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On Mon, 2010-05-10 at 08:27 +0100, Neil Winchurst wrote: > james kilty wrote: > > On Sun, 2010-05-09 at 17:50 +0100, Paul Sutton wrote: > > > > > >> Just bought a new PC, does it come with trial software, can't afford or > >> don't want to pay for the full version, consider open source software > >> alternatives (instead of piracy), come along to the next linux user > >> group meet for details, we are not here to sell, just provide free > >> impartial advice, we can install free alternatives to expensive windows > >> / office packages, or demo a Linux which is a full alternative. > > nice one > >> We still need to remember there are going to be people that need to save > >> as MS formats for school, work etc etc. > > and that we can read and save in these formats when necessary. > > James > > > I did mention at the Holsworthy meeting last Saturday, but here goes > again. I am all for helping people to go across to open source software, > but do realise this. It will require a lot of support and time for these > people. It is no good just installing (dual boot?) Linux for them, they > will need a lot of training and *ongoing* support. Otherwise they may > well give up and go back to what they know. I am not sure if you are replying to me or both of us so I have left it all in. I agree. My experience of Ubuntu 10.04 has not been easy. I admit I created a new /home partition and copied the old /home over following standard intructions which seemed to leave the files with owner root - this caused problems particularly with sound. The software centre did not load either. However, this would not affect someone new until they realised that a /home partition was a good idea. I will try a second machine install where there is a /home and see if it is any easier. > > So some of us will need to have the time and the expertise to provide this. This is an essential point. A mentor would be useful if it was a LUG meet that started them off. Obviously a new LUG member would have to ask for a visit if it was face-to-face support that would be best. Perhaps the combination of email support with a visit or telephone support might overcome any difficulties if a relatively new user was assisting a very new user. Your eastern meetings now seem well developed and might work out some way to gradually increase the level of support available - maybe a trouble-shooting for beginners time. What other ways have people found to work? We did offer mentoring at our 2 Penzance meets but I don't know o any follow up. Do we have any suggestions for us far western people? The only location we have had so far is Penzance Computers. Any other ideas as space is limited there? 5 or 6 attending starts to impinge on the Internet cafe users. Any contacts with newspapers? I could suggest something to Noel Perry at the West Briton. James -- james kilty http://www.kilty.demon.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