[CoLoCo] new t-shirt / help idea

[Michael "TheZorch" Haney]

I'm new here and I'm new to Linux, but I am also a 10 year veteran of IT 
support ... in the Windows world.  But, from my experience people want 
support websites to be easy to use.  They love AJAX and flock towards 
anything that smells of Web 2.0 (which is basically AJAX).  I also like 
the URL that was suggested:

http://www.freeyourcomputer.org

On that site not only have a support forum but also include;

1. A How-To Guide which will be updated regularly with different things 
from how to recompile a kernel to how to install a Windows program using 
Wine.  Perhaps use Youtube-style videos showing how certain things can 
be done.
2. A comprehensive and interactive glossary of "every" (X.org and 
console command)  program on Ubuntu with explanations of what it does 
and how to use it in plain-easy-to-understand language.
3. Linux news headlines from sites like Linux Today and DistroWatch.
4. An explanation of how the GPL license works in plain English.
5. A download section feature high profile Linux OSS projects like GIMP, 
OpenOffice.org, Firefox, and others.
6. Have the site act as a mirror for the Ubuntu ISO files and provide 
links for the different versions, with plain-English explanations of 
what is different about each one.
7. Prominently display a testimonial section where visitors to the site 
can leave messages of how much they like using Ubuntu, because word of 
mouth advertisement is sometimes more effective than TV or print 
advertisement.
8. Offer online Ubuntu classes for new users so they can learn all of 
the things they can do with the OS.  I think there's a TeamSpeak client 
for Linux, if there is setup a TeamSpeak server on the machine that will 
handle the website.  This will be used specifically for online classes.
9. Whenever a new version of an OSS project comes out for Linux do 
reviews of those software, say like when the GIMP.org releases a new 
version or when there's a new version of MPlayer or when KDE releases a 
new improved verrsion of their window manager.
10. Create a monthly or bi-weekly newletter to sent out to members who 
sign up on the website about any new features on the site, recent news, 
or improvements to existing features.

Above all make it easy for people to understand making them feel like 
you're talking down to them.  Create the right formula and you'll have 
one hell of a website for not only supporting Linux and Ubuntu in 
general but for promoting the use of Linux and making it easy for 
newcomers to get used to it.

-- 
Michael "TheZorch" Haney
thezorch at gmail.com
http://thezorch.googlepages.com/home
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