Hello friends,
My background : using Linux at work (a small research Institution) since
'93; I progressively installed some servers and later on, some end-user's
PCs with Linux.
Two years ago, I converted the library staff to use exclusively Linux (X
on aging 486 33/66, with trio64 VGA cards and an application server for
demanding X apps : far better than what was possible on their PCs with
MS-Windows...).
Now I install every new PC with dual-boot Win9x/Linux and more and more
people are running Linux all the day.
Here is a rough presentation of our evolution towards Linux :
http://www.BR.fgov.be/RESEARCH/INFORMATICS/tutorial/index.html
Some technical discussions are at :
http://www.BR.fgov.be/RESEARCH/INFORMATICS/info/index.html
-> remote boot, msql
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
I have read all your suggestions with interest and want to add some ideas:
1- the demonstrations need a speaker for every small group of listeners,
so it is very demanding in term of human resources.
For my users, I dreamed to build short illustrated presentations for the
useful apps :
* not just a how-to (not appealing to the newbies because they want to
have a starting push, not a freezing one, dedicated mainly to the
installer),
* not just snapshots (nice, but without practical information),
* but a concise presentation with comments and images.
Here is a sketch of what I want (not very good --written in a hurry for
a local presentation--, but it is the direction I mean) :
http://www.BR.fgov.be/RESEARCH/INFORMATICS/tutorial/gui/linux/index.html
==========================================================================
= Why not building together a distributed presentation of interesting
= applications, ranging from first presentation to *simplified* tutorials
= because I pretend that we use during 90% of the time only a small
= fraction of the options of the monsters we use today.
=
= The newbies will be able to follow the presentations at home, from their
= own platform, complementing the work done owing to the personal contacts
= during the Linux day.
==========================================================================
2- People often are interested in Linux but fear to touch their PC
organization (it can be also difficult to reinstall Win9x after a
disaster...; partitions : WHAT?, with a 's' ?).
My first encounter with Linux was very easy and reassuring : don't change
anything, just start a live cd with a floppy (5"1/4 at that time...)
QNX has a very nice demonstration floppy (1.44 MB ...) containing their
Unix-like OS, some tools, a X server, a web server, a browser, and a ppp-enable
application to play with (no XF86 configuration : it is based on standard
Super VGA interface (VEGA I think) ;-)
It would be fine (for RH, SuSE...) to develop something like this, based
now on a 'huge' life CD (if so many apps were crammed on a floppy, a CD
would be a dream...), and dedicated to newbies, with no hassle for
particular configurations nor for performances -- just to help to play
without risk.
As a promotion material, it would be pressed for nearly nothing and will
touch a layer of end-user very interesting (a kid at home, on his dad's
PC, a clerk at work [remember the fine Boss-Button :
http://i-want-a-website.com/about-linux/may99.shtml#BSOD-Simulator ...]
Anyway, good work, continue !
Regards,
Alain
---------------------------------------------
Dr Alain EMPAIN, Informatics, Site Master
National Botanic Garden of Belgium
B-1860 MEISE, Belgium
Phone: +32 2 2693905 Fax: +32 2 2701567
Home: +32 85 512341, [EMAIL PROTECTED] [C�line: [EMAIL PROTECTED]]
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