[Haifux] W2L + Installation party?

[Adir Abraham]

On 9/17/08, Orr Dunkelman <orr.dunkelman at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
> > 1) Hands-on experience. The best way to show what you talk in the
> lectures
> > is to let them experience it.
>
> Indeed, but today you can do it without installation. We have liveCDs,
> and in any case, the majority of the people who arrive to this event
> are students, who in any way have access to *NIX machines.


That's true, but if we want to make them interact with Linux more closely,
we need to show them the real option that it is installable, and the best
way to show them that is to show a real installation, not just a
demonstration of a working distro. Showing a working distro is just a matter
of showing a working KDE/Gnome for that matter... and your lovable update
program.

> 2) People will be able to practice installation on their own computer,
> with
> > the help of a veteran installer.
>
> I personally believe that you do not need this today. Even NTFS
> partitioning is done quite automatically today.


I don't want to count on the automatic partitioning programs. The
partitioning should be done half-manual - choose the size of the HD you want
to part, and then let it choose to best way to split it. The simple
user/installer must see which part is being splitted. If it's done in a
hurry, you can erase the poor guy his whole HD, which probably contained
Windows in it.

> 3) To show them that Linux is both easy to install and use. They will be
> > able to "play" with their distribution afterwards.
>
> Live-CD for playing. Installation for those who want, and I do not
> think that you need "Tana' demesaye" for this anymore.


The feeling is more personal when it's done in your computer. Needless to
say that it's faster (unless you put the whole CD in the main memory,
ofcourse).

As the numbers from last insta parties show - people do not need this
> service anymore. Those who install Linux are no longer afraid of the
> process (and they shouldn't).
>
> There is a need for a post-installation support (Q&A session in the
> W2L would probably make a lot of sense).


People would not need to service if it's not done properly. Every year there
are new people who want Linux or just heard about Linux and want to give it
a try. We need to catch them and show them how it is for real. Talking about
Linux won't be just enough. Not even a LiveCD. Every year it's getting
easier, but we need to show them that so they can tell and show their
friends how easy the installation was, because the installation is mainly
the first impression of Linux.

Regards,

Adir

P.S. I don't see my emails, but only your replies for some reason.
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