topic title: Section for new users?
Posts: 216
malanrich
Joined: 12 Sep 2007
#1
Is it just me, or are we getting more posts from new users trying their first Linux? It seems that in the beginning antiX appealed to experienced folks who liked the challenge of configurability. Now there's a stream of Windows users who want a lighter OS for older hardware.

I wonder if we should have a section for new users and a sticky with pointers to how-to articles and basic usage, maybe a FAQ.

That way we could minimize the frustration factor for those thinking they're getting an updated but Windows-ish MepisLite. And that way they'd maybe stick around and learn something even if it's not what they had in mind at first. ??
Posts: 1,081
OU812
Joined: 29 Sep 2007
#2
Outstanding idea.

john
anticapitalista
Posts: 5,955
Site Admin
Joined: 11 Sep 2007
#3
Excellent idea malanrich.
Any takers for starting the FAQ?
Posts: 216
malanrich
Joined: 12 Sep 2007
#4
anticapitalista wrote:Any takers for starting the FAQ?
I'm weak on the technical side and have never set up a FAQ, but I can edit what others have written and can start thinking up typical questions from new users. Or should we just point to sections of the user's manual and how-to's?
Posts: 1,520
eriefisher
Joined: 07 Oct 2007
#5
Open up the wiki so everyone can edit/monitior. I'm sure it might stir up some activity.

eriefisher
anticapitalista
Posts: 5,955
Site Admin
Joined: 11 Sep 2007
#6
You should be able to edit/monitor the wiki now.
Let me know if there are problems.
Posts: 216
malanrich
Joined: 12 Sep 2007
#7
Let's start simple. Just a section in the forum for new users. I remember going to forums for beginner help and not knowing where to ask the question. So, afraid of looking dumb, I'd just leave...
Posts: 216
malanrich
Joined: 12 Sep 2007
#8
Now that we've got a section for new users, would it be best to use a sticky to just refer to, for example, the how-to articles on the antiX main page like this:


========= SCRAPER REMOVED AN EMBEDDED LINK HERE ===========
url was:"http://antix.mepis.org/index.php/Howto_articles"
linktext was:"http://antix.mepis.org/index.php/Howto_articles"
====================================


Or how about short tips on how to do basic things, like moron's instruction for editing the fluxbox menu here:


========= SCRAPER REMOVED AN EMBEDDED LINK HERE ===========
url was:"antix.freeforu ms.org/adding-programs-to-the-fluxbox-menu-t551.html"
linktext was:"antix.freeforu ms.org/adding-prog ... -t551.html"
====================================


Anytime someone comes across a useful tip like this, they could paste it into the new user section.
Posts: 316
DJiNN
Joined: 26 Oct 2007
#9
malanrich wrote:Now that we've got a section for new users, would it be best to use a sticky to just refer to, for example, the how-to articles on the antiX main page like this:


========= SCRAPER REMOVED AN EMBEDDED LINK HERE ===========
url was:"http://antix.mepis.org/index.php/Howto_articles"
linktext was:"http://antix.mepis.org/index.php/Howto_articles"
====================================


Or how about short tips on how to do basic things, like moron's instruction for editing the fluxbox menu here:


========= SCRAPER REMOVED AN EMBEDDED LINK HERE ===========
url was:"antix.freeforu ms.org/adding-programs-to-the-fluxbox-menu-t551.html"
linktext was:"antix.freeforu ms.org/adding-prog ... -t551.html"
====================================


Anytime someone comes across a useful tip like this, they could paste it into the new user section.
That's a great idea malanrich. They do the same thing now on the Zenwalk forums, but when i first started using Zenwalk a few years back they had nothing like that, and it was really hard to find information.