Helping new users - basic starts and attitudes

[Robert L Cochran]

Anyway, when RHL was touring for the IBM sponsored tour for RHL8, 
someone mentioned a local LUG at the meeting/demonstration.

I went to see the Red Hat Tour bus when it went to Northern Virginia. 
Like you, I came away realizing I'd benefit if I joined a Linux Users 
Group.

> I joined the local LUG and then when reading messages related to beta 
> testing, I joined up for the Phoebe test lists. I have found that 
> these lists expose a person to a wealth of information on Linux in 
> general and gently steer users in the right direction. As a list with 
> many different personalities and with so many different methods for 
> resolving issues, there are bound to be personality conflicts and 
> opinions that one should know more than what another expects a person 
> longer exposed to Liux to think.
>
Yes I agree. One good thing about the current list membership makeup is 
that I believe it is showing a heavy influx of new users. This is a 
welcome change, because it means acceptance of Linux is spreading. The 
older mailing lists seemed to have very few active users posting. I had 
always thought Linux needs to be more GUI driven in order to attract a 
larger base of users and thereby achieve broader consumer and political 
support. The important people really are the new users who try out Linux 
and decide the OS is good enough for them.

> Basically, I think the list is a great help to others and has taught 
> me a quite a lot about the Lnux computer environment. Hopefully, new 
> users and ling time users can take these factors for people in their 
> general thoughts and avoid conflicts with each other that can degrade 
> one for asking a question for guidance.

Many of the people posting to this list have experience and know-how I 
consider enviable. I try hard to learn from them. I'm sure many others 
sift the list messages for useful stuff just as I do. Helping the new 
users is very, very, very important to expanding acceptance of Linux in 
general. You never know -- the post you are reading might be from your 
neighbor next door, your significant other, or a family member without 
your realizing it. Using the Golden Rule really helps here.

Bob