[Linux4christians] notes from the front 2b

[Preston Boyington]

linux4christians-bounces at thelinuxlink.net wrote:
> I was pleased with the discussion my little post started.

me too, good job!  I love it when people get involved.

> 
> Allow me to point out I am not yet part of the Linux community, or at
> least not yet a permanent part

no, but you are making great strides.

> But I have not yet switched my main computer to linux.

oh but you will Norman... (*I wave hand over keyboard as I type*)

>  I hope to but
> cannot until certain issues are resolved.  I simply do not
> know enough
> to do this on my own.  Nor do I have the time nor resources
> to resolve
> them alone.

which is where groups such as this will help.

>  Perhaps in a month my time will open up, but my resources
> will not.  It needs to be understood resources include money,
> access to
> knowledgeable people and fast internet connection for installing the
> various builds etc.

I believe you know how I feel about what distro you should use (if not Debian then something Debian based like Ubuntu).
 
> 
> Another important issue: the group I hope to convert to Linux
> will not
> respond to being told "figure it out."

heh, no one does I guess.

> Remember in evangelism terms
> they are contacts, not even potential converts certainly not potential
> members, not yet anyway.  Their first response is hesitation,
> they need
> to see Linux has viable, user friendly and understandable.
> Linux is not
> yet all those things.  It is getting better but it is not there.
> 


> I'm taking the opportunity presented by my laptop difficulties to
> reflect the challenges of a newcomer.

well, sort of.  in my experience laptops (typically) are more difficult than desktops to configure due to specialized / proprietary hardware or software constraints.  one such problem was older Compaqs requiring a software BIOS partition that people weren't familiar with.  Wiping the drive to re-install Windows / Linux without paying any attention to this fact caused you to have a nice large paperweight that was also very nice for holding office doors open.  (I received several of these years ago from a company I worked for when their IT department replaced them because they "were apparently eaten by a virus".)

> I have enough computer user
> background to sort it out
> myself,............................eventually.  Others will not.  My
> posts are meant to reflect the challengs facing an ordinary 
> user trying
> linux for the first time.  They are meant to be tools not salvos of
> criticism. 
> 
> Norman Prather

I can agree.

*sigh* I wish I had not missed all these posts.  I guess I will have to wait for the next round...