OK, looks like we've got three different strands here: - on line support - user education - diagnostic apps
And personally, the last one scares me as it's a major project in itself. - although there may be stuff out there that could be adapted like the distro that ships with an app that collects hardware data; darn, can't remember which one does it .... it's not Ubuntu though is it? I also believe that the on line support needs to be both a graphical one and a command line one - graphical to observe the user to see what they're doing etc like VNC. Actually, what do Cononical use for there own paid for remote support, if they have one? Be a lot easier to use infrastructure already in place than try and create our own .... Ian -----Original Message----- From: ubuntu-uk-boun...@lists.ubuntu.com [mailto:ubuntu-uk-boun...@lists.ubuntu.com]on Behalf Of Paul Sutton Sent: 18 January 2009 11:52 To: British Ubuntu Talk Subject: Re: [ubuntu-uk] Remote support was Sad but true? From the Register Rob Beard wrote: > On 18/01/2009 10:49, Paul Sutton wrote: > >>> While just fixing things is what some people want, some level of >>> education should be involved (I believe anyway) so that if it happens >>> again they can fix it themselves. >>> >>> Just a few points to think about, otherwise I fully support the idea! >>> >>> -Matt Daubney >>> >>> > Yep I agree with that, help them help themselves. Maybe with feedback > from newbies we could look at creating more screencasts too? > >> I agree here, a few years a go I found myself fixing a friends computer >> and re-installing windows etc from the restore cd's >> >> I got him to the point quite easily where he could insert the start up >> floppy, follow the instructions and get back to a working system, on his >> own, so he relied far less on me to walk round, >> >> >> > The only issue I can see with this is the potential for the user to > loose data. I've found a few people have had screwed Windows PCs, > usually they can at least retrieve their data onto a USB stick or > external hard drive if they use Ubuntu. > >> I tried this with someone else and he was not interested, in me actually >> teaching him things, >> >> >> > I've had that too. > >> So it depends on the individual and perhaps their attitudes. Personally >> if i am constantly fixing virus problems and recommend using a virus >> checker, which I download and install, if they can't be bothered to keep >> it maintained, then what chance have we got, but I would have to teach >> them how to keep it maintained, in the same way someone teaches me how >> to check the oil in a car (see below) >> >> Preventative maintenance is simple enough. >> >> >> > You mean things like making sure they install security updates and > possibly backing up important data? > > Rob > > Yes, so teach users how to back up their data, where too etc, flash drives are pretty cheap these days as are writeable cd' / dvd media. that should be put in the checklist, Back up your data, securly, and check its backed up properly, its all very well copying data to a dvd, but if something goes wrong, and you then go to access that dvd at a later date and can't your stuck, it takes a few mins only to mount it, and check the data is on there, perhaps once on the cd' copying back also requires you to alter the permissions sometimes so its no longer read only which on a dvd it would be, again something extra to add to a check list, as you need to consider, Screen shots also a good idea, Looking at the desktop training manual, is this provided in pdf with ubuntu, i can't find it anywhere obvious, it needs to be on the desktop, along with a viewer so it can be loaded up and read my new users. It is downloadable but users need to find it. Paul -- Paul Sutton www.zleap.net Support Open and ISO standard file formats e.g ISO 26300 odt http://www.oasis-open.org/home/index.php Next Linux User Group meet : Feb 7th : 3pm (TBC), Shoreline Cafe Paignton -- ubuntu-uk@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-uk https://wiki.ubuntu.com/UKTeam/ -- ubuntu-uk@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-uk https://wiki.ubuntu.com/UKTeam/
