[kwlug-disc] "What Linux Distro Should I Use?"

[Raul Suarez]

I am all for new users presentations. e.g. My presentation on development languages and environments is meant as an introduction to Linux programming (yes, I'll send the abstract very soon). Personally I feel like a new user at most of the presentations. That's what makes it interesting for me. Learning things I didn't know before.

But how frequently do we want to have a presentation about "what is Linux"?

I hope we have new/curious users every meeting but eventually the new users will become more experienced.

So the challenge is how to facilitate the integration of new users; helping them understand the basic concepts that will, in turn, help them understand the topics presented. This has to be done on a regular basis as there will always be new users.

Here is some brainstorming (most have pros and cons:
- Revive the 6:00 - 7:00 slot? or maybe the 6:30 - 7:00 slot;
- Implement Bill's idea regarding having a volunteer every meeting go to a separate area and introduce new users to "What is linux?";
- Add a few pages to the KWLUG site with references and links to videos, tutorials and documents for new users. (We don't need to write them. there are enough resources available);
- Have a volunteer host a "post meeting" gathering with new users;
- Team with the Working Centre computer recycling program.  We can ask if they have volunteers interested on presenting Beginner Linux training classes. Or one of us could volunteer one hour once a month. e.g. me. Or even train the trainers.

Do the people in the list have more ideas? Remember, it is brainstorming. We can narrow down them later.

Raul Suarez

Technology consultant
Software, Hardware and Practices
_________________
http://rarsa.blogspot.com/ 
An eclectic collection of random thoughts


--- On Tue, 5/4/10, Paul Nijjar <paul_nijjar at yahoo.ca> wrote:

> From: Paul Nijjar <paul_nijjar at yahoo.ca>
> Subject: [kwlug-disc] "What Linux Distro Should I Use?"
> To: kwlug-disc at kwlug.org
> Received: Tuesday, May 4, 2010, 12:12 AM
> 
> Over the past few meetings I have been getting a bit of
> feedback from
> new KWLUGgers. They have been telling me that while the
> meetings have
> been interesting, the content has been way over their
> heads. 
> 
> That got me thinking about another question I have been
> running into:
> what linux distro people should start with. 
> 
> One direction this takes me is to suggest that we make an
> explicit
> attempt to schedule some more newbie-friendly meetings, and
> label them
> as such on the website. 
> 
> Another horrible direction is that I have been pondering
> whether to
> give a presentation on this topic. However, I don't know
> whether this
> is a terrible idea or just a really bad one. (Also, the
> next available
> KWLUG slot is November, assuming Khalid, Andrew, Brad or
> somebody else
> has not snapped it up already. I would present sooner if I
> spoke at
> Software Freedom Day or Ontario Linux Fest.) 
> 
> Recently I heard Richard give this talk in five minutes. It
> was pretty
> excellent. That leads me to believe that this might be a
> good final
> talk for the June meeting, if Richard or somebody was
> willing to risk
> his or her life by giving it. 
> 
> Thoughts? 
> 
> - Paul
> 
> 
> -- 
> http://pnijjar.freeshell.org
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> kwlug-disc_kwlug.org mailing list
> kwlug-disc_kwlug.org at kwlug.org
> http://astoria.ccjclearline.com/mailman/listinfo/kwlug-disc_kwlug.org
>