How is ITEC going?

[Mick Ohrberg]

One thing I think would be important is to define exactly what the KCLUG is
for.

Is it a forum for seasoned Linux gurus, or could it be intended more to
attract inexperienced users (the description below of more of a social event
kind of suggests that that's where we're at now)? I think something that
would be interesting is a Linux info meeting for Windows people (kind of
like the IBM-arranged "AIX for Solaris admins" class).

About one year ago, I spent one semester teaching Linux/Unix at a (somewhat)
local continuing education facility. The skills of the students varied from
one person who had their own linux server at home, to another person who
hardly found their way around Windows.

What I found in the vast majority of students was the lack of understanding
of what Linux (and any Unix) really is all about. It may look similar on the
surface (GUI), but the fundamental differences are less easy to fathom. Many
of the students didn't even realize that you can surf the internet using
Linux, much less type documents in Word format, check your email, send and
receive faxes, do image processing, and even play games! I fear that a lot
of people see a Unix box as a big, burly machine with a green-screen vt100
attached to it. I think it's our duty to dispel this false image.

Just my $.02

	/Mick

| -----Original Message-----
| From: owner-kclug at marauder.illiana.net
| [mailto:owner-kclug at marauder.illiana.net]On Behalf Of Steven Elling
| Sent: Saturday, October 12, 2002 10:45 AM
| To: Jim Herrmann; kclug at kclug.org
| Subject: Re: How is ITEC going?
|
|
| Here is one thing that will be key to the success of KCLUG and keep people
| interested in Linux and coming to the meeting.  I think we need to look
less
| like a bunch of guys setting around and talking.  I recently started going
to
| the KCLUG meetings and haven't got much out of it except for human
| interaction --- which isn't a bad thing.  Maybe its just because I've been
to
| a couple of meetings instead of a lot.  However, first impressions play a
big
| part in the success of something even if it is free.
|
| Can anyone suggest something that can be done at the meetings to make them
| more interesting and promote Linux better?  Maybe have local Linux users
or
| professionals demo software and applications?  Have a general question and
| answer session toward the end of the meeting?
|
| One of the things behind Linux is that it provides an alternative to
software
| and applications.  Why not show others those alternatives?
|
|
| On Thursday 10 October 2002 14:30, Jim Herrmann wrote:
| > The CDs were wiped out the first day!  We had to burn more last night.
| > Monty's cards went like hot cakes.  He had to print many more
| last night.
| >
| > The VP of Marketing for Red Hat, Mark DeVisser, gave us a box
| of 100 copies
| > of Red Hat 8.0 to give out after his presentation.  There was a
| mad rush to
| > the booth to get the copies.  The 100 copies were gone as fast as they
| > could be handed out.  Hal says it took 30 seconds.  :-)
| >
| > Everything is going well, there are many people stopping by who
| are already
| > using Linux, many who thinking seriously about converting, and
| quite a few
| > who say they use it extensively.  I'm sure our mailing list size will
| > increase significantly, and we'll probably have more people
| show up at the
| > meetings. We should probably have copies of distros at the
| meeting to give
| > out to new people.
| >
| > I have some pictures from yesterday that I will try to get up in a photo
| > album this evening.
| >
| > HTH,
| > Jim
| >
| >
| >
| >
| >
|
| --
| --
|  Steven Elling - ellings at kcnet.com
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