Subject: [Techtalk] Proposal: A beginner's list.

[Michelle Murrain]

At 11:16 PM 10/27/2001, Raena Lea-Shannon wrote:
>I am definitely in favour of this. I installed Linux 6 months ago and am 
>only beginning to get to know my way
>around and often have questions so dumb I fear for myself.  This list and 
>Linuxchix links has helped alot.
>
>Aprrehended ridicule is a real problem, expecially if you are like me and 
>come from Windoze and had no other
>choice. (In most businesses where I work Mac is not considered a desk top 
>option, Linux is anthema). For the
>really simple things, as well as referring to faq's maybe Linuxchix could 
>have a Beginner's faq too?

<snip>

I actually am not in favor of this. Let me explain why:

1) I think that linuxchix is without a doubt has the most amazing 
combination of expertise and friendliness I've ever encountered in a 
technology list. I do understand that many newbies are afraid of potential 
ridicule, but I can't even remember an example of a newbie posting and 
getting a bad response.

2) We are all beginners at *something*. Even though I've been using linux 
now for 5 years, I *still* consider myself a newbie - there is so much I 
don't know yet - so much to learn - so even I learn stuff from "newbie" 
questions. Happens all the time.

I am in favor of a newbie FAQ - which might not need much but good links to 
linuxnewbie.org, or the LDP. It will help newbies, and it will help folks 
who try to help newbies - instead of reinventing answers - we could just 
refer to the FAQ.

(Does anyone know how to get mailman to display randomly the contents of a 
file in the footer? If someone can set that up, we could have a set of very 
short linux tips and links that get randomly generated from a list. I've 
seen it done in other lists.)

.Michelle

---------------------------------------
Michelle Murrain, Ph.D.
tech at murrain.net
AIM:pearlbear0
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