[plug] Linux training for home newbies

[simon]

Arie Hol (arie99 at ozemail.com.au) wrote:

> Most experienced Linux users will install Linux on your computer (as the
> sole OS or as a dualboot) but most of them will not explain to the
> newcomer the what and why of Linux installations - mainly because there
> is a lot to understand about partitions and filesystems, especially on
> dual boot systems.

Best thing I ever did for my father and his usage of linux was tell him to
stop bothering me with it.

He used to come with all sorts of insane questions, boldly state things in a
simplistic manner which were clearly wrong, ask for simple 1 sentence answers
to questions that would require a book to cover well (eg, what is XML?). In
the end I got sick of it and told him not to mention linux in my presence
again. I didnt mind the questions - it was the complete lack of comprehension
and the willingness to argue points he knew absolutely nothing about that
grated on me.

Funny thing was, once he was left to his own devices, he learned a lot faster,
and now on the odd occassion he asks me something its usually a good, pointed
question. He still craps on and on about how good Suse is and how much better
than Mandriva it is, but at least its only on the rare occassion I have to go
outside and beat up a tree for half and hour :)

Linux is NOT windows - if youre not willing to sit and read a lot of
documentation, youll never 'get' it and therefore it wont be much use to you.

--
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Simon Scott
simon at plumtek.com
mob: 0409113359
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