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On 21/01/18 12:00, Grant Phillips-Sewell wrote: > On 21 Jan 2018 11:54, "Neil" <barnaby@xxxxxxxxxxxx > <mailto:barnaby@xxxxxxxxxxxx>> wrote: > > Recently I met a newcomer to this area who turned out to be a Linux > user. He told me that he carries round a USB stick with a live > version on Linux on it so that he can demonstrate it to anyone who > asks about it. > > This got me thinking. I read recently that Linux has about 3% of the > desktop usage now, which seems very low. Yet how do we help to > increase that? I know that if someone came up to me to ask me if > would be willing to teach them to use Linux, I would be a bit > baffled and worried. Where would I start? > > There are so many questions. A new computer, an old one, dual boot? > Which distro? Should I install Linux first for them or should that > be part of the learning process? That is just for starters. > > I believe that some members of the list are keen about getting more > people across to the Linux world. So I am asking, does anyone have > any experience in this area? Any pointers, suggestions please? > > Thanks, > > Neil > > -- > The Mailing List for the Devon & Cornwall LUG > https://mailman.dclug.org.uk/listinfo/list > <https://mailman.dclug.org.uk/listinfo/list> > FAQ: http://www.dcglug.org.uk/listfaq <http://www.dcglug.org.uk/listfaq> > > > It is a bit of a minefield, but ultimately it comes down to whether you > would be looking at 1-to-1 "training" or group sessions of some sort. > The former could be very much tailored to the individual, their needs > and their equipment. Group sessions would, necessarily, have to be more > structured and limited in scope. Certainly I - as an IT trainer - > wouldn't want to run a group training session where everyone is on > totally different kit, using different distros for different reasons. > > Grant > > Carry a demo USB key (I use Knoppix) it is good practice. I do this very often, and have put about 7 ~9 folk on Linux distros. Of these 4 have changed over to Linux for main use. History: as I travelled in COMECON/China, before laptops became popular and I usually needed to write instructions etc. for the oil company I was visiting on 'their computer', usually an illegal imported IBM machine [USA forbade export to these regions]; I used a one or two floppy set of 'Knoppix' to get a UK keyboard and English writing word processor on their machine as a 'Live Linux'. Since then I always have carried USB sticks with Knoppix and OpenSUSE on my person, and can demonstrate these on older hardware easily. Very few modern users want it, but then I work from DVD Ubuntu. I do 1-to-1 tuition to guide them into Linux and usually use an XFCE or Xubuntu or Ubuntu if their machine has enough RAM/CPU to do a full system. However I start them off on a USB stick with /boot for GRUB on stick. For new folk, Ubuntu has at least some published help in 'magazine handbook' available from TESCO etc, and a hand book helps adoption. I also use OpenSUSE on my main computer (Windows 10 installed*) from a 128Gb USB as my main OS. This saves to a variety of USB data keys depending on use. e.g. personal / U3A tuition (computers for seniors) / foreign (PRC, ROC, I----, etc) * Win 10. Kept due to legacy software for my company not re-installable now on a new machine or a Linux OS -- regards Eion MacDonald -- The Mailing List for the Devon & Cornwall LUG https://mailman.dclug.org.uk/listinfo/list FAQ: http://www.dcglug.org.uk/listfaq