[plug] Universities and the pecking order

[Ben Jensz]

Yes, I agree.  There is a somewhat base level of assumed knowledge which
some people sort of expect everyone who posts on here to have.  But getting
over the initial step of being able to comprehende some of the stuff can be
difficult.

I first started tinkering with Linux a bit when I was 16... and 3 years
later I still find a lot of documentation for stuff not very useful for some
stuff, because it has a lot of assumed programming knowledge, which not
everyone has.  Sure, the open source/linux community might be a bit of a
friendly place once you've got a bit of assumed knowledge, but for people
trying to break into the area, some people around the place can be not very
helpful, off-putting and just plain rude in some instances.

I also agree with the "status" thing around the place... some people on this
list can be plain immature at times and start throwing egotistical bs
around.  I don't think thats really the reason why a fair few people
subscribe to this list, they subscribe to this list to have a bit of a chat
about Linux related topics, possibly glean some information on topics they
are unsure of and also ask for help on things which they just can't quite
figure out.  Everyone has to start somewhere....

So to those people who like to start this stupid bickering and rude to
so-called "newbies" (you know who you are), please take it elsewhere, as a
lot of people don't want to hear about it on a public list.


/ Ben

----- Original Message -----
From: "Richard Hardy" <rhardy at cygnus.uwa.edu.au>
To: <plug at plug.linux.org.au>
Sent: Monday, November 19, 2001 9:48 PM
Subject: [plug] Universities and the pecking order


> 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
>