magnifying glass by pschubert. via morguefile.

For us to find out whether something is good or not, useful or not, we have to research further. What could help us in our research? Here are some things that I look for:

• Other blog entries. What do other people say? Are a majority of relevant search results show that whatever that thing is, is truly terrible? In this case, do we see nothing that says that Linux is good? What are the reasons pointed out by other bloggers? Are those reasons relevant to me as a user?
• Forums. Checking up user forums could be helpful too. You could gauge if the users stick with it or not. You will also learn some of their hacks, tips and tricks. A lot of forums have a section for beginners or newbies so that’s one place to check. You could search for your hardware in forums too. There will be a chance that someone has already posted a problem and/or solution to hardware specific issues.
• Release notes and change log of the Linux distribution. These usually have something to say about support for particular hardware, changes, etc. You don’t have to complain about not having support for your hardware because they could have written those warnings but you might not have read them. Sometimes after a newer release of a distro has been done, I wait a bit to see what comes up in the forums and mailing lists regarding the latest version. Some people would complain and some would post work-arounds or solutions.

It’s a matter of learning and finding good resources to trust. No need to follow a naysayer just because. You still have a choice if you learn more about things.

Post from: New Linux User

Software Freedom Day 2009

September 19 is just several days away so it’s time to start looking for the nearest city that’s closest to you. If there’s none near enough, there’s always next year. Or celebrate it your own way at home by getting in touch with a team via streaming. Or have a get together with your friends and family at your place and celebrate Software Freedom Day your own style! Nobody says you can’t celebrate it your own way, right? ; ) Whatever you want to do, just do it if you truly want to share with others  your experience when it comes to freedom in software.  And it’s not about bashing Windows or whatever closed source application out there.  Focus on what software freedom is. Just remember that and have fun : D

I sincerely hope you find time to celebrate it with your community this September 19. People deserve to be aware of the freedom they could have when it comes to software and you can make it happen.  It might not be anything grand but when it comes to advocacy, every little thing counts.

Post from: New Linux User

Beyond the sales pitch

Linux is something that has been talked about time and again. Many slogans have come about. Many articles have talked about Linux as well. So what then?

It’s time to educate people. That’s what the article on Raiden’s Realm is pointing out to us. We have to be there to educate people not only about what Linux is but whatever aspects there are to using Linux. First one has to get the attention of other people to whom Linux is being advocated to.

There is the issue of having to break the ice to them and there’s also the issue of how to educate them.

What I really liked about the article on Raiden’s Realm is that there’s a challenge for us to go beyond our favorite distro when it comes to educating other people about Linux. Why? Because we have to educate people on how to make choices that are relevant to them. The mere fact that there are lots of Linux distros to choose from is evidence of how different our priorities are from one another. Fans of particular distros do not need to advocate that particular distro. Instead, the needs of the potential users must be taken into consideration first and foremost.

At Raiden’t Realm, they are starting a Linux training course project. If you have ideas you want to pitch in, join the discussion. There’s a need for passionate people to spread the Linux love the best way possible.

Post from: New Linux User

• Use the entire shirt as a bag. Well, if not the entire shirt, then the body of the shirt. The sleeves could be discarded or used for something else altogether. There’s a guide to using an old shirt as a tote bag. That one’s fairly easy because the main material is the shirt, then thread and 2 big buttons. The sleeves will be cut off, the bottom part of the shirt will become the handle and it will be sewn at the shoulder part of the shirt. The neckline is the opening. Another idea for the shirt as a bag is a drawstring knapsack. Obviously, the sleeves will be discarded again. This will be awesome for shirts with really big prints. I have yet to look for a pattern for a drawstring knapsack. I suppose there is one that doesn’t require grommets because I don’t have tools for that.
• Use the design on something else. Make the design into something like a patch. I have some Linux shirts with cool prints. It’s just that they’ve gotten so worn already but some of the prints seem to be useful because they haven’t been damaged. One could make them into patches, probably. Or simply sew them onto bags or shirts, maybe even pillow cases just to show Linux love. I might actually do that for myself when I get some fabric paint so that I could express myself in a creative manner while advocating Linux.

Who says advocating and showing love for Linux needs to be expensive, right? Making your own Linux crafts is unique. At the same time, you manage to have new things even if you’re experiencing recession.

Post from: New Linux User

• Talk about it in class. This is especially easy for those who have technology related subjects. If you’re the teacher, you could include it in your operating systems class. That is obvious enough. If you’re in a sociology or literature class, maybe include as a reading, “In the Beginning was the Command Line” by Neal Stephenson. That’s one interesting read and you could learn so much from it. It’s geeky enough but there are analogies when it comes to operating systems and I do think that it has a sense of humor.
• Install Linux on the computers in the lab/s. There is no easier way to learn about something new compared to getting exposed to it. There was a time our lab/s had FreeBSD and I think they eventually switched to a certain distro. By using it as regularly as possible, students (even though they’d be reluctant in the beginning) will be able to familiarize themselves with how it works. Although, of course, some would still end up learning faster than others. It might make some of them play pranks on their fellow students but if you’re a responsible admin, you’d make sure it won’t happen.
• Show off your Linux pride in your org by making Linux newbie days. You could plan events if you’re part of an organization. You could make it as an activity to have your Linux experts teach others about it in school. Hopefully you get ideas from a lot of people on how to make this happen because each school would have a different culture plus population.
• Linux shirts, caps, etc. Just the presence of those items will make people more aware of its existence. And if you make a really awesome design, people will talk to you about it and ask what it’s all about. A conversation starter that could let someone know about Linux and maybe even get him/her interested to try it out.

I hope that this list has helped you think of ideas to advocate Linux in your school. Have fun!

Post from: New Linux User

Ah yes. The experience of moving from Windows to Linux. It’s always something interesting to read because each one has a different story to tell. Some people do migrate to Linux immediately because they want to just get familiar right away and others take their time. Both are perfectly fine in my eyes because each of those methods seem to work best with particular types of people.

Linux from Within Windows

The first article talked about this and if not for the article, I wouldn’t have known that there’s such a thing as Portable Ubuntu. It lets you load Ubuntu while you are using Windows. You could run apps from within Ubuntu even if you are on Windows. One good thing about using Portable Ubuntu is that you don’t need to set up a virtual machine. And you don’t need to worry about rebooting, which is what you do with a live CD.

I wonder if other Linux distros are already available as a portable type of OS. I think that if users get to use it often enough, they would probably think of Linux distros as nothing too alien. Well, there’s always virtualization of the distro of their choice is not available as a portable version.

Migrating painlessly

The second part of the article talks about migrating painlessly from Windows to Linux. I saw that he talked about trying out free and open source software while he was in Windows. A lot of times people complain about not having anything to use in Linux but really, if they get exposed to other software, they’d most likely feel more comfortable about switching.

Getting familiar with new applications to regain the efficiency you had is not always easy. There would be times that you’d still look for that keyboard shortcut that you’ve been used to but it’s not always possible that things will work in the same way. In any case, if one does take enough time to learn new applications, then that’s something very good, especially when he/she switches to Linux.

I hope that more and more people will appreciate Linux more. Experiences like the ones mentioned above is simply awesome. I hope you get to share it with your friends.

Post from: New Linux User

How does one prepare for a talk on Linux? There are so many things you could say about Linux. Let’s see what could be some things to consider.

• Know what the audience will be expecting. They will most likely want a specific topic so it’s better if you need to have an idea as to what they want to know. In a lot of schools or seminars, they usually would ask you to prepare for something. But if it’s a general talk about things, you could ask for their theme. You could find some ways to relate Linux with their theme.
• Who are the ones to listen to you? Are they totally clueless or they already have some idea about Linux? How fuzzy is their idea of Linux? Having an idea of what they know could help you figure out how to relate with them during your talk. Developing rapport with the audience is an important thing to do. Sometimes people are shy and they do not always express themselves so it’s also good to prepare by remembering your own experiences and your friend’s experiences with Linux so you could establish common ground with them.
• Have a quick show and tell presentation. If your talk is too long they will get bored. And with technology it’s generally easier for people to follow if it’s a show and tell kind of thing. It will make technology something that they could relate with. This is especially nifty for those who will give an introduction to a particular technology. If you will demonstrate what you could do with specific applications, you should probably prepare a quick demo by making a short list of the common tasks that could be achieved with the application and then certain special features. It’s good if you could make the presentation fun and lively.

These are just some things you could do when preparing for a talk.

Post from: New Linux User

I see that some of our co-workers have family members who use netbooks with Linux.  If they can use it, why can’t my co-workers?  Right?  Absolutely!  A lot of our software engineers are actually using Linux on a daily basis because of the development machines that they have come with Linux.  But I do know that there are those who have chosen to use Linux even at home.  Imagine! At home, they even share the computer with other people and yet they use Linux.   This is one of those times that I think that what is really making it hard for people to even give Linux a chance is that mindset of losing touch with the familiar.

I recall the time that I practically made my mom use Ubuntu at home.  She basically just asked me how she’d know if she’s online, what she could use to chat, what she could use for writing, etc.  It wasn’t totally easy but because she asked me what applications she can use, it was actually alright.

Maybe it’s time to emphasize on how much Linux can do even if it’s not totally the same as what they’ve been used to.  The reality is not so happy but we could find something to make it work.   Maybe the Linux mascot Tux can help me find ways to make users feel at ease.  After all, it does look cute and cuddly and everything.

Post from: New Linux User

They said that it was a business decision to lessen the models with Linux on their netbooks. Other manufacturers like HP and Dell were said to have triggered the change. The Asus notebooks with smaller hard drives paled in comparison thus losing marketshare. I hope that they won’t totally eradicate Linux. After all, they have helped create a community around their EEE PC and they have created ways for us netbook users to use Linux without much trouble.

Sad to say decisions like that are based on business and income. It’s not a matter of advocacy. I’d like to hope that there will be companies that will really have their decisions considering the principles of free and open source software.

Post from: New Linux User

In other words, don’t waste your time on people who are not receptive. Using a well-set up computer isn’t very hard for even the greenest Linux greenpea, despite all the propaganda and FUD to the contrary. But no matter how easy it is, there will always be people who have mental blocks against even trying, so don’t waste your time.

I might have been thinking in terms of “the world must know what Linux is” and so I take into consideration how to introduce it even to people who are not very receptive. I guess it’s because a lot of the people I have around me know Linux already but they are still thinking about it differently, that it won’t work and that it’s scary. Closed minds will find it difficult to accept what Linux could do for them and what they could do for Linux as well. So yes, she’s got a point when it comes to advocating Linux.

However, I personally think that it’s still best to be prepared to tell others about Linux no matter the level of interest they have, as long as the opportunity is there. It’s just that it will not be as effective compared to those who want to know more in the first place.

Post from: New Linux User