Comments on Suggestion: Basic Linux skills compendium
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Suggestion: Basic Linux skills compendium
We are all Linux users and enthusiasts on this site, as well as caring about FOSS. Although technically this is a site for technical Q&A, I think some level of Linux activism is possibly beneficial, in the sense of helping newbies "get into Linux". It should not be our job to convince people to use Linux, but maybe it can be our job to help total newbies (who are already convinced) to get started?
The majority of computer users have baby duck syndrome for the major commercial OSes (Windows, Mac OS, Chrome OS). This is exacerbated because Linux does not have the marketing force to educate new users, and commercial vendors follow abusive strategies of removing the user's control of their own computer and obfuscating the operation of the OS. As a result, when people hear about Linux and even after they accept it as a superior alternative, it is very hard to get started because so much of it feels like an alien environment.
I propose we explicitly define a category of "basic Linux survival skills" like using the shell, working with files, basic scripting, man files, obvious resources for getting help (besides this site, so for example Arch wiki), troubleshooting strategies (such as dealing with FOSS bug trackers, collecting appropriate logs, etc). Newbies should not have to glean such information in between the lines of other posts, it should be directly spelled out.
This can be in the form of a "newbie question" tag (probably a better name can be found), or perhaps a "fundamentals" section of the site where more experienced users can write primers. Crucially, newbies struggle not just with basic tasks, but understanding the correct way to even phrase the question, so it makes sense to ask the correct way for them. We don't need to spoonfeed everything to them, just enough basic skills that they can actually use a Linux computer for basic tasks, and thereafter we would expect people to compose their own questions like "regular" users would.
I think this is a good way to cut down on basic question, improve the health of the Linux/FOSS ecosystem and improving the activity of the site (I would expect basic Linux questions are a popular search query). It's easy to do, since most people here probably know most Linux basics and can easily research the ones they don't.
What is the community's opinion on this?
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Neat idea. In favour.
Bottom-up is better
I'd propose bottom-up here, instead of grand idea to strive for.
- I'd cut the list of topics down to real basics. I agree with @KarlKnechtel on Git. I'd skip compilation from source until much later (not basic). Etc.
- Basics means installation and commands. Perhaps a why Linux section.
- Commands have aspects. Say,
ls.lsshows.and.., why. Do not rely onlsoutput. Don't parsels. Understandinglsstyling and changing it (why some files are green, why some files have * next to them...). Not sure new users, indexing and SEO would like to see all that in one question. Consider https://linux.codidact.com/posts/290222 and see that other natural questions could be "What is whatis and how it differs from apropos?" or "Why can't I get a man page forexit?" or "Is there a tool that gives me just man examples or do I need a shell script for that" or even something like "does anyone useinfoanymore and what is it for?".
Q&A format
This forum uses only Q&A format. So, all points from the Linux Basics Curriculum (work term) need to have it. This means IMO:
- having multiple questions about command aspects (see
lsexample above) - artificial Q&A, aimed at... yeah, who exactly?
- getting new users to ask their questions and answering them - naturally, organically (I'm deliberately NOT raising the "how to be higher in search terms than other sites).
I take it you mean 2. I'm leaning towards 1 for to me brevity of the answer is key. Just meat. Which also would mean examples.
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