On Wed December 6 2006 4:35 am, John Andersen skratched these words onto a coconut shell, hoping for an answer:
On Wednesday 06 December 2006 00:20, Dominique Leuenberger wrote:
Sorry, but that is true for the advanced tech geek that will anyhow find it's infos in the web. Just about 3 month ago, my sister converted from Win to Linux (ok: I persuaded her). She did the installation by HER SELF, following the manual. Of course, afterwards there were some questions coming.. but the manual that she had in front of her did a great job and there was nothing to wonder about.
But, again, Dominique, she probably only needed a Getting Started manual, how to install, how to connect to the net, etc. Thirty pages max, with the first 10 just covering getting installed.
The effort of Suse is wasted if it is plowed into chopping down trees to mail them around the world in the form of cellulose bricks, which are read once (if at all) and tossed.
Put that same material on the web (ok use a wiki if you must), and it can be kept up to date by the community. Maybe have a copy of all of this on the DVD or a separate CDrom for people who don't want to (or can not) get at the web pages. For the rest of us, a big fat icon on the desktop is all we need.
Then all you need to do is give people enough of a paper manual to get the thing installed. I guess you haven't ever had something nasty happen where you *can't* get to the web, but must do for XYZ emergency reason? We have had the telcos out for a month or more ( computer works, no net cuz, well , no dsl or modem or ???? ) Even a nice large sized genny won't help if there is no net access in an emergency.
IF you *NEED* the info, you usually need it asap. Most of us don't devour manuals as reading material. Tho I have on occasion, I don't usually have time, and do have a reading list that is pretty heavy anyway. But when you need to get under the hood, and can't get email or get to the web in any fashion you do *need* that heavy brick of a book that was a pleasure to read. There once was a not too involved getting started book and what was called The Administrator's Handbook.. tho you would have needed large hands to hold it long ! Nicely indexed as well, w/ some linux basics for those of us starting out. Mainly concerning the "linux way " of doing things, and it's how many of us learned not to be insulting, let alone insulted by things said on this list. No real place for that info any more I guess . World is much to P.C. Nevermind.. I can't wait to get a shipped version. This dled version will be good enough to be going on w/ til then . I'm sure we will hear lots of install stories between this day and when boxes start arriving on doorsteps. One can almost wax nostalgic about the days we all raced to be the first to install and post reports.. there were often reports of " My box set was just delivered, will report tomorrow on how it went" etc. ;) -- j like the gecko behind the painting w/ hidden wisdom to impart. In a world that needs more dancing, she's a hula girl at heart. Photographs show she is lovely. Her bare feet are a work of art. her fragrance speaks of frangipani and, she's still a hula girl at heart. -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org