening to the fella in front of me descibing his woes
to the technician. "My computer is getting slower, and I can't even open
Outlook Express anymore-what can you do to fix it?" The tech didn't miss a
beat, "Well sir we'll do our best to backup your files-no promises though.
We'll wipe your hard drive and do a fresh install, than set you up with a
firewall and antivirus program. The cost will only be $90 plus any other
fees we gather along the way. Do you have the activation key with the
install disk?" "Uh-no what's that?" "Oh? Well we can set you up with Windows
XP Home Edition for $139 than."
 After I witnessed that I'll never understimate the power of denial.
 For those who are interested here's the link to Newbies
Forum<http://www.newbieslinux.com/forum/>
.

On Fri, Dec 12, 2008 at 10:04 AM, Arthur Corliss
<acorliss@nevaeh-linux.org>wrote:

> On Fri, 12 Dec 2008, Lee Ross wrote:
>
> > Thanks for the compliment Damien. I can remember how difficult it was to
> > do the simple task of installing my first distribution of Linux. However,
> > I did manage to become proficient at installs after a period of time. I
> > get the feeling you're not interested in recruiting new people into the
> > Linux world or did I miss something and this Install Fest is, in your
> > eyes, for the CLI type?
>
> I think that Damien feels a monkey can install it because Ubuntu has
> apparrently proven the point -- and Damien is not a CLI type. I suspect
> his
> head would spin and he'd start chucking wiimotes at innocent bystanders if
> you took away his GUI. ;-)
>
> That said, your point is still valid. As good as Linux has become,
> particularly with hardware support, it's still not as well supported as
> Windows, and doesn't "just work" in all instances. Note the Russian
> Roulette-style support of hibernation on laptops. Getting everything to
> work reliably (or just figuring out what will work reliably) can take quite
> a bit of effort.
>
> > I've mentioned in the past, some ideas about what I'm seeing that keeps
> > people from getting involved in Linux, all to no avail. I've never seen
> > anyone comment on my remarks about addressing the issues confronting
> > Newbies making the transition from Windows to Linux and how some people
> > are not interested in CLI but would be happy to remain in the GUI world
> > without all the pain and expense incurred by using Windows.
> >
> > I personally thought this Install Fest was a great idea to get some of
> > that 90% market being held by Microsoft.
>
> I agree that work needs to be done to ease the transition of newbs to the
> platform. I think, however, that some of us differ in how that is
> accomplished. We shouldn't try to emulate Window's model or we'll end up
> being what they are: a semi-easy to admin platform that's only semi-secure
> and semi-reliable. We need to find ways to educate and improve our newbs'
> technical skills.
>
> The unspoken truth in security circles is that our greatest problem isn't
> technological, it's social. Until we get people to make intelligent
> technical decisions the best security systems in the world will be undone
> by
> a post-it. Linux is no different. For newbs to really get the benefit of
> the platform they need to be willing to learn to compute a bit differently.
>
> Of course, Lee, I have to think that way more people agree with you than
> they do with me. :-) And that might be for the best...
>
> --Arthur Corliss
> Live Free or Die
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-- 
"Listen to me! When you die in Alaska you die in real life!"
"Change before you have to"
"If you want to build a ship
don't herd people together to collect wood
and don't assign them tasks and work,
but rather teach them to long for the
endless immensity of the sea."
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