[ubuntu-uk] IT Idiots cover introducing Linux.

[Alan Pope]

On Mon, Feb 05, 2007 at 12:09:42PM +0000, Robin Menneer wrote:
> On 2/5/07, Alan Pope <alan at popey.com> wrote:
> >
> >On Mon, Feb 05, 2007 at 10:44:02AM +0000, Robin Menneer wrote:
> >> Useless to me, a beginner.  Concepts  are too advanced and gappy in
> >> presentation.  Nevertheless a well-intentioned try which should be
> >> encouraged.
> >>
> >
> >Ok, so what *would* be useful to you as a beginner?
> Oh dear, where do I start ?
> 

Oh-oh. Sounds ominous.

> I've only had ubuntu a few months and am enjoying it more than I have any
> other system.

Fantastic, that's a good start :)

> I started with a Commodore Pet when it first came out as
> being freedom from the main frame, and have kept away from Windows since it
> started.

That's some achievement. Many people find it difficult avoiding Windows - especially in the workplace.

> Like many other retireds, I am involved in voluntary work which requires
> little more than Open Office backed by a friendly file manager.   But we use
> photos (you can see the direction we are going at www.cornishedges.com) and
> find we can cope with iphoto (on the other machine), it's a brilliantly
> simple and effective program.   Am looking for a ubuntu substitute for it
> because I don't want to be tied to apple any more than I can help.

Ok, I'd suggest either f-spot or digikam. Both are very iPhoto-like in operation. Not complex like the GIMP.

>  Gimp
> (the newer version) looks promising but is much too complicated for my
> greenhorn missus who does a lot with pictures.

Out of interest what do you do with them? Resizing and cropping or full on editing?

> As with most other people, I want to expand my expertise but to limit the
> demands on my skill to a drag-and-drop kind of application install, or a
> double-click.  The ubuntu add-and-remove facility is brilliant, and t'would
> be wonderful if all the proven applications (as bug-free as is reasonable)
> could be obtained off the web using the add/remove for access to a
> hierarchically arranged (and/or spot-lighted to 7 keyword description) list
> of packages (all thousands of them ?). 

The Linspire people are doing exactly this with their "click and run" [0] system. I have not used it with ubuntu but 
they claim Ubuntu is a supported platform.

> A thickie-trapped procendure is
> necessary. 

Heh, clearly not PC but I know what you mean. 

> Anything that requires the entry of code via the terminal is
> out.

I totally agree. In my opinion the terminal should be avoided at all costs. Whenever giving support I try to coach 
people to use the GUI rather than the terminal. It is of course faster for some "experts" to use the command line now 
and then, and will be more flexible in some cases, but for the newbie I don't think they "need" to see it.

> My brain is too addled and ancient to try to forget Fortran and DOS
> and to use the terminal, tempting though it is.  I don't want to risk
> chewing up the installation by  pressing the wrong key.

This is something i have heard time and time again for many years. "If I press the wrong button I might break it". 
Clearly you can break a computer from the command line as you can from within a friendly GUI, but the command line 
with its obscure incantations can make this somewhat easier to achieve unfortunately, especially if you are just 
typing commands barked at you by an admin person.

> I gather that ubuntu is generally regarded as the entry point for linux - I
> came in via Suse which I dumped when they got tied up with Novell, getting a
> mac mini (I couldn't resist the price) in addition to my 6 year old PC
> laptop.  Yet I get the impression that other versions of linux may be
> superior.  I only want the best and must rely on the linux world to guide
> me, not to confuse me  - which is what is happening now.
> Is the above any use as a start ?   I'm happy to help.  Regards, Robin
> 

Thanks for the input, very helpful. I always like to hear how non-experts are getting on with Ubuntu, and what their 
challenges are. 

Cheers,
Al.