[Ubuntu-be] Custom CDs

[Snulkid]

Hi all

My LUG LiLiT was yesterday in Awans (Liege suburbs) for an Install Party 
opening the local "Fête de l'Internet". So there are now a few more 
human beings running Ubuntu (or Mandriva 2007 ;-). Speaking with 
"not-so-computer-literate-people", it really appears that "zero effort" 
is a key to success for these people to migrate to GNU/Linux.
Of course, "Ubuntu is great" ((TM) ploum) for this purpose, especially 
with the new live+install desktop CD; we tell them to come to Install 
Parties, and to come again if they have a problem. But it is not 
enough, especially if we want these people to spread the word (and the 
CD) to their friends.

Some thoughts :
* we cannot be sure they can get internet access when using or install 
the CD. Sometimes they just don't have internet at all (too expensive, 
already available at work, etc.), or it is "reserved" to their main 
computer (running Windows), or they have some "problematic" usb modem.
* many people (especially Walloons, as you know ;-) cannot deal with a 
language other than their mother tongue. The fact that Ubuntu can be 
installed in dozens of different languages with the same CD is useless 
for them. We even got a complaint from someone who got the ubuntu CD 
and then was told that french packages were not included.
* perception of what is a problem is very subjective. For example, I am 
very concerned that people could mess up their Windows with an install 
CD. But so far, we never get such complaints. The usual complaint is 
"it doesn't work" or "Explanations given on the internet are too 
complicated or did not work for me". My present feeling is : people 
admit computer problems when they have been warmed, but if they get 
lost without understandable reason, they will give up and go back to 
Windows. So opening a dialog box with a clear explanation could be more 
useful than giving (or, at least, only giving) a link to an howto page 
that 90% of these people won't use anyway..
* when opened under Windows, the desktop CD offers to install some free 
softwares for Windows. Great... but in English :-(

So you guess it, this leads me to ask for customized CDs again. Maybe I 
am wrong and probably I/we can make bad choices, so :

* I tried to find a way for a stupid newbie like me to make custom CDs. 
On https://help.ubuntu.com/community/LiveCDCustomization/6.06
I found a comment about UCK :
http://uck.sourceforge.net/
https://launchpad.net/uck/
who looks dead simple according to :
http://uck.sourceforge.net/screenshots

There was an article laudating Ubuntu in February issue of Linux 
magazine US, where they mention Reconstructor :
http://reconstructor.aperantis.com/

What do you think of these solutions ?

* if ubuntu-be goes this way, I think custom CDs should be *tested* on 
computer-illiterate people because burning or pressing them in great 
quantities : what they don't understand, what they don't find, what is 
missing, etc. I think it is far more important than having the CD 
available for some deadline.
Testing should include installing on Windows and empty computers as 
well.
Question : is such testing already made for the standard ubuntu CDs ?

* people should be welcomed and informed in their language. Even if they 
are not connected, they should find information about ubuntu-be, LUGs, 
and even friendly computer stores or cyberspaces.

That was my Sunday 0.02 EUR
Have a nice day in Kortrijk :-)
-- 
Snulkid
-----
Liégeois, ne laissez pas défigurer votre centre-ville!!
http://www.liege21e.levillage.org/