[NYLoCo] InstallFest - Maybe try Feisty first?

[Exa Byte]

I agree with David Gerbino, the best way to do this for newbies is
Wubi (http://wubi-installer.org/).

A few reasons why:

1. You don't need to backup ANYTHING, as Wubi installs on the windows
NTFS partition and lives there (kind of like VMware but with a live
boot menu). Sure, you can backup if the users asks for it, but it's
optional with WUBI.

2. It is very easily reversible (just use add/remove programs and it's gone).

3.  No partitioning is required (refers to point #1).

4. It allows a very seamless "try before you commit" concept. If they
like it, then those that come back as a subset of the whole can then
have their drives backed up & partitioned and such for a
real-install... But those who don't take to it can leave it very
easily with no follow-up interaction required as most windows users
know how to "add/remove" programs.

The only caveat I'd mention is some disclaimer should be drawn up and
signed by each user getting their systems modified by an Ubuntu
"instructor", just to protect the goodwill of those involved from
those whose response to Linux or someone playing with their system is
unknown. These types of release forms are easy to find on the 'net.

Sandra, I'm looking forward to location details and perhaps any
timeframes you have in mind for this event.

Another suggestion:

Also, WUBI is so easy to use, we could offer a webcast or a create a
desktop-video illustrating how to install WUBI, complete with
email/irc/maillist links for the newbies to use to reach us for
support which may simplify getting the message out since it would not
be limited to a single event, but an ongoing HowTo forum that
encourages participation in the online community (and could also
graduate to in-person LUG meetings).

Regards!

Bossmanbeta.

On 10/8/07, Brian <bneil at rochester.rr.com> wrote:
> On Mon, 08 Oct 2007 19:20:07 -0400
> Steven Day <steven.day at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > Well instead of pecking and hunting for the data to backup, perhaps
> > you can backup everything that isn't the windows system folder and
> > program files (and the pagefile.sys) and you should get about a
> > couple of gigs of stuff, some important, a lot not. That can later be
> > restored under a fresh install and stuff can be moved over or the
> > folder structure kept for legacy purposes. Most of the stuff will
> > usually be under c:\documents and settings\...
> >
> > Another thing one may do is possibly set up a dual boot and use the
> > migration manager and later discard the partition or keep it for
> > legacy purposes.
> >
> > On 10/8/07, Sandra Greer <aratinga77 at verizon.net> wrote:
> > >
> > > I have a virginal still-in-wrapper 120GB Western Digital IDE we
> > > could use. I was going to put my next Ubuntu on it, but I'll get it
> > > back, right? People seem to have about 10GB of valuable crap such
> > > as baby pictures and downloaded music. Not to mention homework, but
> > > that doesn't take much space. Finding it is quite  challenging.
> > > Most of my "customers" have pen drives for the latest homework and
> > > stuff. Some of them have writable CDs.
> > >
> > > Sandy
> > > On Oct 8, 2007, at 4:26 PM, Zach Stern wrote:
> > >
> > > True, also we may need a massive amount of space to perform backups
> > > with on-site. As nice as it sounds to ask people to back up before
> > > coming . . . most people don't even know how to do that. They may
> > > not realize its as simple as burning their files to a CD or copying
> > > them to an external hard drive. They may also not have those things
> > > (CDs, Burners, or an External Hard Drive).
> > >
> > > I've got a 4-drive external enclosure we can use, but its currently
> > > full. I can take the drives out, and we can pop four IDE drives of
> > > any size into it and viola, massive USB 2.0 backup.
> > >
> > > On 10/8/07, Karlie Robinson <karlie at webpath.net> wrote:
> > > >
> > > > Sandra Greer wrote:
> > > > > Actually, David Quist has a good point. What we can do is maybe
> > > > > do some house calls first, trying Gutsy and then reverting to
> > > > > Feisty if that doesn't work, and making good notes on the
> > > > > reasons and configurations found in the wild. We would then
> > > > > have a knowledge base for hardware drivers. The InstallFest
> > > > > could take place with people coming in with a list of
> > > > > peripherals, and we could go with a conservative approach. We
> > > > > also want to recruit junior geeks to be the local experts where
> > > > > they live.
> > > > >
> > > > > The most important thing is for people to show up with all their
> > > > > important stuff (pictures, homework) backed up to something. We
> > > > > want them to like us afterward!
> > > > >
> > > > > Sandra
>
> I wish you guys the best of luck with your install fest and hope we can
> organize something like that for the Rochester region.I'm going to play
> devil's advocate for a minute though.Having the ability to do backups
> for people on site is a nice touch but it would also be a pretty taxing
> experience for those doing the backups.Not to mention it's a risky
> proposition that might get you in trouble.
>
> I'd suggest that you forewarn people to backup their own data just in
> case murphy's law rears it's ugly head.If people are okay with possibly
> losing data then you should probably have them sign something to that
> effect beforehand.No good deed goes unpunished.
>
> Having said that though if you do offer data backup you should probably
> use a central machine preferably with a raid array to make backups for
> multiple machines to cut down on time spent on the task.Setting up a
> machine that runs a partimage server and using sysrescuecd comes to mind
> as a means to save all the data to dvd sized image files for each
> computer.It boots from a livecd and given some time and effort you
> could probably customize the livecd to backup everything without human
> interaction.Have the people that plan on getting backups done
> defragment their machines beforehand to make it go faster as well.
>
> That way less resources are spent on backing up which is something we
> should all do anyway (yeh right) and more time can be spent teaching
> people about the value of Ubuntu/Linux.Please don't take this the wrong
> way.I'm all for showing people a better way to computing through linux.
>
> Brian
>
> P.S.
> If anyone downstate has any ideas about helping us get this project:
> http://main.newyork-ubuntu.com/Main/RochesterRefurbish
> off the ground we would love to hear them.We've got a Proliant server
> we're currently playing around with testing an LTSP setup and we can
> possibly get some older Sun Enterprise 450 machines but no room to
> store them yet.Any offers of help/advice are welcome. ;-)
>
>
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