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Re: water, water everywhere, but not a drop to drink.



On Wed, 11 Apr 2001, Kevin Stokes wrote:

> >and kevin, when the light goes on, and all the fog clears,
> imagine how much hair-pulling you'll save the next poor soul if
> you document what you learned... hmm?<
>
> Ahh, but I'm not a Linux or Free-Software devotee.

This is where you lose the sympathy of a lot of people.  You've identified
a problem and you want other people to spend their time and energy on it
but you're not willing to spend any yourself.  Will suggested an eminently
sensible solution, you said you couldn't be bothered.

  I would guess that the
> Linux community doesn't just write software and doc for themselves;  They
> would want their OS to grow and spread far and wide.   As I understand it,
> the developers would want more people to use it, even if those people didn't
> become disciples of Free Software themselves.
>

Not parasites.  They have my official permission to keep using other OS's.

>   I am one of them.  I resurrected an older machine and plopped a cheap HD
> from Ebay in it.   I wanted to install Linux on it and then apache, and try
> running a little web server with my cable modem.   I did not want to become
> a Linux Guru, although I am very open to the idea of using Linux more often.
> However, it has been two weeks, and I've barely got Linux up and running.
> Any attempt at fiddling ends in long hours of searching websites, email
> archives and ends with begging for help from strangers via email.
>

Do they have bookstores where you are from?  Last time I went to my local
Borders, they had sheleves of books on Linux including some at the newbie
level and some specifically about setting up web servers.  Most seem to be
Red Hat oriented but there's some Debian ones too.  If you jump into any
subject headfirst it's bound to be difficult to make progress.  Wouldn't
a more systematic approach make more sense?

>    Yes, I could write good newbie doc.  But I'm extremely busy with my own
> stuff,

Awwww...

> and have spent far to much time on postings about this anyway.   I
> realize that my words aren't going to turn the lights on by themselves.  But
> perhaps over time as more newbies vocalize their suprise at the lack of any
> offical information directed at their level, one of the devotees will decide
> to reapportion the Linux development effort a little.  Not because they want
> to help the poor helpless newbies, but because by reapportioning the group
> effort, the group could come closer to accomplishing their goal.
>

Documentation requires nothing more than a basic command of English (or
other languages let's not forget the international audience)  and a
willingness to write down what you did to solve a particular problem.  As
more people do that, it will get easier and easier for future newbies.

The concept that seems to be eluding you is that YOU are as much a part of
the group as Linus Torvalds himself.  There is no coordinator or central
body who says we're going to spend x amount of time on this or that.
People who are involved in Linux do so either because it amuses them or to
fulfill some need.  You've identified a problem, do something about it!


-- 
Jaldhar H. Vyas <jaldhar@debian.org>




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