[Prev][Next][Index][Thread]

Re: Installation Party Summary



Omer Zak wrote:
> Maybe not absolutely necessary.  People can do it on the spot
> simultaneously, using MS-DOS tools or whatever.  Then hear a lecture
> about installing Linux while their hard disks are busy whirring and
> purring and defragmenting themselves.

That might be an option, but I think it would save a lot of time if
people just *knew* that it will be required.  Just tell them how much
disk space each configuration would require (full-fledged,
internet-station, with/without X11, development station), make it
clear that the numbers are rough and that the more disk-space the
better.  Also tell them that Linux can access FAT-based filesystems,
so they can share some disk space (probably mostly their home
directories) with Lose, so the partitioning decisions can be easier.

As for lectures - I though at first that it would be a nice drill too -
sit people in a "class" setup and give them some basic unix
administration tutorial.  But now I think the typical Israeli mess that
goes on there prevents such a thing.

> 
> > 2. I'd suggest settling on *one* distribution, and bringing as many
> > copies as possible on as many media formats as possible.  You should
> > have one copy per person, so that everyone can be installing
> > simultaneously.  If you can manage this, then you can also give
> > instructions from the front of the room, and have afew people going
> > around helping out with particular problems.
> 
> I assume that even newbies may have special needs which require them to
> have a distribution different from the Holy Standard Distribution to be
> chosen whatever it is.

Shay and Marc met many more people than me, so they can tell us if they
know of anybody who required a particular dist.  I myself haven't seen
such a newbie at the party (*maybe* the kid knew he wants Debian, but
I haven't asked him).

> > 5. I often find that the biggest hassle with installing linux is
> > finding out the details of peoples' hardware.  So, lets have a form
> > for people to fill out before coming.  It should ask for *all* the
> > details of their system (what cards, what brands, what configurations,
> > what monitor (max hsync, max vsync, max dot clock), IRQs, dma usage,
> > hard disk (chs, partition table, brand, ...) ...).  If they come with
> > enough info, it'll make the installations more foolproof, less risky,
> > and make installing X easier (and safer).
> 
> VERY GOOD IDEA!
> Have the users bring the display and video card user's manuals (I
> remember having had pored for a while over my display's user's manual
> while fine tuning my X configuration).  In other words, add to the form
> also a checklist of what hardware manuals to bring with the PC.
                      ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Make it simpler - tell them to bring everything about any part they have
in or near their computer.

> 
> Also list what MS-DOS tools can be used to figure out the information
> (taking into account also PnP devices' reconfigurability).

Very good idea too - maybe also give some tips about using
Lose95/Lose311
to dig info about their computer.

Another suggestion - collect as much statistics about the party as
possible -

* when people arrived
* the status of their computers, its configuration
* the partitioning scheme before and after the party
* the distribution installed, software included
* questions that people asked during the party
* ask people to comment about the party - ask them to fill a
  questionaire - maybe even give it to them when they arrive so
  they remember their own comments.
* how long did people have to wait before the installation of their
  computer began, how long did the install take.  Problems encountered
  during the installation, *and how those problems were resolved*.
* any other info you can suggest.

Give the gurus a form to fill these stats during the party.

Collecting such info should be very usefull for the next "post mortum".

Cheers,

--Amos

--Amos Shapira                  | "Of course Australia was marked for
                                |  glory, for its people had been chosen
amos@dsi.co.il                  |  by the finest judges in England."
                                |                         -- Anonymous


References: