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Re: [PLUG] Addition to PLUG FAQ; ESR on smart question-asking
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A few thoughts:
Those of us who have been using Linux from the 1.0.x and before are the
ones who have blazed the trail making Linux what it is today. When
Linux was being worked on in the early 90's, IBM was trying to sell its
OS2 and there was the NEXT computers with a store just south of City
Hall. Also there was DRDOS, Geoworks and some other good competition to
the ``Evil Empire'' commonly referred to as M$. Needless to say all of
these ventures have fallen by the wayside not because they weren't any
good, but because of the marketing genius of Bill Gates.
The technologies I mentioned above are IMHO superior to what M$ was
offering at the time, but some of the companies who brought these
superior technologies are no longer with us. We are the only
competition that M$ is concerned with. Because of the path that we have
blazed Linux is now becoming marketed as a main stream product on the
Television by IBM. Even Apple has seen the light an is marketing OSX
which is BSD with a fancy front end. X Window System happens to be
included with the distribution.
We need to welcome the new converts from the Windows world with open
arms. Though their questions are extremely elementary to us, they still
need to be answered. Blowing them off with ridicule could send new
Linux convert back to M$. We haven't been fighting the M$ brigade all
this time to concede defeat on the desktop. We know that we have a
superior system with more options, choices, and features than M$ will
ever have. We have better file systems, and a system that will not
crash.
There are a number of new Linux users that have never compiled a kernel,
never thought of partitioning schemes, or even setting up user accounts
with their own home directory. The new convert from the windows world
is faced with a new world of passwords, and things that are totally
foreign to their way of using a computer. How many Windows users click
cancel at the network login prompt not even knowing what they are
doing. These are the ones who need to be held by the hand and shown a
better way of computing. When the new Linux user sees that there is a
virtual desktop at her disposal, and she can start one thing and start
working on something else without the confounded hour glass preventing
them from doing anything. These are the ones who will begin by asking
specific questions based on their distribution, for they don't realize
that once they have mastered the basic concepts of UNIX the importance
of the distribution specific tools disappears.
Growing from the Linux raw recruit to someone who has a deep
understanding about the UNIX concept takes time. If we give these new
Linux users the time that they need to grow the Linux community will
also grow making us a stronger David for Goliath to fight.
Mike Leone wrote:
>
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> >I, for one, read a lot but not all, of the links on the site. I did
> >this because I was positively terrified of being told I was too dumb
> >for the list as I was *such* a newbie when I subscribed. I think
> >having helpful links *and* a blatant newbie section encouraging them
> >to post and attend meetings too is a good idea. I am surprised to
> >see you write people off so easily, Mike.
>
> Just my cynical nature over-taking me again, I guess. I do see many
> posts on other lists where you can tell 1 of 2 things:
>
> 1. The majority of people seem to have at least TRIED to help
> themselves, altho not quite enough; these folks at least can see the
> clue path thru the fog, even if they don't know all the first-run
> tricks and tips to try. They learn and grow ... just like flowers.
> :-)
> 2. The number of people whose 1st reaction to something that they
> don't know is to email a list is still sizable.
>
> Not suprisingly, the percentage of Windows users who do this seems to
> be higher than Linux ones :-), but I still sometimes see it on Linux
> lists, too. That part is a bit depressing, because Linux is still the
> OS for people who have to have SOME clue as to how PCs operate (both
> hardware and software). Luckily enough, I don't think I see many
> repeat posters like that; the Linux folks (at least) seem to
> eventually get at least part of the clue (see question type #1,
> above). Hell, *I* don't even have the full clue most times. :-)
>
> Don't get me wrong - as I say, including those links and those
> instructions can't fail to help; I just don't see it as the cure-all.
>
> Note, however, that we don't see too many of the totally clueless
> newbies here. And if we do, they're at least polite about it, and try
> to learn from the experience. I've seen my share of posts to other
> lists that you just KNOW are coming from people who think that
> they're talking to paid company support, and get annoyed when they
> get no immediate, obsequious answers.
>
> BTW ... you wanna see users written off real quick, go read the
> mplayer list sometime. I subscribed, hoping to ask some questions
> about using mplayer for streaming media; I left after 2 days, never
> bothering to ask. Very dismissive, arrogant types over there.
>
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> ______________________________________________________________________
> Philadelphia Linux Users Group - http://www.phillylinux.org
> Announcements-http://lists.phillylinux.org/mail/listinfo/plug-announce
> General Discussion - http://lists.phillylinux.org/mail/listinfo/plug
--
Rev. LeRoy D. Cressy mailto:lcressy@telocity.com /\_/\
http://www.netaxs.com/~ldc ( o.o )
Phone: 215-535-4037 > ^ <
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life:
no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6)
______________________________________________________________________
Philadelphia Linux Users Group - http://www.phillylinux.org
Announcements-http://lists.phillylinux.org/mail/listinfo/plug-announce
General Discussion - http://lists.phillylinux.org/mail/listinfo/plug
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