I Need a Mentor

[Keenan Windel]

On Mon, 2007-09-10 at 16:14 +0100, Phil Bull wrote:
> Hi Keenan,
> 
> That's great, welcome aboard!
> 
> This morning, my grandad used a computer for the first time. I spent
> half an hour teaching him how to use a mouse and keyboard, showing him
> how to click things, close things, drag objects and so on. I can't be
> there all of the time to help him, though, so I thought about buying him
> a book which covers the most basic concepts of computer use.
> 
> Unfortunately, it seems that all of these books only cover Windows,
> which is no good to my grandad (he's using Ubuntu, of course). The
> Ubuntu books on the market which I know of are pitched at more
> experienced users too.
> 
> Would you be interested in helping to write an 'Ubuntu for Absolute
> Beginners' guide? This would require considerable discussion and
> planning, and we'd only go ahead with it if other people in the Doc Team
> thought it was worthwhile. However, I think that it could be a valuable
> addition to the user documentation if we made a good job of it, and
> would have some benefit in allowing first-time computer users to start
> with Ubuntu instead of Windows.
> 
> What do you think?
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Phil
> 

Phil,
I think this is a great idea. I actually have a couple of books for
Linux and Ubuntu beginners, but, as you observe, these books assume that
you have some experience with an operating system. The available
literature is aimed at individuals who wish to migrate from Windows, but
I've never seen a book for absolute beginners to computers. You've got a
wonderful idea, and I'd like to help in any way I can.

I think such a guide would be a good addition to existing documentation
for a couple of reasons. Imagine how intimidated one would feel to
encounter a computer and operating system for the first time without
assistance from either a more computer-savvy individual or a guidebook!
It would be nearly impossible to get started. And there is also a
genuine need for this sort of guide: Ubuntu, from what I understand
about it, aims, not to make profits and deal exclusively in sectors
where enormous profits can be made, but instead to move into all regions
of the globe, including regions that are largely ignored by proprietary
software companies. Many people around the globe have never used a
computer, much less Ubuntu, and it would make sense to write a
straightforward guide that explains, in as simple terms as possible, the
very basics of using an operating system.

Anyway, if this forum wants to get such a project started, you can count
me in.

Thanks for the reply, Phil, and best of luck to your granddad in getting
started with Ubuntu.

Keenan