I’ve been examination a Ubuntu “power users” organisation set up with huge interest. Although Ubuntu has directed precisely during being easy to use, I’ve never seen it as being quite antipathetic toward energy users, as well as a thought of wanting a specific area in that people can speak about energy user issues seems rather odd. However – judging from a activity, it seems to have strike a genuine nerve. Whether or not it is a good thought in a prolonged tenure stays to be seen: I’m resolutely of a perspective that bursting communities in to factions is a bad idea, so how they will strike that in time will be a challenge, yet obviously it’s assembly a genuine need.
Fedora, upon a alternative hand, hasn’t unequivocally ever had most of an emanate catering to “power users”. While a customary Fedora implement is incredibly easy to use, for a most partial people regulating it have a in accord with thought of what they’re doing. But it got me to thinking, is there a opening in a Fedora community, in a same approach as there assumingly was a single in a Ubuntu?
Let me ask a elementary question. If we have been a latest user to Fedora, have been a resources beneficial as well as is a village a welcoming place? (by “new user”, we impute usually to believe of Fedora, not computing believe some-more generally). Allow me to pitch out a couple of selectively-chosen “facts” (yes, this is biased, etc.):
- the Fedora FAQ, whilst being high-quality, doesn’t have most metrics upon frequency. It’s a series a single apparatus listed upon a “Get Help”page, as well as is positively a utilitarian resource, yet covers a operation of opposite operate cases as well as user types. we don’t consider a single of a visit questions a latest user “getting help” would have would be “When is a subsequent release?”, that assumingly creates a tip 5.
- the couple to a Docs plan is additionally a couple to high-quality information. But we get a lot of report all in a single go, as well as a navigation isn’t extraordinary – for Fedora 14, a “Power Management guide” as well as “Musicians guide” have subsequent to billing with a implement as well as user guides.
- the links to online resources have been numerous. Hit a Forums button, you’re since a preference of 3 opposite fora to begin with, nothing of them “official”, as well as a single marked down “Fedora” is unequivocally difficult to navigate (and we contend this as a believer of online forums). We’re additionally offering IRC, that starts with a notice that we competence be criminialized if your identd isn’t setup right (wtf) as well as we can’t get in until we sense IRC as well as register, as well as afterwards a list of a little substantially 50 opposite IRC rooms. Most would collect a initial upon a list, #fedora – my believe there yesterday was a single of name-calling as well as abuse as most as help. And afterwards we have mailing lists. Again registration, again a Heinz 57 varieties.
- No believe base, troubleshooter or alternative self-help resource people competence be used to.
I indicate a upon top of not as critique of a assorted resources: all can be improved. But, as they say, we usually get to have your initial sense once. Many of a resources have been indeed excellent, yet surpass often for existing/experienced users. So, we would have a explain that for someone who is latest to Fedora, a incident isn’t good – in fact, we consider for many, it is wholly off-putting as well as unreliable.
I consider Fedora, as a community, needs to do something in this regard, as well as right divided we don’t see anything. We have a little good SIGs – selling as well as ambassadors in sold – who do smashing work compelling as well as explaining Fedora to a wider world. But there is no organisation right divided operative toward a cohesive, written believe for latest users entrance to Fedora.
I’d similar to to suggest, then, that a Fedora Greeters SIG be set up. Please take this blog post as a ask for comments: I’d similar to to know either or not alternative people consider this is needed, as well as if so, either or not they’d be peaceful to assistance minister – as partial of their purpose in an existent SIG or privately for this.
The over-arching idea would be to have Fedora a some-more welcoming village for those arriving, either from Windows, alternative distros, or latest to IT in general, yet some-more privately to benefaction a wider Fedora plan as well as village in a docile as well as some-more simply accepted fashion. Specific goals, though, could include:
- developing “conversion” guides for people associating about alternative systems, permitting them to send their believe in to Fedora as well as assimilate a system. Other systems have their own jargon, as well as Fedora positively has copiousness of a own as well – infrequently only meaningful what a difference meant is a separator in itself.
- creating latest await resources, or operative with existent SIGs upon their resources, to privately residence a needs of latest users as well as their await requirements.
- providing some-more interactive “signpost help” – Fedora has most good resources that simply go new since people don’t know they’re there.
The good thing about this is that honestly, there’s not an horrible lot to do in most areas: a lot of a resources indispensable have been already there! But there’s no co-ordination in most respects. we additionally consider this is starting to turn increasingly critical over a subsequent couple of months as well as years: Fedora right divided has a lane jot down of a little intensely fast releases, as well as with alternative critical distributions determining to rise a prophesy of a desktop that is upon a arena divided from a GNOME village a need for Fedora to be open as well as welcoming is some-more critical right divided than ever
