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Re: [LUG] Meeting, thanks. -ideas on promotion / support

 

On 10/05/2010 16:40, Paul Sutton wrote:
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Neil Winchurst wrote:
Eion MacDonald wrote:
On 10/05/10 08:27, Neil Winchurst wrote:
  I am all for helping people to go across to open source software,
but do realise this. It will require a lot of support and time for these
people. It is no good just installing (dual boot?) Linux for them, they
will need a lot of training and *ongoing* support.
It depends on the user, their past experiences with computers or if they
have never used a computer but from an industry where thinking and
problem solving is normal then people can usually figure stuff out.

If we push the training / support too much as in (you need this) it
kinda implies that open source is complex.

  Otherwise they may
well give up and go back to what they know.
Two steps too far at one go!
1) Convert to open-source software for use on their MS Win machine first.
Agreed
2) Then, after they use say Abiword (small docs), OpenOffice.org,
Firefox, Thunderbird with * default save* set to .doc .xls (for school
/company use introduce to Linux.
agreed,

Ok looking at the support we provided on Saturday for Guy,  for whom we
installed ubuntu the month before we should have a look at the sort of
questions that get asked, and use that to help our support.  perhaps Tom
Brough can comment further here.

This is where I agree with tom P that we could create web based how to
files, (i am happy to host on my site btw),  so if say for example like
on saturday we were asked about how to access usb drives or camera
memory cards,  we can produce a set of screen shots / written notes,  on
the web, so have a more useful frequently asked questions section.

If we use Html then as the existing documentation has been done in LaTeX
/ pdf, then conversion is pretty easy,  so printed / pdf documentation
can be produced from that. I guess it also means its easier for people
to access.

I think with the above example its the slight differences in what
happens when you insert a device in to a windows and Linux box.

Paul




- --
Paul Sutton - www.zleap.net
DCGLUG MEETINGS
Next Paignton Lug meet : 3pm Saturday June 5th - Shoreline
Next Holsworthly meet : 2pm Saturday June 19th - White Hart
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Paul,

That is an excellent idea.


John W

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