[ILUG] Linux Howto's

[Owen Kelly]

Heya,

This is definetly the start of a flame war about Linux being
historically technical, but for a brief moment in time step back from
the Techy side of it and look at the perspective I, and Im sure Iain has
aswell.

Those documentation files are there to help people who have not tried to
perform various tasks before.  As more and more new users enter into the
mainstream, and request help, they are constantly being redirected to
the Howto's that Linux comes with, and while self reliance is a good
thing, we are also clouding over simplicity.

Linux is not that difficult, the only thing that makes Linux appear
difficult is the difficult nature of the documentation.  And before
anyone tries to say "Well, its worked up until now, if you cant
understand it you shouldnt be using Linux", how many of you have bought
an O Reilly book or something similar?  Mark my words, within a year,
Linux newbie books, and Linux sysadmining for dummies will be the best
sellers about.  This is fundamental proof that the exisiting
documentation is flawed in the fact that it is targetted at those with
programming knowledge/previous sysadmin experience/telepathy/embedded
processors in their forearms.

If Linux is to suceed, better documentation needs to be included with
the base distributions, or perhaps the Howto project needs people to
start a sideline goal of releasing a dumbed down version of
documentation alongside each new technical Howto that is
released/updated.  Need any more proof?  Look at the stats for the blg :

http://ipstat.nts.nl/cgi-bin/stats?name=cpx4

One small site in Ireland generates that much traffic because people
need to have their hands held.  Thats why, as stated at LAID, Windows
appears easier as new users have a myriad of existing users who will
talk to them in a language they can understand.
-- 
Owen Kelly - owen at linux.ie - http://members.xoom.com/cpx4/
http://www.linux.ie - Webmaster Team Member
http://cork.linux.ie - Co Founder