[LUGSB] Linux for squares? Question from a lurker

[Jonathan Dahan]

My advice is to pop in a livecd and try and use the computer like normal. I
learn linux by trying to do things with it, but everyone learns differently
(if thats your goal). Maybe you read manuals before plugging stuff in - man
'foo', read the website, all that good stuff. Maybe you learn by asking
specific questions and waiting for people to answer  - use forums or hope
you have a patient, knowledgeable friend. Maybe you learn by standing on
your head and reciting the alphabet backwards at varying speeds. These are
just a few options, try them until one gives you the best results.

Oh and you can get around without the CLI pretty well nowadays - it is not a
requirement for any 'normal' tasks. Of course, a lot of people find the CLI
 useful in a lot of situations, and it does give you more breadth and depth
of knowledge of linux, but don't consider it a requirement.

- Jonathan


On Thu, Dec 17, 2009 at 2:49 PM, Jim Robert <Jim at jim-robert.com> wrote:

> I think that linux has made great strides toward user friendliness in the
> past few years, especially the the efforts (and budget) of canonical (ubuntu
> devs) toward linux on the desktop.
>
> There is no reason for you to try to learn the command line before you
> install a GUI, especially since many (most?) of the user-friendly
> disributions are will guide you through the install using a GUI, and lots of
> GUI apps and services will be automatically installed. I'm primarily
> thinking of ubuntu/debian and fedora here.
>
> I WOULD, however, recommend that you plan to spend a little time doing
> google searches and reading the forums to figure things out for the first
> few months of using linux.
>
> You don't need to do that kind of stuff right generally, but every so often
> you'll want to do something that isn't set up by default, or want to install
> something that isn't in the repository ("Ubuntu software center" on ubuntu)
>
> Good luck,
> Jim
>
>
> On Thu, Dec 17, 2009 at 2:01 PM, Matthew Lawn <matthew.lawn at gmail.com>wrote:
>
>> I would be interested in any thoughts re: the value of Linux for the
>> non-technical user.
>>
>> For instance: 1) does one need to have a certain level of competence
>> at the command line to get enough from Linux to justify switching from
>> Windows?; or, 2) can one use Linux to self-teach to a decent level of
>> CompuSavvy? (For instance; would it be a worthwhile exercise to learn
>> to use Linux in a bare-bones installation prior to installing a GUI?)
>>
>> I have been on the LUGSB enewsletter list for about a year but have
>> never been able to attend a meeting due to transportation issues.
>> Reading the traffic, I have gotten the impression that the group is
>> comprised of, and geared to, CS and IT geeks (and I use the word with
>> due reverence) of a rather high level of expertise. I would not
>> consider myself to be in that catagory. I'm just someone who sees that
>> Microsoft is the devil's agent on earth, who  likes the ethos of open
>> source, and is interested in Linux as a better way to realize the
>> power of the computer. BUT . . . am I smart enough to make it work?
>>
>> I should mention that, while I may be non-technical, I am by no means
>> anti-technical. Nor am I a complete neophyte. I've been using PC's
>> since DOS 5.x on a 386 machine was pretty hot shit. I played around
>> with RedHat years ago and thought it was pretty cool but found
>> fighting with windows ubiquity too much of a pain in the ass. Maybe
>> things are different now.
>>
>> Thanks for listening
>>
>> Matt
>>
>>
>> On 12/9/09, lugsb <lugsb at ic.sunysb.edu> wrote:
>> > This is it for the semester.  We'll be hanging out, sharing tips,
>> enjoying
>> > traditional pizza and soda.
>> >
>> > Got a favorite piece of software? Have coding tips?  Come share your
>> > knowledge and learn from others.
>> >
>> > Topic: Lightning talk
>> > Date: Thursday (12/10)
>> > Time: 6:00pm
>> > Location: CS 2129
>> >
>> > Take care,
>> > Michael Florea
>> > LUGSB President
>> >
>>
>>
>> --
>> Matthew Lawn
>>
>> (631)831-6603
>> matthew.lawn at gmail.com
>> ---------------
>>
>> We are stardust, we are golden, we are caught in the devil's bargain,
>> and we've got to get ourselves back to the garden.
>>     -  Joni Mitchell, from "Woodstock"
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>
>
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