[Fwd: Re: Actual question]

[Ignacio Vazquez-Abrams]

Yeah, we're definitely doing it wrong.

-------- Forwarded Message --------
From: Ignacio Vazquez-Abrams <ivazqueznet(a)gmail.com&gt;
To: Brian Douglas <Brian.Douglas(a)hesperia.org&gt;
Subject: Re: Actual question
Date: Wed, 28 May 2008 18:05:12 -0400

On Wed, 2008-05-28 at 13:33 -0700, Brian Douglas wrote:
>  I am new to the linux os and I would like to install fedora 9 on a
>  back up computer to test it out.  However, when I go to the site to
>  download I have no idea which one I should download.  There are three
>  main categories, and more choices within those.  Could you answer my
>  question? 
I can help you with your issue, but in the future all end-user questions
should be directed to one of the resources listed at the following:

http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Communicate

The two forms of Live Media can be booted from a disc (CD, DVD, or USB
key) in order to try Fedora before installing. The "Fedora Desktop Live
Media" uses the default desktop environment in Fedora, and the "Fedora
KDE Live Media" uses an alternate desktop. Both can be installed. The
selection of software at install time is fixed, but more can be added
after installation.

The Install Media does not give you the opportunity to test Fedora
before installing, however the software selection is larger and can be
customized before installation.

Most personal computers will use either the i386 install media or the
i686 live media.

Also note that all links in the main sections are for our latest
release, Fedora 9. Older releases are accessible at the links in the
"Let me look around..." section.

-- 
Ignacio Vazquez-Abrams <ivazqueznet(a)gmail.com&gt;

PLEASE don't CC me; I'm already subscribed

[Mike McGrath]

On Wed, 28 May 2008, Ignacio Vazquez-Abrams wrote:

>  Yeah, we're definitely doing it wrong.
>  

It was back in the day that was my favorite part of Linux, learning the
internals of my box, I guess fewer people are like that these days :)

	-Mike



>  -------- Forwarded Message --------
>  From: Ignacio Vazquez-Abrams <ivazqueznet(a)gmail.com&gt;
>  To: Brian Douglas <Brian.Douglas(a)hesperia.org&gt;
>  Subject: Re: Actual question
>  Date: Wed, 28 May 2008 18:05:12 -0400
>
>  On Wed, 2008-05-28 at 13:33 -0700, Brian Douglas wrote:
>  > I am new to the linux os and I would like to install fedora 9 on a
>  > back up computer to test it out.  However, when I go to the site to
>  > download I have no idea which one I should download.  There are three
>  > main categories, and more choices within those.  Could you answer my
>  > question?
>
>  I can help you with your issue, but in the future all end-user questions
>  should be directed to one of the resources listed at the following:
>
>  http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Communicate
>
>  The two forms of Live Media can be booted from a disc (CD, DVD, or USB
>  key) in order to try Fedora before installing. The "Fedora Desktop Live
>  Media" uses the default desktop environment in Fedora, and the "Fedora
>  KDE Live Media" uses an alternate desktop. Both can be installed. The
>  selection of software at install time is fixed, but more can be added
>  after installation.
>
>  The Install Media does not give you the opportunity to test Fedora
>  before installing, however the software selection is larger and can be
>  customized before installation.
>
>  Most personal computers will use either the i386 install media or the
>  i686 live media.
>
>  Also note that all links in the main sections are for our latest
>  release, Fedora 9. Older releases are accessible at the links in the
>  "Let me look around..." section.
>
>  --
>  Ignacio Vazquez-Abrams <ivazqueznet(a)gmail.com&gt;
>
>  PLEASE don't CC me; I'm already subscribed
>

[Basil Mohamed Gohar]

Mike,

Is Fedora only for geeks or is it for "normal" people?  I think we know
what we want the answer to be, but are we there yet?  I want my wife to
use Fedora, and she's intelligent, but I'm not sure I would categorize
her as a geek, either.

I think there's a happy medium - the world isn't geeks vs. non-geeks.
But I think we can move more in the non-geek direction still...

--Basil

On Wed, 2008-05-28 at 17:41 -0500, Mike McGrath wrote:

>  On Wed, 28 May 2008, Ignacio Vazquez-Abrams wrote:
>  
>  > Yeah, we're definitely doing it wrong.
>  >
>  
>  
>  It was back in the day that was my favorite part of Linux, learning the
>  internals of my box, I guess fewer people are like that these days :)
>  
>  	-Mike
>  
>  
>  
>  > -------- Forwarded Message --------
>  > From: Ignacio Vazquez-Abrams <ivazqueznet(a)gmail.com&gt;
>  > To: Brian Douglas <Brian.Douglas(a)hesperia.org&gt;
>  > Subject: Re: Actual question
>  > Date: Wed, 28 May 2008 18:05:12 -0400
>  >
>  > On Wed, 2008-05-28 at 13:33 -0700, Brian Douglas wrote:
>  > > I am new to the linux os and I would like to install fedora 9 on a
>  > > back up computer to test it out.  However, when I go to the site to
>  > > download I have no idea which one I should download.  There are three
>  > > main categories, and more choices within those.  Could you answer my
>  > > question?
>  >
>  > I can help you with your issue, but in the future all end-user questions
>  > should be directed to one of the resources listed at the following:
>  >
>  > http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Communicate
>  >
>  > The two forms of Live Media can be booted from a disc (CD, DVD, or USB
>  > key) in order to try Fedora before installing. The "Fedora Desktop Live
>  > Media" uses the default desktop environment in Fedora, and the "Fedora
>  > KDE Live Media" uses an alternate desktop. Both can be installed. The
>  > selection of software at install time is fixed, but more can be added
>  > after installation.
>  >
>  > The Install Media does not give you the opportunity to test Fedora
>  > before installing, however the software selection is larger and can be
>  > customized before installation.
>  >
>  > Most personal computers will use either the i386 install media or the
>  > i686 live media.
>  >
>  > Also note that all links in the main sections are for our latest
>  > release, Fedora 9. Older releases are accessible at the links in the
>  > "Let me look around..." section.
>  >
>  > --
>  > Ignacio Vazquez-Abrams <ivazqueznet(a)gmail.com&gt;
>  >
>  > PLEASE don't CC me; I'm already subscribed
>  >
>

[Mike McGrath]

On Wed, 28 May 2008, Basil Mohamed Gohar wrote:

>  Mike,
>
>  Is Fedora only for geeks or is it for "normal" people?  I think we know what we
> want the answer to be, but are we
>  there yet?  I want my wife to use Fedora, and she's intelligent, but I'm not sure
> I would categorize her as a geek,
>  either.
>
>  I think there's a happy medium - the world isn't geeks vs. non-geeks.  But I
> think we can move more in the non-geek
>  direction still...
>  
According to a comment in a recent blog post:

http://mmcgrath.livejournal.com/16918.html?thread=47894#t47894

Fedora is for enthusiasts.

	-Mike

[Ignacio Vazquez-Abrams]

On Wed, 2008-05-28 at 18:01 -0500, Mike McGrath wrote:
>  On Wed, 28 May 2008, Basil Mohamed Gohar wrote:
>  
>  > Mike,
>  >
>  > Is Fedora only for geeks or is it for "normal" people?  I think we know
> what we want the answer to be, but are we
>  > there yet?  I want my wife to use Fedora, and she's intelligent, but I'm not
> sure I would categorize her as a geek,
>  > either.
>  >
>  > I think there's a happy medium - the world isn't geeks vs. non-geeks.  But I
> think we can move more in the non-geek
>  > direction still...
>  >
>  
>  According to a comment in a recent blog post:
>  
>  http://mmcgrath.livejournal.com/16918.html?thread=47894#t47894
>  
>  Fedora is for enthusiasts. 
I think there's plenty of people that could *become* FOSS enthusiasts,
if only they knew the issues surrounding it (or even that it exists, for
that matter).

-- 
Ignacio Vazquez-Abrams <ivazqueznet(a)gmail.com&gt;

PLEASE don't CC me; I'm already subscribed

[Basil Mohamed Gohar]

On Wed, 2008-05-28 at 19:29 -0400, Ignacio Vazquez-Abrams wrote:

>  On Wed, 2008-05-28 at 18:01 -0500, Mike McGrath wrote:
>  > On Wed, 28 May 2008, Basil Mohamed Gohar wrote:
>  > 
>  > > Mike,
>  > >
>  > > Is Fedora only for geeks or is it for "normal" people?  I think we
> know what we want the answer to be, but are we
>  > > there yet?  I want my wife to use Fedora, and she's intelligent, but
> I'm not sure I would categorize her as a geek,
>  > > either.
>  > >
>  > > I think there's a happy medium - the world isn't geeks vs. non-geeks. 
> But I think we can move more in the non-geek
>  > > direction still...
>  > >
>  > 
>  > According to a comment in a recent blog post:
>  > 
>  > http://mmcgrath.livejournal.com/16918.html?thread=47894#t47894
>  > 
>  > Fedora is for enthusiasts.
>  
>  I think there's plenty of people that could *become* FOSS enthusiasts,
>  if only they knew the issues surrounding it (or even that it exists, for
>  that matter).
>   
I agree.  I'm not sure that Paul's statement (and far be it from me to
speak for him) meant that certain accommodations for non-"enthusiasts"
shouldn't be considered.  An enthusiast need not be a technically-minded
person either.  They can just be someone that sees the advantage of free
software in that they don't have to do a lot of EULA clicking whenever
they want to use software...

[Basil Mohamed Gohar]

Let me make a more beneficial response...:-D

A solution to this particular issue, or perhaps, all general issues like
this (geek vs. non-geek audiences) is to make it easy for someone to get
what 80% of people looking for it want.  So, for example, a nice big
button that set "Download Fedora", and it downloads, say, the i386 DVD
install.  Below that, we have the link for everyone else, which may,
initially be the majority, but over time, the big "one-click" audience
will grow as we are appealing to them, while the mode advanced crew will
hardly feel rebuffed by having to click on the "More options"
link...which could just be a Javascript-hidden/revealed link for the
rest of the download options, including torrents and jigdo.

Is this something that's already in the works, or counter to something
wiser?  Just some random thoughts.

--Basil

On Wed, 2008-05-28 at 18:55 -0400, Basil Mohamed Gohar wrote:

>  Mike,
>  
>  Is Fedora only for geeks or is it for "normal" people?  I think we
>  know what we want the answer to be, but are we there yet?  I want my
>  wife to use Fedora, and she's intelligent, but I'm not sure I would
>  categorize her as a geek, either.
>  
>  I think there's a happy medium - the world isn't geeks vs. non-geeks.
>  But I think we can move more in the non-geek direction still...
>  
>  --Basil
>  
>  On Wed, 2008-05-28 at 17:41 -0500, Mike McGrath wrote: 
>  
>  > On Wed, 28 May 2008, Ignacio Vazquez-Abrams wrote:
>  > 
>  > > Yeah, we're definitely doing it wrong.
>  > >
>  > 
>  > 
>  > It was back in the day that was my favorite part of Linux, learning the
>  > internals of my box, I guess fewer people are like that these days :)
>  > 
>  > 	-Mike
>  > 
>  > 
>  > 
>  > > -------- Forwarded Message --------
>  > > From: Ignacio Vazquez-Abrams <ivazqueznet(a)gmail.com&gt;
>  > > To: Brian Douglas <Brian.Douglas(a)hesperia.org&gt;
>  > > Subject: Re: Actual question
>  > > Date: Wed, 28 May 2008 18:05:12 -0400
>  > >
>  > > On Wed, 2008-05-28 at 13:33 -0700, Brian Douglas wrote:
>  > > > I am new to the linux os and I would like to install fedora 9 on a
>  > > > back up computer to test it out.  However, when I go to the site to
>  > > > download I have no idea which one I should download.  There are three
>  > > > main categories, and more choices within those.  Could you answer my
>  > > > question?
>  > >
>  > > I can help you with your issue, but in the future all end-user questions
>  > > should be directed to one of the resources listed at the following:
>  > >
>  > > http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Communicate
>  > >
>  > > The two forms of Live Media can be booted from a disc (CD, DVD, or USB
>  > > key) in order to try Fedora before installing. The "Fedora Desktop Live
>  > > Media" uses the default desktop environment in Fedora, and the
> "Fedora
>  > > KDE Live Media" uses an alternate desktop. Both can be installed. The
>  > > selection of software at install time is fixed, but more can be added
>  > > after installation.
>  > >
>  > > The Install Media does not give you the opportunity to test Fedora
>  > > before installing, however the software selection is larger and can be
>  > > customized before installation.
>  > >
>  > > Most personal computers will use either the i386 install media or the
>  > > i686 live media.
>  > >
>  > > Also note that all links in the main sections are for our latest
>  > > release, Fedora 9. Older releases are accessible at the links in the
>  > > "Let me look around..." section.
>  > >
>  > > --
>  > > Ignacio Vazquez-Abrams <ivazqueznet(a)gmail.com&gt;
>  > >
>  > > PLEASE don't CC me; I'm already subscribed
>  > >
>  >