Re: interesting experiment.

["Igor Gueths" <igueths@attbi.com>]

Hi. THere's also the dos win to linux howto on linuxdoc.org. It specifically explains the dir command, copy, format, etc. 
----- Original Message ----- 
From: Octavian Rasnita <orasnita@home.ro>
To: <speakup@braille.uwo.ca>
Sent: Tuesday, May 21, 2002 3:36 AM
Subject: Re: interesting experiment.


> As a good idea, I think that a good tutorial should start thinking that a
> new user of linux used Windows until that moment.
> I don't know if a person with absolutely no experience in computers, would
> start learning linux these days.
> I think the new Linux users know  at least DOS or Windows.
> 
> So the tutorial should  say that the ls command is like the dir command for
> dos, but the differences are: ...
> Then it should explain the differences between the 2 OS's telling how to
> copy a file to a floppy, why it should be mounted, etc.
> I don't know if there are installers for Linux that can install this OS with
> only a few enter keys , or without a hardware sinthesizer, etc, so the
> installation  of Linux is not so important for an absolute beginner  because
> perhaps an advanced user will install the OS.
> 
> Another good starting tutorial would be explaining all the available  screen
> readers, sinthesizers, telling what is a "talking environment like emacs,
> comparing the screen readers for DOS and windows with those for Linux,
> comparing the responsiveness and sound quality of sinthesizers, and
> comparing them with  each other.
> 
> This way, for a new user would be much easier to  choose what they want and
> what is more appropriate for what they want to do with the computer.
> 
> 
> Teddy,
> orasnita@home.ro
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Ann Parsons" <akp@eznet.net>
> To: <speakup@braille.uwo.ca>
> Sent: Monday, May 20, 2002 5:48 PM
> Subject: Re: interesting experiment.
> 
> 
> Hi all,
> 
> I have left this post in here because it is cogent and it applies
> here.
> 
> Excuse me for speaking bluntly, but what is needed here is some
> education mentality.  We've received several messages from one person
> this morning who is trying his best to learn Linux.  He has to learn
> Linux for his job or school or something He's working with a set of
> circumstances that are not the best.
> 
> First, he is using software speech in Linux via emacs because Dectalk
> PC is not supported by Speakup.  So, he's kinda between a rock and a
> hard place.
> 
> Second, English is not his native tongue and he is having a hard time
> understanding docs and what commands to use.
> 
> Third, he has a learning style that needs to be accommodated.  This
> takes understanding and patience.
> 
> Charles, if ACB is interested in Linux, that's super.  Is there any
> way I can help?  I'd be happy to write tutorials, except that I'm not
> good at all the commands and so on.  If someone gave me all the
> commands and that, I could write a tutorial.  Is there perhaps someone
> who would like to collaborate with me on writing Linux Tutorials for
> the blind?
> 
> Ann P.
> >>>>> "Hi all,Charles" == Charles Crawford <ccrawford@acb.org> writes:
> 
>     Hi all,Charles>          OK, now I need to speak from the view of
>     Hi all,Charles> the American council of the blind with respect to
>     Hi all,Charles> this thread.
> 
>     Hi all,Charles>          We want to see alternatives to the
>     Hi all,Charles> dominant Ms-Windows operating system and
>     Hi all,Charles> applications that are accessible and user
>     Hi all,Charles> friendly.  We realize there is a culture around
>     Hi all,Charles> Linux that we do not wish to displace or otherwise
>     Hi all,Charles> change, yet the culture demands a level of
>     Hi all,Charles> personal involvement and knowledge that is neither
>     Hi all,Charles> easy to obtain from the available resources nor
>     Hi all,Charles> easy to learn once those resources are found.
>     Hi all,Charles> Hence, the participation of the wider blindness
>     Hi all,Charles> community is not likely unless there are new ways
>     Hi all,Charles> of learning and using Linux that maintain the
>     Hi all,Charles> accessibility and lack of expense that are so
>     Hi all,Charles> attractive.
> 
>     Hi all,Charles>          It is not a matter of telling folks to
>     Hi all,Charles> read the manual when the manual is prefaced upon
>     Hi all,Charles> an expectation of understanding that is greater
>     Hi all,Charles> than the average person starting out.  Neither is
>     Hi all,Charles> it helpful to assume that everyone is going to be
>     Hi all,Charles> able to prioritize their time to dedicate to Linux
>     Hi all,Charles> in the same way as others have.
> 
>     Hi all,Charles>          This is not a hobby.  It is an operating
>     Hi all,Charles> system for use by those who need the access and
>     Hi all,Charles> affordability of it.  So let's admit that we need
>     Hi all,Charles> to accommodate those interests and find a way to
>     Hi all,Charles> do it that is not threatening to the current
>     Hi all,Charles> community of users.
> 
>     Hi all,Charles>          For the reasons above, ACBH is attempting
>     Hi all,Charles> to find the resources to get the internal speech
>     Hi all,Charles> engine we need to put speakup inside the box with
>     Hi all,Charles> internal quality speech.  That will expand the
>     Hi all,Charles> user base because we won't be hunting around for
>     Hi all,Charles> hardware that is slowly disappearing.
> 
>     Hi all,Charles>          Next we need to look at the usability
>     Hi all,Charles> issue.  This does not mean we try and change the
>     Hi all,Charles> nature of Linux and it's syntax, but we do need to
>     Hi all,Charles> look at any avenues to either make it more easy
>     Hi all,Charles> for folks to learn the context through tutorials
>     Hi all,Charles> for example or possible other ways.
> 
>     Hi all,Charles>          In the end, Linux is a robust product
>     Hi all,Charles> that need not be seen as having only one road to
>     Hi all,Charles> access.  So let's stop making assumptions about
>     Hi all,Charles> the people who are only trying to use this cool
>     Hi all,Charles> operating system and start making an environment
>     Hi all,Charles> that supports all who want to use it.
> 
>     Hi all,Charles> -- Charlie Crawford.  At 04:34 PM 5/19/02 -0400,
>     Hi all,Charles> you wrote:
>     >> I think that most people know how to search for things on the
>     >> internet. I think you need to stop and think about the fact
>     >> that not all people are good at finding things and that's why
>     >> we ask for help. If I could find all of the answers to my
>     >> problems, I wouldn't be asking.:p Before you start treating new
>     >> people like their idiots, try to remember that we're all
>     >> different, we all learn in different ways, and sometimes we
>     >> miss stuff.
>     >>
>     >>
>     >>
>     >> On Sun, 19 May 2002, Janina Sajka wrote:
>     >>
>     >> > All right, Newbies, Listen Up!
>     >> >
>     >> > There's something called Google. It's your friend. You use it
>     >> > with your favorite web browser. It's real easy and it's lynx
>     >> > friendly. And, it finds the answers to almost all of the
>     >> "where > do I find" questions I've seen on this list in the
>     >> last 6 months, > and puts them on the first screen of results.
>     >> >
>     >> > Learn to use Google. Keep it open in a second console.
>     >> >
>     >> > The field where you type in your search string is the fourth
>     >> > field on the main Google screen. The submit button is the
>     >> next > field.
>     >> >
>     >> > This is not rocket science. It isn't even hard.
>     >> >
>     >> >
>     >> > _______________________________________________ > Speakup
>     >> mailing list > Speakup@braille.uwo.ca >
>     >> http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup
>     >> >
>     >>
>     >>
>     >> _______________________________________________ Speakup mailing
>     >> list Speakup@braille.uwo.ca
>     >> http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup
> 
> 
>     Hi all,Charles> _______________________________________________
>     Hi all,Charles> Speakup mailing list Speakup@braille.uwo.ca
>     Hi all,Charles> http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup
> 
> --
> Ann K. Parsons
> email:  akp@eznet.net ICQ Number:  33006854
> WEB SITE:  http://home.eznet.net/~akp
> "All that is gold does not glitter.  Not all those who wander are lost."
> JRRT
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Speakup mailing list
> Speakup@braille.uwo.ca
> http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup
> 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Speakup mailing list
> Speakup@braille.uwo.ca
> http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup