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Grant Sewell wrote: > On Thu, 14 Feb 2008 12:23:52 +0000, Neil Winchurst wrote: >> There has been a lot of correspondence recently about FLOSS in schools >> and some about encouraging Windows users to try Linux. >> >> The other day I decided that I would like to look at VirtualBox. Here >> is how it went. >> >> Use google to find the relevant web site. In the download page find a >> version for my distro (Kubuntu Edgy). Download file to my home folder. >> Try to install it using R/click -> Kubuntu Package Menu -> Install >> Package. Fail because of two missing files (not installed). Use >> Adept Manager to find the files and install them. Try to install >> the package again. Fail because the two files are not configured. >> Open up a terminal screen and run sudo dpkg --configure -a. Try install >> again. Success. >> >> My point? I succeeded without any help because I am not new to Linux. I >> have used Linux exclusively for more than six years, and Kubuntu for >> the last sixteen months. (I am not saying for a moment that I am an >> expert, far from it, just that I now have a little experience.) >> >> I suggest that a newbie would have needed some help in the above >> situation. (Not so long ago *I* would have needed help.) So I am >> wondering, with all this talk about encouraging people to move across >> to Linux (which I agree with entirely) are we ready to give plenty >> of time and help to those newcomers? Because to be successful they >> are going to need it. >> >> I would be interested to hear any comments from anyone? >> >> Neil Winchurst > > Are we ready to give plenty of time and help to those newcomers? I would > think so, yes. Certainly I am trying to find out about the possibility of > "hiring" one of the larger computing labs (sans expensive College > equipment) here at College on a regular basis - say once every 3 months. > If this was successful then it would potentially be a major boost - the > College is in a well know, very accessibly location with good parking > facilities (on a Saturday :p) and these regular events could be for taster > sessions, advice sessions, task specific session (Asterisk, anyone?), etc. > > I do agree, to some extend, with your sentiments regarding VirtualBox. > Unfortunately I believe one of the first hurdles is to try and get people > to accept that Linux is not Windows and activities/habits brought across > from Windows may not work under Linux. You heard about "VirtualBox" and > your first inclination was to look for it on the Internet and download what > was presented to you - a reasonable thing to do - Innotek's own .deb file. > Were you not inclined to find out whether VirtualBox was already in > Kubuntu's repository? > > Grant. > > the biggest favour one can do for a newbie is explain how repositories work. It took me quite a while to catch on to this and now it is very rarely now I install anything from anywhere else. Infact one of my main criteria for choosing a distro is the range of stuff in the repositories and how well they cross ref dependencies. I like KDE and started with mandriva, but eventually found that PClinuxOS had a wider range of apps and that they always downloaded needed dependencies. Ubuntu does the same for gnome I think. I'm pretty certain Ubuntu would have virtual box, or at the very least someone has set up a ubuntu repository for it. Always worth checking, particularly as VB seems to need modules inserted into the kernel, PCLOS did all this from symantic. Newbies can waste much time hunting for apps and dependencies when the tool for a clean and easy install is right infront of them. Simon -- Simon Robert www.oldhouse-cottage.co.uk -- The Mailing List for the Devon & Cornwall LUG http://mailman.dclug.org.uk/listinfo/list FAQ: http://www.dcglug.org.uk/linux_adm/list-faq.html