[Sussex] Promoting SLUG

[Geoffrey Teale]

Steve,

The basic idea is solid, but I do feel knoppix (or better still
Gnoppix!) is a better move than just handing out Debian, willy nilly.

The main issue with Debian for new users is that it doesn't drop you
into a ready set up environment (not quite as bad as Gentoo in this
regard, but pretty rough all the same).  Moreover Debian has the
additional difficulty that many desktop machines built in the last 18
months can be a real pain in the arse to setup with Debian.  It's fine
for an experienced Linux geek - but first impressions of Mandrake, SuSE
or even Fedora are likely to be better, even if the long term experience
is inferior.  Given that the excercise is to promote Linux use and SLUG
attendance please don't go out there with Debian and preach to people
about how great online upgrades are.  Any situation that involves a new
user having to play with the command line before they've worked out how
to get online is likely to give them negative vibes.  Most computer
users who have any serious understanding of how to work at the level
Debian starts you off at have already at least looked at Linux!

Real them in and then preach to them about the benefits of a system like
Debian, Gentoo, Sourcerer, Slackware, Arch.. or whatever..

Knoppix/Gnoppix bypasses this nicely and gives them an install free way
of seeing what Linux is about.

I wonder is Desktop Linux will solve this once and for all and give us
something the Debianites will feel enthusiastic about but which will be
somewhere in this century technology wise and easy for a first timer to
install.