[SLUG] Linux courses

[Adams, Jamie]

First of all, my apologies for the late reply.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Al Girling [mailto:al21 at firenet.uk.com]
> Sent: Wednesday, December 11, 2002 1:13 PM
> To: scarborough at mailman.lug.org.uk
> Subject: Re: [SLUG] Linux courses
> 
> On Wednesday 11 Dec 2002 9:51 am, Adams, Jamie wrote:
> > Al, what was that other training course you were doing a few months
ago?
> > Maybe I could put a link to these on the website somewhere.
> 
> Good idea Jamie.  I can't help but feel that getting people started in
> Linux
> is probably it's biggest failing.  The help I've received from this
group
> and
> YLUG have been invaluable, but as a complete newbie I find searching
the
> net
> and documentation extremely frustrating.  But then you all know that.
:)
> 
> I've been very close many times to junking it and returning M$.  :(
It's
> only
> because it's pretty obvious what advantages Linux offers that I've
stuck
> with
> it.  Even though I struggle so badly.  At the end of the day though,
it's
> purely self-inflicted.  I don't have to use an OS produced and run by
> enthusiastic volenteers.  But anyway, you asked about the course.
[Jamie said ....] 

I agree completely.

When I first started, I really had no clue what I was doing at all. And
I wasn't as aware as I am now what excellent help there is out there. I
ditched it many times and went back to Windows. Sometimes it isn't
apparent straight away to people what advantages Linux offers to them.

Someone once said to me that using Linux is not like learning to drive a
new car. Its like learning how to drive all over again. It involves a
responsibility to educate yourself, as well as others.

> 
> The course your refering to is hosted by Henry White.  For details and
> enrolement go to http://blt.basiclinux.net  It's very intensive but
has a
> mailing list and irc for help.
> 
> One of the things that the course does is get you to create a glossary
of
> terms.  I've found this quite helpfull.  Maybe we could have one
available
> on
> the SLUG site.  I'd like to be involved in the process of putting
together
> a
> searchable database for a glossary of terms if someone was willing to
put
> me
> in the right direction.  After all there's no better way of learning
than
> doing!  Ian's PHP thing perhaps?
[Jamie said ....] 

Sounds like a good idea to me. Though I have no idea how this can be
implemented. If you want to do the ground work, I would certainly be
happy to have it integrated within the site. Maybe we can turn this into
some sort of project?

> 
> Other stuff for the site could be a link to the Linux counter page at
> http://counter.li.org  Get yourselves counted.  So far North Yorkhire
> lists
> 16 people.  I'm sure we can improve that.

[Jamie said ....] 
I will add a link on the next update with a small blurb.

> 
> Also a for sale/wanted page.

[Jamie said ....] 
There is a mailing list hosted by lug.org.uk that provides a place for
people to advertise their wants and sales. Im of the opinion that if we
had a dedicated page on the website, it would spend most of its life
blank. Or am I way out on this?

> 
> How about links to on-line tutorials people come across.  I've
recently
> started http://www.honors.montana.edu/~jjc/easytut/easytut/  Which is
a
> non-programmers guide to Python.  Very Good!  For me anyway.

[Jamie said ....] 
This is in the pipeline already, check out the Help page on the website,
this is slowly turning into more of a links page and will be renamed
soon when I have the rest of the links up. I will include all of the
ones you have just suggested.

> 
> YLUG have recently started doing book reviews which would be good.
But
> maybe
> we should be linking up with them for something like that?

[Jamie said ....] 
Yeah, I don't see the point in duplicating their work. But if we include
a link from our website to their reviews or something, maybe that would
suffice? I don't see any reason why Scarborough LUG members cannot post
book reviews to the York LUG if they wish.

> 
> It seems to me that there's lots can be done and I wanted to put some
> ideas
> forward for the new year.

[Jamie said ....] 
This is exactly what is needed to keep the group moving. There is a lot
of work to do before we have got to the stage where we really do
something useful, but it requires time and motivation from people and
that is sadly sometimes lacking, including from myself.

Thanks for the suggestions Al, keep them coming (that goes for the rest
of you too!)

Jay

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