Dan Attwood wrote: > I would like to see something that I could give my Mother in Law. > It would be big and colourfull with lots of nice pictures and nothing > to hard or geeky. > It would include > > Updating with the gui > Using the internet/ firefox/ facebook > Using fspot/ getting pics from a camera/ printing said pics > Typing letters in open office > Instant messaging > Changing the wallpaper/ themes > installing new programs - possibly > > Things it would not include > > no commandline - ever > no how to install - I do that for her > no disscusion of the GPL/GNU/or any of that - she doesn't care > Any program that takes more then a couple of mouse clicks to set up > > Really i'm thinking of something along the dummies guides. Rather then > from zero to hero, something from minus zero to competent gui user. > > I've looked around for this book and it just doesn't seem to exist so > theres a defient gap in the market I have to agree with most of the above. As long as it tells people how to do the simple things that they definitely want to do (photos from camera, printing photos, letters, email etc) then that's the main thing! Although I do think they should be told how to install stuff using the GUI. And how to install the OS itself, as not everyone has a g33k to do it for them.
First chapter of the book should probably explain the Live CD and the fact that it won't alter their current set up, thus giving them the confidence to at least try the CD (which should come with the book, not everyone has broadband, or fast broadband, nor would they know how to burn an ISO). Better still, have a DVD with the book which would be a Live/Install CD with the most important stuff from the repos? As, again, what do the internet-less people do when they need more apps? That's a problem I've come across MANY times when trying to convince people to install Kubuntu. :( Yeah, definitely no command line, as that scares the bejezus out of new people. But definitely start by telling how to get DVD/CD/MP3 working, that'd be a MUST, otherwise people will just ignore K/Ubuntu. Definitely feature a table (maybe at the end?) listing Ubuntu equivalent apps (GIMP etc). I also reckon it'd be better to have a complete basics book (ala: Dummies Guide) then a more intermediate book which would include basic command line stuff and networking maybe? Then a guru book which would deal with the real esoteric stuff. Of course... does the book feature Ubuntu, Kubuntu or Xubuntu? Let the arguments BEGIN! :D (PS: +1 for Kubuntu :D ) -- Ronnie Tucker [EMAIL PROTECTED] www.fullcirclemagazine.org MSN: ronnietucker Registered Linux User # 456627 Registered Ubuntu User # 18227 -- ubuntu-uk@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-uk https://wiki.ubuntu.org/UKTeam/
