Beware the Coming Newbie Onslaught!

[samuriCat]

Heads up, everyone: When I regailed my cubebors with tales of my move to Ubuntu, I was surprised to hear a unanimous fear/uncertainty/doubt response...to MS Windows Vista! Everyone wanted to know how hard Linux has been for me to figure out and whether they should try it! I think some Linux veterans are about to find themselved imploding in annoyance at the rush of ignorant newbies to the boards, because from what I'm hearing, people want to escape Windows.

[B0rsuk]

Heads up, everyone: When I regailed my cubebors with tales of my move to Ubuntu, I was surprised to hear a unanimous fear/uncertainty/doubt response...to MS Windows Vista! Everyone wanted to know how hard Linux has been to figure out and whether they should try it! I think some Linux veterans are about to find themselved imploding in annoyance at the rush of ignorant newbies to the boards, because from what I'm hearing, people want to escape Windows.

It won't get any worse than it's now. A semi-recent poll claimed 72% of this forum never used Linux prior to ubuntu.

[samuriCat]

It won't get any worse than it's now. A semi-recent poll claimed 72% of this forum never used Linux prior to ubuntu.

That's interesting! Maybe I'm the one who's late to the party.

[ThinkBuntu]

I don't think these Dells are going to exactly sell like hotcakes. I think that many of their sales will actually come from existing Ubuntu users in the market for a new computer, or current Linux users looking for Linux-friendly hardware configurations.

[matthinckley]

I don't think these Dells are going to exactly sell like hotcakes. I think that many of their sales will actually come from existing Ubuntu users in the market for a new computer, or current Linux users looking for Linux-friendly hardware configurations.
I didn't think this thread had anything to do with the Ubuntu Dell's?

[Lucifiel]

Hmm... I guess we'll see in due time? :)

Anyways, what the heck is a cubebor?

[Lord Illidan]

Give me the riot shield, somebody.

[ThinkBuntu]

I didn't think this thread had anything to do with the Ubuntu Dell's?
You're right. I thought this was a different post I'd read before with a near-identical title, worrying about an overflow of new Dell Ubuntu users.

[Mr. Picklesworth]

I just witnessed my brother, who was for the most part uninterested in Ubuntu, say that its visuals are nicer than Vista's. (In a rather disgruntled manner; how is it that Microsoft charges money for a visual upgrade that is less impressive than a completely free visual upgrade? ...And then Compiz works just fine on my low-end hardware, while Aero slaughters it?).

He seems pretty interested in the Dell machines, too. Unfortunately, their laptops with Ubuntu are not fantastic, but it's definitely being seen as a viable alternative to buying a Mac.

You have to remember: Dell is the PC company. There is a lot of interest in Ubuntu, but when it is a download from a web site it can be a bit scary for certain cautious but unobservant people. As something completely tactile, supported by a company like Dell, it becomes a much easier choice!
If Dell supports it, it must work, right?

[samuriCat]

Hmm... I guess we'll see in due time? :)

Anyways, what the heck is a cubebor?

Lucifel: That's just a conflation of "cubicle" and "neighbor." I work in a cube farm, which is like a petri dish for interesting conversations.

[starcraft.man]

LOL! Well in response to the OP bring em on, I will be more than happy to help each and everyone of them.

*speaks a bit quieter* I am Canadian after all, gotta keep up the appearance we are all polite and nice until we secretly control all of the worlds governments. *cues evil laugh*

*realizes everyone just heard that...* Uh.... nothing over here. Look, its Gates sneaking around the forum! :p

*sneaks out of the thread*

[samuriCat]

LOL! Well in response to the OP bring em on, I will be more than happy to help each and everyone of them.

*speaks a bit quieter* I am Canadian after all, gotta keep up the appearance we are all polite and nice until we secretly control all of the worlds governments. *cues evil laugh*

*realizes everyone just heard that...* Uh.... nothing over here. Look, its Gates sneaking around the forum! :p

*sneaks out of the thread*


Well, all us newbies will be me more than grateful for your help. As for myself, I'm looking forward to seeing the open source philosophy expand further into the US music scene, which suffers the same type of oligarchy that computer users do.

[EdThaSlayer]

Ubuntu users! Tonight we dine in...the heavenly goodness of new opensource users who we will embrace with all our kindness. :)

[Lord Illidan]

Ubuntu users! Tonight we dine in...the heavenly goodness of new opensource users who we will embrace with all our kindness.
http://www.cis.rit.edu/%7Egaf1551/Misc/damme300.gif

[mcurtiss1970]

this won't be as bad as when AOL users were unleased un the internet back in the 1990's. there will be lots of frustrated people who can't understand why thye can't use AOL/Microsoft Publisher/etc etc in Ubuntu; but i think the overall benefits of a properly set-up ubuntu station will keep people happy.

[DJ Wings]

Maybe someone could make a "geek in a can" script to do stuff like install apps from source, set up AX2, etc... "Geek in a Can" being from a UserFriendly (http://www.userfriendly.org) comic.

[samuriCat]

That dancing 300 guy is just so very wrong. :shock:

[samuriCat]

Maybe someone could make a "geek in a can" script to do stuff like install apps from source, set up AX2, etc... "Geek in a Can" being from a UserFriendly (http://www.userfriendly.org) comic.


I'm not sure what I think of that idea. Really, the tech docs on Ubuntu and its cousins are very good (if a little out of date sometimes), and most people should be able to figure it all out.

[Lord Illidan]

That dancing 300 guy is just so very wrong. :shock:
That's just me welcoming the newbs..

[samuriCat]

That's just me welcoming the newbs..

I can dig it.

[Papi-KB7VGW]

As a new linux/ubuntu player, I agree that there is a alot of good documentation around, even just searching the forum gets good info. What I have seen of fellow noob ? seems like most of them don't even try to search out / read anything before they ask! Is this part of the 'I want it now and I want you to give it to me' that seems to be getting worse in society??

[samuriCat]

As a new linux/ubuntu player, I agree that there is a alot of good documentation around, even just searching the forum gets good info. What I have seen of fellow noob ? seems like most of them don't even try to search out / read anything before they ask! Is this part of the 'I want it now and I want you to give it to me' that seems to be getting worse in society??

I agree with your suggestion: that's exactly what's happening. Impatience and ignorance combined to breed torpor.

[NeoLithium]

I actually don't fear the onslaught of newbies. Gives me a chance to help out with the community...there's no such thing as a stupid question, just a stupid answer.

[karellen]

if you build it they'll come...;)

[kamaboko]

Heads up, everyone: When I regailed my cubebors with tales of my move to Ubuntu, I was surprised to hear a unanimous fear/uncertainty/doubt response...to MS Windows Vista! Everyone wanted to know how hard Linux has been for me to figure out and whether they should try it! I think some Linux veterans are about to find themselved imploding in annoyance at the rush of ignorant newbies to the boards.

And you knew this crap from birth? So how many people we talking? 2? lol.

[bobbybobington]

They way I look at it, we have two options:
1. Be helpful and patient, the ubuntu spirit.
2. Use elitism as an excuse to not help out newbies

As Ubuntu becomes more and more popular, we will have accept newcomers. More people means more trolls and more "technologically impaired" people, but we have to realize that there will also be more cool people who really want to help and get into ubuntu, they just need some help to get started. I welcome the onslaught, it means I'll just have to visit the Absolute Beginners Forum more often :D, and our community will get stonger.:KS

[Lord Illidan]

As a new linux/ubuntu player, I agree that there is a alot of good documentation around, even just searching the forum gets good info. What I have seen of fellow noob ? seems like most of them don't even try to search out / read anything before they ask! Is this part of the 'I want it now and I want you to give it to me' that seems to be getting worse in society??

Yes, I agree. And I don't like it. Sometimes, I feel the urge to just shout RTFM.
I almost never start a new thread if I can help it. The answer is always out there.

In this forum, we get the same threads all the time, and we are always answering the same answers. Now, I am not saying, "Don't ask a question!". But I am saying..please do google and do a search before you ask it. Chances are that somebody has already met with the problem. If a newb comes and says : Look, I googled this and that, and it told me to do this, what do I do now? Then I help out with pleasure. On the other hand, if he says : MP3 doesn't work! Linux SUCKS!! - Then you can understand why we get a bit angry.

[floke]

I like noobs, but I couldn't eat a whole one.

[neorou]

That's interesting! Maybe I'm the one who's late to the party.

Naah...you're early. When schools across the modernized world start to use Edubuntu, and people join, that's late...

[neorou]

if you build it they'll come...;)

I wonder if that means someone will build a tollbooth or traffic lights...:p

[TheeMahn2003]

I encourage it; bring the noobs on. I intend to kill the terminal before I am done ;)