[TAG] Re: [Lgang] linuxgazette.net down......

[Ben Okopnik]

On Sun, May 23, 2004 at 11:48:48PM +0100, Thomas Adam wrote:
> On Sun, 23 May 2004 23:05:06 +0100
> "Jimmy O'Regan" <jimregan at o2.ie> wrote:
> 
> > Like I said, I think there are a lot of people who are new to Linux
> > who have difficulties, but want solutions which are aesthetically
> > pleasing. Now, I'm talking about the sort of person who is technically
> > competent, albeit within a GUI environment, the sort of person who is
> > using Linux because the desktop is sufficiently advanced that they
> > don't have to go to the command line to get things done.
>  
> That's all well and good, but one should not shy away from the fact
> there there are just some things that _cannot_ be done from Kprettyapp,
> and so an awareness of the CL is *still* a necessity -- but I'm going to
> say no more on the matter (see previous editions of the LG with regards
> to that).
 
My perception here is that most of the articles, tips, and so on that we
get _are_ CLI oriented; I don't think we *ever* have to worry about that
part of it going away (hell, look at literally everything I've written.
:) GUIs are a point of connection for newbies adrift in a sea of Linux;
once they _do_ connect, we'll kidnap them, get them hooked on the CLI,
and then release them back to the streets to wander glassy-eyed and
begging us for just another little taste. I know, it's cruel... but
that's the way of the world, and us pushers have to survive too. :)

> > Well, I need to see some sort of explicit notice whether or not it's
> > OK to send in tips about the aesthetic side, because, frankly, the 
> > impression I get is that it isn't. Not in that it's not OK to talk
> > about it, but in that it's not the sort of thing that ends up in the
> > 2c tips or TAG.
> 
> Oh? That really is something that is a factor Heather and I decide, and
> thus far we do a good job of it. 

I don't think Jimmy's contesting that, Thomas. You two definitely do a
great job; however, since it _is_ your bailiwick, you're likely to be
asked to make explicit policy statements. It's part of the job, m'friend.

> The danger with using GUI-tips is that
> more often than not, it can lead to a "teaching X to suck eggs"
> scenario. But we publish more-or-less what we receive.

That looks pretty clear, though. Does that answer the question you had,
Jimmy?

> Talking of apps, I've been running something on my local LUG --
> so-called "App Of The Week" that I can probably and should send LG's
> way. All I do, is take an app (be it CL or GUI) and describe what it
> does. It's proven to be quite popular with a lot of the people at my
> LUG.
 
Oh, *heck* yeah. Especially if you assign them to categories of some
sort. After a while, you'd build up a sort of a database of app
references where people can just go and learn HOWTO use app XYZ -
something I think would be of good use to the Linux community. I'd be
very happy to host a "Thomas App of the Week" section in the Knowledge
Base.


* Ben Okopnik * okopnik.freeshell.org * Editor-in-Chief, Linux Gazette *
-*- See the Linux Gazette in its new home: <http://linuxgazette.net> -*-