[plug] Re: Computer Bank - please dont give them away.

[Paul Wilson]

> From: David Buddrige <dbuddrige at ozemail.com.au>
>
> The computer bank project is about acheiving the following goals:
> 
> Number 1 goal. Giving computers to people who otherwise would not be able
to
> afford them.
> Number 2 goal. Give them some basic trainng so they are not completely
lost
> (thereby  effectively relegating the computer to boat-anchor status), and
> have a chance to get _somewhere_.

I agree with the goals, but I think that we're under-estimating the
difficulty of getting into Linux from the outside. There still appear to be
a number of different audiences here, and it seems that the computer bank
is only interested in supplying computers to those who are interested
enough in Linux to make the (large) effort to grasp it.

If that really is so, then OK, but we need to be aware of it, and we also
need to identify those users who will actually benefit from such a machine
as opposed to those who aren't willing or able to make the effort.

Please don't misunderstand, the computer bank goals are laudable. However,
lets not forget that the people on this mailing list are all interested in
Linux, and it can be easy to forget the learning curve. For a lot of
people, Windows 9x can be a frightening environment, and can be fraught
with difficulty - contrary to popular belief, Linux is no easier.

> Where _possible_,  I am thinking that we should get them on the net and
show
> them how to use it - a quick lesson in using usenet searches and
web-searches
> would be handy - also feed them into existing support networks - such as
> linux user-groups etc... we are wanting to give people a kick-start, but
like
> with anything the only way to learn computing is to just get in there and
> mess around...

OK, but there needs to be very mild intro material available that explains
what the Net is, what the Web is, and what Usenet is. My experience of
training people suggests that even when they're intelligent and interested,
they have difficulty wit some of the concepts. OTOH, the Net itself should
be able to provide much of this I think.

Paul