wrote:
> On a similar note to talk about changing the meeting time, I think we
> should discuss what we want to talk about at the meetings.
I agree with Mark here. Given that new users were the ones requesting the
meeting, I think that we should focus on new user topics to start with.
One thing that I used to do with the New user install fests that we did in
my old LUG was a "Personal Consult," where we would ask each new user why
they wanted to use Linux, what they wanted out of it, and we would give
them the layout of the land. Basically, at that time, we had people who
didn't know whether they should use RedHat, Debian, Mandrake, Slackware,
or a BSD. We helped them figure out what was right for them, and maybe
guided them towards our favorites ( ;-) ), but in the end, it helped us to
support them as they started out.
For myself, my expertise in Linux lies with Slackware and OpenBSD. I'm
quite good at getting new users up and running with something like
Slackware. I'm sure that some of you have other experiences with other
distributions. An install fest can be great when we all bring the
appropriate installation disks for a bunch of distros, and then we let the
Users discover which one is right for them. I'd consider the following
just "basic" sets that we would want:
* Ubuntu
* Slackware
* RHEL/Fedora
* Debian
* SUSE Enterprise
* FreeBSD and OpenBSD
That's if there are experienced users who know these distros and are
willing to mentor the new users. I usually find that this helps a lot with
getting new users started. The above distribution represent a fairly broad
range of target users for Linux, but each of them is mature and accessible
to new users because of their stability and documentation (community help,
of course, counts too).
On the other hand, if our New Users have already installed Linux to their
satisfaction, maybe it doesn't make sense for us to have an Install Fest.
One thing I could do is set up a little "Requested Topics" page where
users can submit requests for topics or other items, and people can
"sign-up" to discuss them. I like very informal meetings where people are
all pretty much hacking and playing on their machines, and having a good
time. I'm not as big a fan of the formal presentation thing. I prefer
learning Linux to be interactive and educational.
Aaron W. Hsu
--
A professor is one who talks in someone else's sleep.
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