[SLUG] Library display

[Al Girling]

John Allsopp wrote:

--%<-- 

> > Al Girling wrote:
> > ¹ This leads me to something which has frequently worries me when talk
> > of getting new users raises itself.
> >
> > In the event of having an information board at the library, someone
> > contacts the group asking to have a distro installed either as dual
> > boot
> > or as a single install.  Who within the group has sufficient
> > confidence/knowledge to go to someones house and do this?  Or do we
> > suggest that an interested person take a set of discs and attempt to
> > install it themselves?  I see the second option as a recipe for
> > failure
> > and another anti-linux MS devote.
> 
> Last time we discussed this I think Steve felt confident enough to do
> that. I was thinking along the lines of getting them to back up their
> system before we do anything, and then maybe even getting them to sign
> something acknowledging that, basically, we are interested amateurs
> and you can't sue the person wot did it. Probably going too far, but
> considering we'd be doing it for free it's probably the only way I'd
> be prepared to work, personally.

Backup's are definitely needed.  I think getting them to sign a
liability waiver good too.

> Also .. go to someone's house? I think this is why there are install
> days. At someone's house you can be accused of stealing, of sexual
> harassment .. anything could happen. There's no history of dealing
> with the person we're visiting. It's one thing turning up as the gas
> man, an employee with all your insurance and everything, it's quite
> another being part of an amateur group. I'm definitely overstating the
> problem, but for me it would be an issue. The risk may be small, but
> the impact of an accusation like that would be large.
 
All very good points.  I was thinking of the most effective way of
installing an OS rather than the possible legal consequences of going to
someone's house.

> An installation at a group meeting would also benefit from the
> community mind .. if the installer gets stuck they could shout for
> suggestions from the group.

Very true.  Although I've seen it turn into something of a chimps tea
party in the past.  Also you're unlikely to get all peripherals attached
during the install.  Some may say this shouldn't present problems as a
newby should be willing to learn.  I'll just ask how frustrated did you
get installing Redhat, and is everything working now John?  We must avoid
the "I installed Linux, but couldn't even get my
scanner/printer/webcam/digital camera to work with it so I binned it!"
comments heard all to frequently.

Please don't think I've deliberately set out to be negative, I'm just
concerned that a method be in place to deal with someone asking to have
Linux installed.  It seems to me we need:

1. Someone willing to be the installer (Steve?  Although this seems
rather unfair, others should be willing to do this too).

2. Somewhere to do the install.  Preferably with an Internet connection.

3. Liability waiver form.

4. A distro to become familiar with installing.  York are using Ubunto
this year.  Seems very popular.  Suggestions?  

5. Some way to get hardware info about the machine for the installation.
is there an equivalent to 'lshw' in the windows world?  Get this
beforehand to check hardware and driver availability.

6. Practice sessions to trial this.

7. Really part of 5 but be able to say I'm sorry but your scanner etc
isn't supported under Linux and explain why.  Perhaps offer to show an
alternative working. So they don't go away thinking scanners etc don't
work with Linux.

8. Anything I've not thought of for now.

I realise this sounds like preparation for an install-fest, but I do
feel that it's necessary unless you're happy with sending people off
with discs to do their own install.  Which I believe will too often
result in failure and another unhappy user.

I hope this is seen as constructive.

Al

-- 

Al Girling

GPG: key ID 0xD826BCE9
Home page:                  <http://al.sdf-eu.org>
Linux User: #290080         <http://counter.li.org>
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