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Linux Desktop Guide
codergeek42 writes "The International Open-Source Network has created a desktop manual aimed at end-users with little or no prior knowledge of PCs. This manual goes through using The Fedora Project to do things from file-management to using the internet (as in browsing the WWW and using email), how to use the OpenOffice.org office suite, and even a basic intro to using the shell. This is definitely a step in the right direction for GNU/Linux, and the Free Software and Open-Source Software movements. And the cool part is that the entire thing is under an attributions-required OSI-approved Creative Common license, and is available in .sxw (OpenOffice.org Writer) or PDF formats."
This kind of stuff is a great step in the right direction, but lots of people in the target demographic would still prefer a dead-tree version. I'd really like to see a couple of those big, glossy, step-by-step picture books put out for Linux. There's a bunch for Win/Mac already, so I'm sure it'll just be a matter of time.
This is an admirable effort, however why Fedora for a beginner's distro? The problem I see is that Fedora is just getting it's feet wet and entire reinstalls are needed to update from core 1 -> 2. This harks back to my days with Red Hat 5 and Mdk 6. Without trying to start a flamewar, I really think a Debian based system with Synaptic setup for updating is the best solution. Lastly, I don't know if a beginner's guide should include the commandline, that will likely scare some off. Let them get completely comfy in the GUI, then let them start exploring off the path.
Still, efforts like this NEED to be undertaken, if it's one thing OSS projects often lack is documentation.
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Some of you guys may not suggest Fedora for a linux beginner, but wait, I have seen quite a few users hop on to linux, completely abandoning Windows right with Fedora Core 1, and they are actuallly happy with it!
Installing applications are not that hard unlike the earlier days. I recommend rpm.pbone.net to find your applications packaging for Fedora, I have been 99.99% successfull! And with the brand new Yum, staying upto date is always a breeze.
I also recommend adding Dag Wieers repository in your yum configuration and this particular one releases very useful applications/updates. Needless to stay, once you load fancy themes and eye-candy like gDesklets you really can grab the eyes of people around you while giving you a pleasurable user experience.
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What forced upgrades? I still run FC1 on a machine, its the msot stable OS i've ever used, well its on par with Debian Stable. I have FC2 on my laptop. Both Fedora machines run perfect and there has never been a forced upgrade. Up2date is like windows update, except it updates everything on your system, instead of what MS wants updated. And you get to pick and choose. Nothing is ever forced on you, ever. I personally use apt because my roots in linux are in debian, and I use debian daily, but for an end user, you just cant beat Fedora. Suse is nice but I have my issues with it. Mandrake is the only other non-MS OS I'd recommend to a typical user. People keep saying that Fedora is bleeding edge, and it is if you want it to be, but it can also move at a slower pace if you'd like and every Core so far has been extreemly stable. Saying Fedora is bleeding edge is like saying Debian is bleeding edge, its up to you if you wanna run stable, testing or unstable, and Fedora defaults to stable, and everythign is extensively tested at RH. Also, dealing with RH developers is such a nice experience as compared to dealing with the typical arogant Debain dev.(Not all Debian devs are that way, but more then I'd like)I don't see the problem here.
Regards,
Steve
I think I'll elaborate on this a bit more. No computer newbie these days should be using an install cd and rolling the dice. With Knoppix you can see approximately how well everything will work beforehand. This is the be-all end-all of software installation!
I haven't tried Knoppix recently, so I don't know what has been done, but this is the ideal. We want a polished install program, which can handle partitioning with an icon on the desktop "Install to Hard Drive". Debian repositories should be automatically queried, and security updates downloaded automatically. It needs an "update software" program which shows a list of programs (not libraries), and installs necessary updates. Then it needs a "new software browser" which can browse and search the library of available programs (not libraries) and can install them. This would be it.
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Do what I do for my grandma. I made her a "custom" desktop that has very few very large icons to launch the programs she uses. The pc is setup with gdm and autologin. It's gentoo. Sure, my grandma has no idea what's going on. But I have some cron jobs in there doing routine maintenance and e-mailing me. And on occasion I ssh in and do a little emerge -uDva world.
Linux is designed as a multi-user system. The best way for it to work is via the client server model. You want someone who knows what they are doing to maintain the system itself, because it will never be easy. Then life for the clients is a dream come true. Thunderbird, Firefox, OpenOffice, Gaim, rox, xmms, giftui and gimp. Maybe sunbird in the future. 99% of people can get by on just that and be happy forever. Especially since its incredibly fast, feature rich, good looking, stable and secure.
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