Re: [gentoo-user] Gentoo Badges

[George Roberts <georoberts@gmail.com>]

Craig Zeigler wrote:

> Chris Cox wrote:
>
>> On Thursday 04 August 2005 08:50 am, Ryan Viljoen wrote:
>>  
>>
>>> Yeah so you just skipped n00b status?
>>> You never asked a stupid question?
>>> No I thought not.
>>> Thats the spirit lets keep Gentoo to ourselves so it can grow...
>>>
>>> *sigh*
>>>   
>>
>>
>> I was of course just kidding.  I do like Gentoo but hey, it isn't the 
>> right choice for everyone.  Some people I'm sure would prefer hand 
>> holding and fancy GUI installers that other Distros have a seem to 
>> cator to the masses.
>>
>> DO you really think Gentoo should be the first Distro people new to 
>> Linux should turn to?
>>  
>>
> In one word... YES!. If you're going to learn your way around Linux 
> well, why not start with something that doesn't teach you rely on GUIs 
> and crap like that. When it all goes south, you're left iwth a command 
> line. I guess I'm from the school that started wtih computer back 
> where there was no GUI. The closest thing I had to a GUI was an 
> ncurses like system, that really didn't work all that well.

I agree with Craig.  But in a broader sense, if anybody is to learn 
their way around a computer, start them out by building "their own 
computer".  Start them out with a box of parts and an install cd.  Give 
them diagram how the parts go and a Phillips head screwdriver (less 
tools required than assembling a swing set).  Teach them "fear not the 
black screen with the white letters".  Watch their joy as the learn that 
their new born computer can now stand on it's own by  installing the 
base layout.  Hear them brag that their child can walk because it has 
learned X windows server.  Suffer through the screen shots once it has 
grown to a full desktop. 
Never more will these persons quiver at the very thought of tearing  the 
sacred plastic that contains the mystical restore cd.
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