[plug] Universities and the pecking order

[Christian]

On Mon, Nov 19, 2001 at 09:48:31PM +0800, Richard Hardy wrote:
> 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 think a lot of computer science students would find this list
incomprehensible.  A computer science degree is definitely NOT required
in order to understand Linux well enough to use it in most day to day
scenarios.  In fact, some of the most knowledgeable Linux people I have
met have actually had no computer science degree or any formal
qualification at all.

The reason a lot of computer science people use Linux is the power and
flexibility to gives them to do things related to their chosen field.
But it also has many advantages for "ordinary" users also.

> 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.

I'm not sure adequate personal hygiene has ever been a requirement...  I
don't think it ever has been for a CS degree in any case!

> 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.

I don't think you have any reason to give up.  The benefits of Linux are
well worth the effort and, perhaps, that effort is greater for those
without CS degrees.  But probably not that much greater.

As for the catch-22 situation you describe, yes, I think we've all been
there.  And yet, people still manage to learn how to use Linux and
become very proficient in it.  So clearly it isn't an impossible
catch-22 situation but more a matter of effort and persistence.

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