Handle With Linux

The absolute ultimate Linux beginners guide

I stumbled upon an article at the BBC website:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7594249.stm

This is not a site I regularly visit, so I'm probably the latest person in the world to notice this article.
I guess it's been noticed and many people already had their say on this. To bad there was no comment section with the article.
But still I think there couldn't be enough people who have a say about this.

I could start ranting here about how wrong he is with his conclusions, and how such articles are harmful by scaring people away from Linux. Which is true, but that's not my intention.

The article is about a guy who buys a netbook and because he has no tool to sync his ipod, replaces his complete operating system! Next thing he's complaining about Linux being much to difficult to use because he has just replaced his complete OS in 10 minutes, but there were some things not working.

Because he doesn't immediately find the answer to his questions on how to fix this, in an understandable step by step tutorial with pictures, he says Linux is to difficult because thing don't work out of the box.

Yeah right and windows comes with itunes preinstalled!

I find it remarkable that someone expressing such complete lack of technical knowledge, manages to install an operating system in the first place. Something which would be probably impossible to do if it was windows, because if you have the attention span of a potato you can never even enter the serial key. Let alone find the right drivers and build the custom windows cd you need because the standard cd doesn't even recognize your hard disk.

Windows doesn't come with all the hardware drivers in the world either.

But I'm drifting. The real thing I wanted to do was write a little instruction for people trying to use linux for the first time. Because I'm sure there are also real people in this world, who are not paid by a certain big company to try to find weakpoints in linux netbooks, who do have real world problems with linux.

First thing:

If you want to do something, look for information first. Don't try to install another linux version, because the version you have is missing some very minimal function. Not before you searched the internet for an easy solution. Linux is modular, and almost everything is available for every distribution. If you search the internet for installing programs in xandros. You'll find it's very easy (easier than windows) to install a program to sync your ipod (and get back mp3's from it, which itunes can't) for instance.

Second thing:

If you go to a forum and you find that the information is to difficult for you, do what forums are made for, post a question. But be aware, some people feel like they are treated badly on forums. They don't get nice responses on questions. Most of the time this is not because it's an obvious question, but because it's a question which has been answered a million times before. If you post questions be sure it's not something you find in a second by entering it in google. Or by reading the manual.
If you are afraid your questions are stupid, just state this and your experience level before your question.
Big change people will answer politely.

Third thing:

Don't be afraid of the command line, it's often as simple as copy-paste. It's often even easier than all the gui stuff in windows.
It's just that you can't imagine things being so easy to do, that'll scare you off. I'll give a little explanation. In linux almost everything can be done without a mouseclick. You just start the console program (it's in one of the menu's) and you can copy and paste the commands directly in the window. Press the enter key, and that's all.
Even downloading and installing software, changing every setting and configuration. It can all be done with a few simple commands. Look at it like this: instead of following the instructions step by step, you can copy and paste the instructions step by step and the computer will follow them for you! Doesn't that sound a lot easier now?

One last thing:

If you really can't find an answer to your ultimate basic beginners question, if people don't answer your simple question on any forum or if you can't find it anywhere. Than contact me on this site, and I'll personally answer it for you.
Especially if you are a journalist working on an article and think you have to tell the world about your experience with Linux, I'll be very pleased to help you.

Oh and one other thing: Don't go out and buy a magazine aimed at users, instead by a book in the for dummies series or another linux starters book.