Does Ubuntu need a "Getting Started" page?

[John Richard Moser]

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Need a second opinion on a bug, before there's a holy war on the bugzilla.

https://launchpad.net/distros/ubuntu/+source/ubuntu-docs/+bug/54501

Does anyone else feel that a new user to Linux might be kind of lost
getting the system working entirely?  MP3s, fonts, media playing in
Firefox.. the like.  I just feel a total newbie is going to not have the
attention span to work through help.ubuntu.com and find their answers.

To find the answers needed, the progression goes like this right now:

 - Open Firefox
 - "You can also find help from the official Ubuntu documentation
    website"
 - https://help.ubuntu.com/
 - Figure out what all these different links are for (Ubuntu, Kubuntu,
   Xubuntu...)
 - https://help.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/desktopguide/C/index.html
 - Make your way to Common Tasks
 - https://help.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/desktopguide/C/common-tasks-chap.html
 - YOU WANT MP3 SUPPORT.
   - Figure out what 'codec' means.
   - https://help.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/desktopguide/C/codecs.html
 - Go away now.
 - Not even think about this later really.
 - https://help.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/desktopguide/C/internet.html if you're
   persistent but now we're asking you to chose between two things you
   don't already know about.

I was thinking more that the front page would have a section called
"Getting Started" that rolled like this:

<< EOF
GETTING STARTED

You can start using Ubuntu right now; but most users may find that they
want to add key features to the system first.  The Ubuntu community has
prepared a _guide for new users_ giving step-by-step, visually aided
instructions for carrying out common customizations.
EOF

This would link to a page that followed a simple progression, perhaps:

<< EOF
<Introduction>

In some cases, Ubuntu cannot ship certain features by default because
<Legal Explanation>.

In cases involving closed or commercial software, <Philosophy>.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 - MP3 support
 - msttcorefonts
 - Skype
 - .....

<Page follows, explains reason why each feature isn't included;
alternatives; and how to install>
EOF

Any comments?  Good idea, bad idea, stupid idea?
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