Clearer instructions

Forum: DSL Ideas and Suggestions
Topic: Clearer instructions
started by: Singkong2005

Posted by Singkong2005 on June 26 2006,09:07

It would be good to have instructions at < the download page > - otherwise people with an inadequate geekiness quotient won't be able (or patient enough) to figure out how to download and install it. I'm semi-geeky and I find it difficult to work out (and I'm not interested enough in computers to keep trying).

Some of the info at < Getting DSL From the Mirrors > should be put here, for a start. And at least link to an installation guide. Sorry if that sounds critical - I do think that the whole idea of DSL is excellent. And I'm glad that there are people who enjoy tinkering with progams... but I'm not one (Wikiholicism being my own addiction).

I was going to put DSL on a USB drive so I could start up a computer that's not working. However, it seems that "USB booting can be a hit-or-miss process with DSL or other pendrive-based operating systems.", according to < USB Booting >, so I'm going to see if I can boot from a Windows CD, then get my geeky friend to help me install DSL (or Ubuntu) on my harddrive later.

Cheers
Singkong2005

Posted by jonam on June 26 2006,22:27

I agree with your comments. See the topic on documentation in this forum. I keep seeing similar problems encountered again and again by people new to DSL (I'm new to DSL as well).

This project really needs a core set of structured documents outlining how to set up DSL and outlining solutions to the most commonly encountered problems. It should be that people refer to the documentation first for installation, set-up and common problems before going to the forums for help. This would reduce the workload on the people answering questions in the forum and increase the success of DSL as people will have a greater chance of getting DSL going instead of giving up in frustration.

My experience with DSL was that it took a month of a lot of my spare time, plenty of frustration and sheer persistence to get it working. The solution to get it working, in the end, was quite simple but the documentation was nowhere to be found, either in the Wikis or the Forums.

Regards,

Jonam

Posted by cbagger01 on June 27 2006,18:17

It is a common observation that the DSL information/documentation is somewhat scattered about the forums/website/pdfdocs/wiki and difficult for a new user to absorb.

Yet few of these observers ever do anything substantial to improve the situation. Please try and submit improvements in structure and content to the existing situation.

I always like it what a new DSL user writes a blog-style post explaining their experience with installing DSL on their specific computer system.

It places all of their learning experiences into one post and it also gives the information from the "first time user perspective" that is lacking from some of the more experienced users, like me.

So before your newbishness and memory fades away, please help to improve things.

Posted by jonam on June 27 2006,23:42

I would prefer to contribute to a structured document than add another blog and repeat half the stuff that someone else has written about.

I have suggested a document outline in the Documentation topic in this forum and if something like this could be set up as a Wiki with a few people acting as editors who would receive submissions and add them to the Wiki, it would, over time, produce a valuable reference to DSL. Contributions from experienced and new users would produce a very good document.

In the short time I have been using DSL, I have seen so many similar posts in these forums on:

- How do I get my xxx Wireless card working?
- How do I use ndiswrapper?
- How do I install DSL to Hardisk/ USB/ etc?
- Is DSL compatible with xyz hardware?

Most of these questions get very similar responses from the regulars to this forum. Apart from creating unncessary workload, it would be mind-numbing to keep answering the same questions. Hence my suggestion for a structured document. Keep the forums for the really difficult problems.

I would be more than happy to contribute with what little I know as long as it ends up adding to DSL knowledge in a structured fashion.

If it will help, I can put together an example document "DSL on Laptops" so that you can see what I am talking about.Might be a couple of weeks as I have a day job. I won't pretend that it will contain original information, rather a collection of my knowledge plus some selected information from the forums and other Linux/ DSL info so that the document becomes a starting guide for new users.

Regards,

Jonam