Fw: [clug] beginners path

[Ian Bardsley]

G'Day David

I well understand your frustration with regard to typing commands into a 
terminal to solve a problem without having the remotest idea what those 
commands are doing. However, rest assured, that understanding comes over 
time.. In my experience of the Linux learning curve, everything you read 
adds a snippet to your understanding of what various commands are doing 
and persistence with Forums, the manual and magazine articles etc will 
develop your confidence to explore the functionality of this operating 
system. 

On many occasions I have made use of the collective wisdom that is CLUG 
in situations where I had been unable to gain understanding of an issue 
standing in the way of my progress from other sources and I believe that 
is the role of a user group.  There really isn't a formal education path 
available to layman PC users wanting to use Linux but there are a 
million experienced users out there in the http land who are more than 
happy to share their knowledge.  You can always ask them for an 
explanation of the solution they may have provided to a problem.

Mate, stick at it.  The benefits far outweigh the frustrations along the 
way.  In six months you will be passing along "How To's" to other Linux 
noobs.  I'd put money on it

Ian Bardsley


Dave Upton wrote:
> ________________________________
> From: steve jenkin <sjenkin at canb.auug..org.au>
> To: linux at lists.samba.org
> Sent: Thursday, 23 April, 2009 10:41:11 PM
> Subject: Re: Fw: [clug] beginners path
>
> Dave Upton wrote on 23/4/09 5:52 PM:
>   
>> 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.
>>     
>
> Dave,
>
>   
>> Silly question, but what others paths are there for the 'normally
>> windows literate' into the world of Linux??
>>     
>
>   
>> Are there short courses at TAFE or Community 'college'?
>>     
>
>   
>> The PCUG Linux SIG has been cited - was that inaccessible for some reason?
>>     
>
>   
>> I'd love to know what the real/perceived obstacles are for the average
>> punter.
>>     
>
>   
>> cheers
>> steve
>>     
>
>