Six fatal mistakes you'll want to avoid

[Pjotr123]

You really have them handling the thing with kid-gloves here. I can see the point, but I would say telling people not to uninstall ANY of the default applications is going a bit far.

I strive to teach Linux beginners to build a system that's as sturdy and reliable as a Leopard tank (see attachment).

A safe platform to learn Linux. Rock solid. Later on, they'll start experimenting anyway. But then they'll know what they are doing...

[merlin38]

First i'm french speaking and i just start reading english doc and forums, so it could help to understand my point of view.

I think it's a very good idea to claim the risks of such programm instalation.
It is clearly a good practice only to trust official release.

But many beginners come from Windows. They discover open source world with firefox, thunderbird, etc... On windows, the linux users explain they will have a better security and performance by using open-source software. Windows users became proud of using these software and they discover a new world. They can use always the latest version without wasting money.
They they decide to switch to Ubuntu. And then every body tells them they have to loose freedom to install software. You are told that software are dangerous. You are told that third party have to test software before allowing you to use them. It's very suprising ! It become hard to see the real différence beetween Windows and Linux phylosophy. With both you are considered as a stupid user. In windows you are so stupid that you have to pay a lot directly to developpers and use without understanding and everything is closed, in Linux you are so stupid that you have to help making the popularity of free software rise, so that ads could make developper indirectly earn much money, and the docs are so rare or technic that you can't learn by yourself. Note : i emphasize to much, volontarly to be clear. Further more, users have to wait 6 month to use safely the latest vesion. (a fist i had to use my double boot to use windows to test official release of Firefox!!! Dissapointing.)

It is very rare that someone explain how to verify automated installer, how to check yourself security. Pédagogic material that combine easy access for beginners and advanced tips to understand linux are rare !!
Often you find only warnings, or too simple doc. On the other hand you find very complicated doc that are related to other, themself related to other.....
I'm very dissapointed to have difficulties to find tutorials that make me UNDERSTAND WHY, and not only LEARN HOW.

But i'm very happy to use Ubuntu. Just a little bit dissapointed And trust on the fact that I think Linux is clearly different, and that i do prefer the philosophy far much more.

[Jive Turkey]

I learned a couple of things from your articles, thanks. I disagree on the removal of default apps as I remove the games that come with gnome pretty quickly after installing. In the hands of someone that tends to over-tinker, I wouldn't say that ubuntu tweak is any more dangerous than synaptic.

[Pjotr123]

I learned a couple of things from your articles, thanks. I disagree on the removal of default apps as I remove the games that come with gnome pretty quickly after installing.

The games are probably safe to remove, I agree. But when you remove Evolution, for instance, you're in trouble. I think it's too complicated for a Linux beginner (target audience) to differentiate in this aspect, so I kept it simple.

In the hands of someone that tends to over-tinker, I wouldn't say that ubuntu tweak is any more dangerous than synaptic.

But it is.... Ubuntu Tweak offers too easy access to all kinds of PPA's and third party software, whereas Synaptic by default only uses the normal repositories.

@merlin38: Pour moi, ce n'est pas une problème d'attendre quelques mois pour le dernier Firefox.... Ce n'est pas important pour moi, d'avoir toujours les derniers cris; pourvu que je peux faire tout ce que je veux avec mon logiciel.

[Soul-Sing]

Pjotr123 points on the weak spot, or more precisely the vulnerability of Linux in general and Ubuntu in particular (Ubuntu is the most popular linux distro), namely the software sources. Where does software come from, and which sources are safe and secure, and which are questionable.(Or maybe unsafe)
Good point to discuss this.

[lykwydchykyn]

I strive to teach Linux beginners to build a system that's as sturdy and reliable as a Leopard tank (see attachment).

A safe platform to learn Linux. Rock solid. Later on, they'll start experimenting anyway. But then they'll know what they are doing...

Well, that sounds like a good idea. I think the only caveat is that you don't want to make people scared to touch the thing. I work with a lot of non-computer-savvy people, and for the most part their problem is that they fear the computer. They fear that if they click on the wrong thing the system will break beyond repair.

What's more, they tend to acquire superstitions about computers -- you must do this, you must never do this, etc. I don't think any of your suggestions are wrong, but you have to be careful how you phrase things so that people don't end up thinking, for example, "you should never install a .deb file" when sometimes that's the best solution.

Just my 2 cents, take it or leave it.

[Silvertones]

The version of Adobe Reader that got installed was 9.3 which is the same as windows

[wilee-nilee]

Fud.

[Pjotr123]

The version of Adobe Reader that got installed was 9.3 which is the same as windows

Hmmm... In my language version (Dutch) I can only download Adobe Reader 8.1.7. I just discovered that the English language version is at 9.3. So "only" the Dutch version is currently insecure (and maybe other language versions as well).

Anyhow, the default Evince pdf reader in Ubuntu is always being kept secure. Apart from that, it's much leaner than Adobe Reader. Therefore it's my favourite.

[xpod]

Well, that sounds like a good idea. I think the only caveat is that you don't want to make people scared to touch the thing. I work with a lot of non-computer-savvy people, and for the most part their problem is that they fear the computer. They fear that if they click on the wrong thing the system will break beyond repair.

What's more, they tend to acquire superstitions about computers -- you must do this, you must never do this, etc. I don't think any of your suggestions are wrong, but you have to be careful how you phrase things so that people don't end up thinking, for example, "you should never install a .deb file" when sometimes that's the best solution.

Just my 2 cents, take it or leave it.

The majority of computer users i now know are absolutely terrified to touch anything on their computers. Just investigating stuff in their menus is enough to bring many out in a cold sweat. Indeed, i myself was like that to begin with although only for my first week or two on a computer. It wasn`t long before i had the thing in bits on the floor.

I think i even mentioned in an earlier thread about that trialware crap i often find on peoples computers 6, 8 12+ months after they buy the things, purely because they`re terrified of removing anything....the ones that at least know of Add/Remove(99.999% Windows users) anyway.

As far as that article is concerned though it is just a wee bit dramatic sounding, to say the least.