Teaching Intro to Linux

[Killer_Rubber_Ducky]

Hi all,
I'm a average Linux user working at a call center on a Dell account and we have just now begun to support the Linux OS ubuntu installed on the PCs. Since I am the only Linux user on the account they have asked me to teach the n00bs about installing software and managing the desktop as well as using the recovery tools.

Unfortunately I have not used the recovery tools more than once so I have no experience with them. I was wondering if anyone here could give me some material to work with as well as some recommendations for software to demo and such. Any help would be appreciated.
Cheers! ^_^

[Chevalr1c]

To find out someone's PC hardware, the

sudo lshw >(filename).html

terminal command can be handy because it generates an HTML file containing eleborate system info within the person's user folder.

[Kreij]

Teach the average Dell consumer who knows nothing about PCs, let alone OS administration, how to install, configure and troubleshoot a Linux system?

I would rather sit handcufffed in my own feces while someone lit my feet on fire and watch my toenails burn off.

The above, of course, is not helpful ... so maybe start compiling questions that are asked and make a n00b guide for the most common issues?
Crikey ... best wishes my friend.

[Easy Rhino]

I work for $100 an hour. PM if interested.

Originally Posted by Easy Rhino

I work for $100 an hour. PM if interested.

We're talking about tech support - right?

.


.


Just checking.

[Easy Rhino]

linux consultants get PAID. im surprised dell isn't shelling out the bucks to a big consulting firm if they are going to offer ubuntu on their machines. seems like they are cheaping out on it. i will tell all my friends to avoid dell.

[Maelstrom]

Damn, I need to become a linux consultant! Off to learn xD

[Killer_Rubber_Ducky]

Originally Posted by Kreij

Teach the average Dell consumer who knows nothing about PCs, let alone OS administration, how to install, configure and troubleshoot a Linux system?

I would rather sit handcufffed in my own feces while someone lit my feet on fire and watch my toenails burn off.

The above, of course, is not helpful ... so maybe start compiling questions that are asked and make a n00b guide for the most common issues?
Crikey ... best wishes my friend.

No actually it is technicians who are training for the job here.

[Killer_Rubber_Ducky]

Originally Posted by Easy Rhino

linux consultants get PAID. im surprised dell isn't shelling out the bucks to a big consulting firm if they are going to offer ubuntu on their machines. seems like they are cheaping out on it. i will tell all my friends to avoid dell.

Well they were routing to Canonical but I guess enough customers complained about Dell not being able to troubleshoot their computer that Dell responded. Either that or the Dell inspiron on the floor that I installed Either Ubuntu or Fedora on when they jacked it up by installing Windows from an Alienware disc on it w/o the drivers was the driving wedge. I know they were amazed and all googly eyed over it when I finished setting it up so Idk.

I am going to be working on a packet to hand out next week. I'm doing this on my off time when I get off of work. As far as the cheaping out goes, from my experience working on Ubuntu computers that people call in about, they seem to be built better than their windows counterparts. Perhaps because Ubuntu only works really well on certain Dell components, they are being more careful. who knows? Either way, I'm going to try to help out my former teachers and future associates try to grasp Linux even if it is on a "RTFM" basis. The teacher made the mistake of stating that you can install anything on it. Even Malwarebytes. So, I'm tasked with teaching about software so the command given earlier is much appreciated. I will be teaching the use of deb and .run as well as wine for windows apps while at the same time showing the use of wine appdb.

I really need to know how to access the recovery console during boot and generally how to use it and when.

[Easy Rhino]

Well good luck. It is good that you are taking initiative in this. Most people would just be pissed about it and do a half ass job.

[Killer_Rubber_Ducky]

Originally Posted by Easy Rhino

Well good luck. It is good that you are taking initiative in this. Most people would just be pissed about it and do a half ass job.

Well, when I was in the training group last November, I was the only one to ask about the ubuntu training pages I came across. I was able to teach my class how to install ubuntu during the class and even converted a couple of co-workers over to it so..yeah I feel privilaged to teach people and learn all at the same time. I have actually walked Cx's through the process of recovering their passwords with Trinity Rescue Kit on Windows and virus removal as well. It is a fun learning experience and I hope i can instruct well too.

[hellrazor]

Tell them that those who can do, and those that can't teach.

I get the feeling you're in my boat of being the dude that knows a little bit about Linux, so everyone goes to you asking questions and you're like "Hell if I know" and start experimenting until it happens, and then everyone's like "How'd you do that?" and you still don't quite know.

[Wrigleyvillain]

They should be at least giving you one of these new Dells with Ubuntu for reference and testing and to help you better understand what the customer is using and seeing.

Also hope you're getting a raise!

[Killer_Rubber_Ducky]

Originally Posted by Wrigleyvillain

They should be at least giving you one of these new Dells with Ubuntu for reference and testing and to help you better understand what the customer is using and seeing.

Also hope you're getting a raise!

eh we are using the one i modified. Im also bringing in my ancient ass rig running 1gb of ram and Athlon XP. I did not get my last raise of $.50 so hopefully i'll get this one.

[Wrigleyvillain]

Yeah well I'd say you're in a better position than usual to start making demands.

[Killer_Rubber_Ducky]

Here is the general list of terminal commands I plan on teaching them to use regularly for Diag and such. Feel free to tell me other useful commands I should include.

iwconfig
ifconfig
lspci -vv
apt-get install
apt-get install -f
dpkg -i
sudo
chmod
kill
ls
cd
apt-get update
ndiswrapper
alien
./configure
make
make install
apt-get check
make depend

so yeah, I'm trying to cover all the necessary ones as well as a few off the beaten path.
Again, if someone can inform me as to how to access the recovery console if the PC boots straight to ubuntu and auto logs in.

[streetfighter 2]

Don't forget ctrl+alt+backspace to restart X server.

Originally Posted by Killer_Rubber_Ducky

Again, if someone can inform me as to how to access the recovery console if the PC boots straight to ubuntu and auto logs in.

I think what you want is to shutdown X server: use sudo /etc/init.d/gdm stop, to get back use sudo /etc/init.d/gdm start.

[Frick]

Originally Posted by Killer_Rubber_Ducky

Hi all,
I'm a average Linux user working at a call center on a Dell account and we have just now begun to support the Linux OS ubuntu installed on the PCs. Since I am the only Linux user on the account they have asked me to teach the n00bs about installing software and managing the desktop as well as using the recovery tools.

Unfortunately I have not used the recovery tools more than once so I have no experience with them. I was wondering if anyone here could give me some material to work with as well as some recommendations for software to demo and such. Any help would be appreciated.
Cheers! ^_^

I did not know this. I have nothing to offer you but good luck! You will need it I'm afraid.

EDIT: BTW, I had something like this next to me when I was on Linux some years ago and found it pretty handy.

[hellrazor]

Oh, yeah I have one of those quick reference tri-fold thingies from the college, also pretty damn handy.

[Thatguy]

Originally Posted by Killer_Rubber_Ducky

Hi all,
I'm a average Linux user working at a call center on a Dell account and we have just now begun to support the Linux OS ubuntu installed on the PCs. Since I am the only Linux user on the account they have asked me to teach the n00bs about installing software and managing the desktop as well as using the recovery tools.

Unfortunately I have not used the recovery tools more than once so I have no experience with them. I was wondering if anyone here could give me some material to work with as well as some recommendations for software to demo and such. Any help would be appreciated.
Cheers! ^_^

Where do we ship the rogaine ?

[Killer_Rubber_Ducky]

So here is the rough draft of the Software installation qwik-guide.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1.../edit?hl=en_US

[Chevalr1c]

Originally Posted by streetfighter 2

Don't forget ctrl alt backspace to restart X server.

In Ubuntu, this is disabled by default. This has to be enabled via system --> administration --> keyboard, then the "options" button on the "keyboard layout" tab.

[Apharas]

You forgot my favorite software install method wajig . It is based on apt-get and is command line, but has a large number of functions. Most useful is the whichpkg option with allows you to run

wajig whichpkg bin/emacs

Which will tell you which packages include *bin/emacs .
Also it does not require you to manually run sudo as a user it will just prompt you for your password.
--
A

[Hybrid_theory]

One thing thats good to teach, which I found useful in my intro to linux class was how the linux file system is structured, and how you reference moving around in it via command line.
ie.

cd /etc

the / in front indicates the top of the filesystem.

cd etc

means look for etc in the current directory.

Also make sure to get your students using a cmd window instead of the gui applications. Its more beneficial as its all they will use if they become linux server admins and such.

[Chevalr1c]

I think I have to correct HT a little. It is not "look for", but rather "navigate into", when using cd. If you wanna check what's inside a folder (without "entering" it) it's

ls

, for example

ls /home/john/documents