Fw: [clug] beginners path

[Dave Upton]

Hi Cluggers

I am a new user and I am still coming tonight. 
I looked for linux users groups and found this one.  No others but this
one.  Maybe if I had explored PCUG I might have seen their support.

Personally if you guys aren't going to help and you ARE the LUG then what hope is there for us newbies.  

I
came to Linux to get out of the Windows trap and I like my decision. 
What will turn me away is not finding help.  I search forums and all
manner of help sites to try and figure out my problems and have managed
to fix a few.  However typing some obscure command in the terminal
without explanation might fix the problem but it goes nowhere to
furthering my understanding so I can figure stuff out for myself one
day.

It is a culture shock.  Things that used to work no longer
do.  Making them work is not easy.  Finding someone who knows Linux and
can explain it in almost plain English is not easy either.  If I can't
sort it out myself that was my hope for this group that someone might
take the time to explain it in understandable terms.

Form an advanced LUG but don't fob off the newbies because without newbies there won't be any advanced users one day.

Newbie Dave

PS

My apologies to Lana as I only sent this to her originally.



________________________________
From: Lana Brindley <lanabrindley at gmail.com>
To: jm <jeffm at ghostgun.com>
Cc: linux at lists.samba.org
Sent: Thursday, 23 April, 2009 11:14:55 AM
Subject: Re: Fw: [clug] beginners path

2009/4/23 jm <jeffm at ghostgun.com>

> Subject changed to reflect content.
>
> Forked this thread to address the topic. The other issue is the issue of
> list spam. The over lap is wheather this discourages beginners. However,
> this is moot if we don't hove beginners in the first place.


Thanks Jeff.


>
>
> Lana Brindley wrote:
>
>> It's not difficult. It's because people need help getting started. It's
>> because of LUGs like
>> this one deciding they are too elitist to help with newbies. It's because
>> of
>> the lack of
>> assistance people get from a list that they have been recommended to as a
>> good
>> resource.
>>
>>
>>
>
> Is there currently a good path for beginners to linux in Canberra?


If there is, I don't know about it. That doesn't mean it doesn't exist.


>
>
> Is this well known and publicised, eg on the clug.org.au website and else
> where?
>

See above.


>
> Does it tie in with the other actions of clug?


This would be better addressed by someone other than myself. I don't attend
meetings for a number of reasons, which I can expound upon at length, but
won't.


>
>
> If PCUG direct heavy/advance Linux users here. Should we direct beginners
> there as suggested be someone else?
>


I appreciate the fact that a "PC User Group" has a SIG for Linux - I think
that's great. I also think it's awesome that they redirect "advanced" users
here. The question is not so much "should we redirect beginners to PCUG?"
but "do beginners belong in CLUG?". Unequivocally, I would say that
beginners *do* belong in CLUG ....

<blockquote>
A Linux User Group or Linux Users' Group (LUG) is a private, generally
non-profit or not-for-profit organization that provides support and/or
education for Linux users,* particularly for inexperienced users.*
</blockquote>
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux_User_Group - emphasis is mine]

A LUG is the place that Linux beginners are consistently directed to for
help. I myself have frequently directed new Linux users to their local LUG
for assistance. If CLUG is too elitist to consider allowing newbies the
chance to have their questions answered, then they're undeserving of the LUG
name.


> et cetera.
>
> Jeff.
>
> --
> linux mailing list
> linux at lists.samba.org
> https://lists.samba.org/mailman/listinfo/linux
>


Lana

-- 
Cheers! Lana

My therapist told me the way to achieve true inner peace is to finish what I
start. So far today, I have finished two bags of M&M's and a chocolate cake.
I feel better already.
-- Dave Barry

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