How to teach an Ubuntu noob

[unitedanarchy]

I got my friend Ubuntu, And he is a total noob. I really can't help him anymore because it is pretty much pointless, Even if we go through something 100 times he still doesn't know how to do it. It's like he is a proxy, And I am just using him to type the commands and things like that, He remembers NOTHING. I need some way to teach him, He expects everything to instantly work, And everything to have a GUI and all that stuff. I don't know how to explain to him that easy doesn't mean good, And games aren't made to be bad, And there is no "best" linux distro, And all that kind of stuff. I really just need some youtube channel or ebook or something I can direct him to, Something he can use to learn about this stuff. A ebook might be a bad idea for him though depending on how it is written, A series of videos would probably be best, Or a application that teaches him stuff.

[nicolasforum89]

I guess he should start first to feel comfortable with the environment (windows, launch softwares, etc).

If he is coming from Windows he will need probably some adaptation. However having taught myself how to use Linux to elders, I can tell you that it is easier to use than windows.

Of course you have to forget all customizations or home made coding.

Ubuntu is really one of the best distribution to start in Linux.

And congratulations to have chosen an open source environment for your friend.

[oldos2er]

Moved to Community Cafe.

[whatthefunk]

Maybe just let him firgure it out for himself? Everything I learned about Linux I learned on my own as the need arrived. What exactly are you trying to teach him?

[Basher101]

Maybe just let him firgure it out for himself?

"Teach a man the way of the sword, and he will become a soldier.
Teach a man to forge swords, and he will raise an army"

[whatthefunk]

"Teach a man the way of the sword, and he will become a soldier.
Teach a man to forge swords, and he will raise an army"

"Teach a man who has no apparent interest in swords and no talent for swords to use a sword, and he will not learn to use a sword, forge a sword, or raise an army."

[xedi]

And all that kind of stuff. I really just need some youtube channel or ebook or something I can direct him to, Something he can use to learn about this stuff.

I just had an idea: When you show your friend something, why don't you just record your desktop so he has a video of it he can then watch if he forgets how to do it?

[Greenborn]

I got my friend Ubuntu, And he is a total noob. I really can't help him anymore because it is pretty much pointless, Even if we go through something 100 times he still doesn't know how to do it. It's like he is a proxy, And I am just using him to type the commands and things like that, He remembers NOTHING. I need some way to teach him, He expects everything to instantly work, And everything to have a GUI and all that stuff. I don't know how to explain to him that easy doesn't mean good, And games aren't made to be bad, And there is no "best" linux distro, And all that kind of stuff. I really just need some youtube channel or ebook or something I can direct him to, Something he can use to learn about this stuff. A ebook might be a bad idea for him though depending on how it is written, A series of videos would probably be best, Or a application that teaches him stuff.

IMO- he needs to just start using it. When he breaks it (and he will) be there with some answers to help him along. For years I ran Ubuntu on a separate PC I cobbled together from family members old computers until I was competent and comfortable enough to switch over to it completely.

[jockyburns]

Sounds just like my dad with *******. He thinks just because I have a computer, I must be a bloody expert. He's the sort that opens up his browser and navigates blindly about the web. If a pop up window tells him his computer is at risk and he must download such and such a program, he will. (forgotten how many viruses/malware he's got this way)
I used to dread the phone calls to the jockyburns computer help desk. I've even told my older brother, he should never have got him a computer (and he's an IT manager who could help my dad) :D:D

[inashdeen]

Are you sure he doesn't know it, or is it that he just doesn't want to go through the effort of understanding? some people are comfortable being aid and love to be in the comfort zone.

[MisterGaribaldi]

Either this person is simply limited, or they are just unwilling to put any effort forward. In my estimation, they are just wasting your time.

[Max Blyss]

IMO- he needs to just start using it. When he breaks it (and he will) be there with some answers to help him along. For years I ran Ubuntu on a separate PC I cobbled together from family members old computers until I was competent and comfortable enough to switch over to it completely.

This is THE way to switch. It's what I did, and I've been nothing but happy about it.

Also I've found, after fixing friends' and family's computers (mosty windows boxes) hundreds of times, that many folks think of a PC as being a single push-click device like a TV or a Washing Machine. That kind of preconception makes it highly unlikely that any any info about PCs will actually stick to the flypaper when your words go through their ears.:P

Computers, to many, are a job for the Repairman, and OP gets to be the repairman until he gets sick of it. I'm sure a lot of UF members have done some 'Charity Time' in this fashion.