[plug] Universities and the pecking order

[Richard Hardy]

Greetings

Reading the discussion of the respective merits of our universities, I
had one of those, "Aha!" experiences. I realised why a mere mortal finds
the plug list largely incomprehensible. It is clear that a computer
science degree, or its equivalent is required, in order to understand
the lingo, and connect with the culture. Involvment with a university IT
department, or the computer industry might be considered a useful, but
not essential qualification.

I had been assuming from the disparaging comments about MS products, and
the optimism about the rapid adoption of Linux by the hoi poloi, that
all one needed to participate in the Linux Revolutionary Movement was a
moderate intelligence, goodwill, enthusiasm, adequate personal hygiene
and a willingness to learn. Rather like a boy scout really. I had not
appreciated that it might demand, as appropriate preparation, another
three or four years of full time study, and then only after careful
selection ot the Correct university.

Paranoia may not necessarily be involved in detecting in all this just a
smidgen of exclusiveness. From there it is not a huge leap to the
uplands ofelitism.

Big disappointment, for despite being able to access the net from RH7.1,
and write my masterpiesces using Staroffice 5.2, I had hoped to go
further and ease my way into the innards and intricacies of Linux as an
intellectual exercise. Possibly with some fraternal help from a list
like plug. I mean help more constructive than RTFM. This admonition is
not helpful to a beginner, who wants to know which FM, and where to find
it. It is a catch 22 situation. You cannot read the FM until you know
enough to understand the FM, and you cannot understand the FM until you
read enough, and so on.

So, is there a list or site more appropriate for newbies? (That
pejorative, patronizing, head-patting, down-putting, condescending term
of endearment) Where does one begin? Doe one in fact begin at all, or is
it understood that newbies sit back, shut the F up, and watch the grown
ups play?

Cheers dears