[lug] who's teaching linux newbies? / best resources for newbies?

[Nate Duehr]

Oh well... to try to keep this on Linux topics tonight...

How many folks on the list are involved in teaching Linux or introducing 
it to folks completely unfamiliar with Unix/Linux on the list here?

I help a whole lot of Ham Radio operators through getting their feet wet 
with Linux through involvement in a number of projects, mainly IRLP 
(www.irlp.net), and I'm regularly floored when I run into folks who 
simply don't know things like *Google* are even "out there" on the big 
ol' Internet.  Seriously.

One of the big difficulties of one of the mailing lists I moderate is 
that we set the rule that "basic linux questions should be taken 
elsewhere to keep this list on-topic"... for one of the Ham Radio to 
VoIP gateway toys I play with.  (www.irlp.net)

In fairness, we always still post links found from Google, and mention 
how they were found... Or www.tldp.org... Or LinuxGazette...  Or any of 
what is probably "usual" Linux hangouts for the BLUG group... when 
people ask "Linux questions" of the list, but we also try to steer them 
to ways they can find the information themselves.

It's really quite surprising how many people have never even seen these 
things!  Google!  Of all things not to know about!  I don't think I'd 
survive!  (And the panels in the User Friendly comic strip a few weeks 
back about Google being down were hilarious... a couple weeks back at 
www.userfriendly.org, if you missed 'em.)

I always recommend they try to find a local LUG if one exists or hunt 
around for a friendly "online" one if they're somewhere no LUG is up and 
going... but the whole "community" thing seems to sometimes freak out 
even long-time computer users who have never "done Linux" before.  Just 
  a little bit.

"Meet people who use an operating system?!  Why would I want to do THAT? 
  I'm not some kind of operating system guru or huge super-mega-geek!"

Or at least that might be the general feel I get from a lot of folks.

Quite odd, when you've seen both sides of that fence.  I can almost see 
why they might feel that way, and then I think about the fact that there 
are so many AMAZING people hanging around even medium-sized groups like 
BLUG or CLUE... I'd never give up trying to FIND such resourceful people 
if I hadn't found them already!

Anyway... I thought I'd ask the guru gang here... what's the absolute 
"best" web-based source of information you point all the Linux and Unix 
newbies in your little sphere of influence towards?

To start the discussion off... here's the "Linux Resources" section of 
one of our unofficial documents for new "node" owners...


---- EXCERPT FROM IRLP NODE OWNERS MANUAL ----

Linux Resources

You will not be able to administer a linux-based computer with only a 
Windows or Mac background.  It's easier to do serious damage in linux 
[as user root] than it is in Windows.  The small investment in a book on 
linux will pay for itself many times over in averted frustration. As 
Pete VK2YX wrote, "No one in IRLP wants you to become an expert UNLESS 
you want to become one.. HOWEVER there are a few things you SHOULD learn 
before you throw your hands up in the air... I personally think we take 
for granted the amount of time we spent playing with DOS and 
understanding bits n pieces about Windows...to understand Linux, you 
need to have the same approach, it will come over time and not without 
making mistakes  !!! The linux how-to's are absolutely SPLENDID. 
Bookmark the page !! Linux GURU's STILL refer to the how-to's."

If you're not familiar with linux or unix, please get at least one 
introductory book published by O'Reilly, Que or IDG.

VE1FSM recommends a Que publication called Using Linux -- ISBN 
0-7897-1623-2, http://www.quecorp.com

WY0X recommends "The Purple Book" -- actually called Unix System 
Administration Handbook by Evi Nemeth as an EXCELLENT Unix resource (and 
has been for many many years)... now covers differences between Linux, 
Sun Solaris, HP-UX, and BSD Unix as they come along in the chapters on 
various system administration topics. ISBN: 0130206016, Publisher: 
Prentice-Hall.  Make sure you get the 3rd Edition, in the purple cover. 
Everyone used to call this book the "Red Book", after IBM's old system 
manuals and the color of the 2nd Ed. cover. It's not an inexpensive 
book... but if you're REALLY interested in having a great all-around 
Unix reference, this is it.

KH6GMP says this is another excellent one for researching for Linux new 
guys: http://www.dsl.org/cookbook/cookbook_toc.html

 From Paul VE3SY: "since most mainstream Linux commands are used in Unix 
I found the very elementary book UNIX for DUMMIES to be invaluable as a 
starting point at navigating around the basic command line."  However 
N4JDW found "Linux for Dummies" to be GUI-oriented, which wasn't helpful 
for IRLP nodes running the text (non-graphic) interface.

I also recommend that you find a (local) Linux Users Group (LUG) and 
subscribe to their listserver.  You will be amazed how much you can 
learn just by reading what other linux users are talking about. 
(http://www.redhat.com/apps/community/LUG/#lug)

WE4B likes: http://homepage.powerup.com.au/~squadron/linuxmanual.pdf, 
http://www.oreillynet.com/linux/cmd/, http://www.ctssn.com/ and 
http://linux.ittoolbox.com/

IRLP "Tip of the Week" for new linux users: http://tow.irlp.net

The answers to most linux questions are thoroughly documented on the 
internet, so for the most part they won't be addressed again here. Also 
try searching for files, terms and topics on the internet at
http://www.google.com
http://www.linux.org.au/LDP/
http://gibsons.future.easyspace.com/LinuxGuide/
http://www.linuxdoc.org
http://www.unixguide.net/linux/linuxshortcuts.shtml
http://www.simplythebest.net/info/linux.html
http://www.linuxnewbie.org
http://www.linux.org/docs/index.html
http://www.linux.com/learn/
http://rute.sourceforge.net/

---------------------------------------

Any glaring omissions?  I see one error in there... they have the 
Australian mirror for LDP in that list, but the group's very 
international, so that's okay...

I'm WY0X in that list, by the way... had to plug the locally produced 
book, OF COURSE!  Ahh... the joys of helping out the local economy.  At 
least Evi can spend those millions and millions in royalties into the 
local market now, eh?  :-)  LOL!

-- 
Nate Duehr, nate at natetech.com

"A mind is like a parachute--you should open it only in certain
very specific life-threatening situations." - Frank Willison