[brlug-newbies] [CCCC-Linux] Thanks

[EdsLinuxBox]

On Tuesday 08 April 2008 11:10:10 am Tommy Minton wrote:
> Thanks for the patience last night in the Linux SIG class.
> I wanted to get Compiz-Fusion onto my computer but when I had previously
> tried to set up 3D graphics I thought the page was showing my computer
> didn't have the correct video board.
> I didn't know how to detect which version board it contained.
> The class taught me how to find out what hardware was in my computer.
> *Then* the class showed me how to find & then install the proper drivers.
> *Then* how to install Compiz-Fusion and get it performing! I thought that
> eyecandy was JUST great!
> Thanks, group for showing so much patience while all this was going on but
> since it was all on the big screen I hope all of you also learned from it.
> Special thanks to Ed and Russ.
> Tommy Minton

Tommy, and the multitude, 

Thanks for the comments and the complements. I hope that everyone enjoyed what 
we did, and not only learned the process of analyzing and solving the problem 
of getting the right drivers installed, but also learned from the process as 
well. It is my goal to see that kind of interaction in the twice monthly 
Monday evening workshops. Sometimes I think that we as facilitators tend to 
hand workshop attendees the solutions on a silver platter, but by doing that 
the participants don't really learn to do these things themselves and for 
themselves. If the SIG is to grow and flourish we have to have more folks 
that know not only how to do do these things, but also know how to learn how 
to do things. I hope that makes sense to everyone. 

Having said all of that, those of you that have questions, rather than saving 
them up for when you see Joe, Larry, Ron, Cal, Will, me or any of the other 
facilitators, post them here on the list so that we can address them in the 
various workshops for your benefit, as well as the benefit of all in 
attendance. That way we can all learn and grow together. Believe me when I 
say that I don't have all the answers. In fact, I actually have very few of 
the answers, but I have learned a methodology of first assessing and 
evaluating the challenge at hand and then systematically searching for and 
implementing the solutions. 

If there are particular applications that you want to learn and learn about, 
post those to this list as well. If we don't know what it is that you want to 
do with Linux, what programs you want to use,and what challenges you are 
facing, we can't address those needs for you, so speak up and lets us know 
how we can help. 

Finally, we need more folks that can step up and facilitate some of the 
workshops. Cal and Ron have done that with the Beginners Linux SIG and, from 
what I have seen and heard, are doing a EXCELLENT job with it. However, with 
me working a 40 hour per week job, volunteering with the Motorcycle Awareness 
Campaign and the Louisiana Motorcycle Safety Awareness Committee, serving on 
the club board of directors, keeping up the hardware and software in the 
Linux Lab, attending the monthly club meeting, maintaining the Wiki, doing 
the radio show once per month, writing the column for the monthly newsletter, 
facilitating the twice monthly workshops, and trying to go to the gym 3 times 
per week, my discretionary time is down to nothing. I need some help! If you 
can and are willing to help with any of these tasks, please let me know. I 
have accumulated a HUGE body of tutorials, both slide shows and videos, on a 
bunch of different applications. I just need some folks that will commit to 
studying the tutorials and then presenting the material in the workshops. We 
also need some folks that can take responsibility for keeping up the Wiki, 
addressing any hardware issues with the Lab computers, keeping the OS's and 
programs up the date, etc. We also need to get the lab server up and running, 
transfer all of the SIG files from the club server to the Linux server, 
re-link all of the moved files to the Wiki, and go through all of the SIG 
hardware in the storage room, see what is useful, get it set up and sell it 
or donate it. 

The Linux Lab is there and available for our use. We can have as many 
workshops as there are time slots available for its use, we just need enough 
facilitators and participants to fill those available time slots. 

Please give us some feedback on these ramblings. 

Thanks, 

Ed