Linux

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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).

Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.

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What are some bare minimum concepts beginner Linux users should understand? (reddthat.com)

submitted 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) by bpt11@reddthat.com to c/linux@lemmy.ml

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I'm talking about like your mom if she started using Linux, and just needs it to be able to open a web browser and check Facebook or her email or something. A student that just needs a laptop to do homework and take notes, or someone that just wants to play games on Steam and chat on discord.

I'm working on a Windows - > Linux guide targeting people like this and I want to make sure it can be understood by just about anybody. A problem that I've noticed is that most guides trying to do something like this seem to operate under the assumption that the viewer already knows what Linux is and has already made up their mind about switching, or that they're already pretty computer savvy. This guide won't be that, I'm writing a guide and keeping my parents in mind the whole time.

Because of this there's some things I probably won't talk about. Do these people really need to know that it's actually GNU+Linux? No, I don't think so. Should I explain how to install, use and configure hyprland, or compile a custom gaming kernel? I dont think that's really necessary. You get what I'm saying? I don't want to over complicate this and scare people off.

That being said I also want to make sure that I'm not over simplifying by skipping on key things they should know. So what are some key concepts or things that you think even the most basic of Linux users should understand? Bonus points if you can provide a solid entry level explanation of it too.

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[–] chillpanzee@lemmy.ml 8 points 2 days ago

I don't think that's a guide... it's a hands on class. Maybe even a good idea to pitch to your local community college, community center, or adult edu department.

It'll shock you how low the average person's technical literacy is. And since you're talking about a guide for a lot of things that update independently, the guide will begin to be outdated before you even publish it. It's exceptionally hard to keep technical documentation in sync with software and hardware that you don't control, and when the users of your guide hit those spots where the doc doesn't match, they bail quickly.

What key concepts to cover probably depends on what you're trying to teach. If it's just how to use a web browser, the mainstream distros all do that pretty well out of the box once they're installed (although installation can still a bit of a challenge from one laptop to the next). Maybe the greatest communal benefit would be to teach foundational concepts of online security.