I just started using puppet about 4 months ago and I have to say, it was a lot to take in. I read through the documentation, downloaded the VM to play with, etc. What I found was the documentation was almost overwhelming. Part of the problem was I didn't know what I wanted to know. After having gotten used to puppet, I don't think the current documentation is in need of review - it is exactly what I need and use now. But for a beginner, it was difficult to stay on the learning curve, even the getting started section seemed to be tons of information. Luckily I had expert puppet users helping me but I couldn't imagine trying to learn this without someone to bounce "silly" questions off of.
What I think could help beginners the most would be maybe an "example network" where a small network with a master and several clients are set up and you can see all the files and how they interact. Essentially have a description of what the different clients "do" (apache, dhcp, ntp, database, etc) and then have the folder structure of the manifests available to look at. The reason I bring this up was because I was reading the "Learning Puppet" material and thinking to myself, "Ok, I get that but *how* should I do this?" The hardest part I think for a beginner is making the leap from understanding the concepts to how those concepts are commonly executed in real world manifests. I think a simple demo network would be great. Just my thoughts having just come from the "beginners" camp. On Friday, March 30, 2012 3:00:54 PM UTC-5, Mister IT Guru wrote: > > Good Evening Guys, > > Let me start by saying that I really admire how far puppet has come in the > last year or so, with the launch of the Enterprise version, Puppet Forge > and the other innovations from within Puppet Labs, and in particular the > community participation. I love the mailing list, even though I've been > lurking for over a year. It's this "inner shame" that compels me to raise > this issue. I apologise if this is not the place to mention this, but hey, > you've already got this far, so keep reading! > > I get stage fright looking at some of the "code fragments" that people > post to the list and then say "This is how far I've got and I'm trying to > do X" where X is something pretty complex/unique doesn't quite seem like > best practice or something that you'll find on a general use linux box. > While I have no problem or even issue with this, the problem I find is that > when I tell my admin geek friends about puppet, they go to google and > switch off when they see what they view as "buckets of work" to just get > started. > > In a nutshell the perception and feedback I get and I feel this myself, is > that the competency level of those whose regularly participate in this > list, and in other internet forums may just be a bit too good. I feel as if > puppet is lacking a sort of "nursery area". After all, everyone here is > already a 'professional' or so we like to think! > > Would it be a good idea to have a puppet beginners list, where people can > post dumb questions, and maybe have some patient people posting links to > blog entries, you tube videos (something which I noticed is lacking for > puppet, again making it hard for me to evangelise about it, to even get > clients to look at it), and get up to speed with you guys. > > I would like a Puppet Nursery - Or failing that, can we get a puppet > advance list? :) > > I'm just saying - It worked for a different project, that's part of how > ubuntu started to take over the world, it just became accessible to the > casual user. Well, there are a bucket load of causal professional linux > admins, who I fear may dismiss taking up puppet because they just can't get > the time together to learn or keep up with those who puppet 24/7 > > It's just an observation, with a request thrown in - If I annoyed you, > upset you, hurt your ego or made you feel bad in any way, I'm sorry. If you > wish to take it up with me personally, no problem, have your people call my > people, and we'll set up the meet - I'm a big guy so bring backup! (just > kidding, love peace and all that!) - I'm hoping to stimulate some > conversation and debate - how can puppet be one of the first thoughts in > the mind of someone who wants to manage from a 2 to 2 thousands machines? - > Reach a critical mass amount casual users? Worked for Facebook, Twitter - > not so much for Nokia but you get the point. > > SO! Techie Admin Genius People!! Let's Debate > > On Friday, March 30, 2012 3:00:54 PM UTC-5, Mister IT Guru wrote: > > Good Evening Guys, > > Let me start by saying that I really admire how far puppet has come in the > last year or so, with the launch of the Enterprise version, Puppet Forge > and the other innovations from within Puppet Labs, and in particular the > community participation. I love the mailing list, even though I've been > lurking for over a year. It's this "inner shame" that compels me to raise > this issue. I apologise if this is not the place to mention this, but hey, > you've already got this far, so keep reading! > > I get stage fright looking at some of the "code fragments" that people > post to the list and then say "This is how far I've got and I'm trying to > do X" where X is something pretty complex/unique doesn't quite seem like > best practice or something that you'll find on a general use linux box. > While I have no problem or even issue with this, the problem I find is that > when I tell my admin geek friends about puppet, they go to google and > switch off when they see what they view as "buckets of work" to just get > started. > > In a nutshell the perception and feedback I get and I feel this myself, is > that the competency level of those whose regularly participate in this > list, and in other internet forums may just be a bit too good. I feel as if > puppet is lacking a sort of "nursery area". After all, everyone here is > already a 'professional' or so we like to think! > > Would it be a good idea to have a puppet beginners list, where people can > post dumb questions, and maybe have some patient people posting links to > blog entries, you tube videos (something which I noticed is lacking for > puppet, again making it hard for me to evangelise about it, to even get > clients to look at it), and get up to speed with you guys. > > I would like a Puppet Nursery - Or failing that, can we get a puppet > advance list? :) > > I'm just saying - It worked for a different project, that's part of how > ubuntu started to take over the world, it just became accessible to the > casual user. Well, there are a bucket load of causal professional linux > admins, who I fear may dismiss taking up puppet because they just can't get > the time together to learn or keep up with those who puppet 24/7 > > It's just an observation, with a request thrown in - If I annoyed you, > upset you, hurt your ego or made you feel bad in any way, I'm sorry. If you > wish to take it up with me personally, no problem, have your people call my > people, and we'll set up the meet - I'm a big guy so bring backup! (just > kidding, love peace and all that!) - I'm hoping to stimulate some > conversation and debate - how can puppet be one of the first thoughts in > the mind of someone who wants to manage from a 2 to 2 thousands machines? - > Reach a critical mass amount casual users? Worked for Facebook, Twitter - > not so much for Nokia but you get the point. > > SO! Techie Admin Genius People!! 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