I'm doing a presentation on Linux, can you help?

[Dragonbite]

Hello,

On Tuesday November 6th (2007) I will be doing a 20 minute presentation on Linux :guitar: at a computer club meeting and I want to take this opportunity to put forth a demonstration that gets people thinking about Linux and even trying it! Hopefully it will also increase the participation in the club's Linux SIG.

I may think of, but don't necessarily know where to find out about them or how to set up my system.

For example, I want to have Beryl/Compiz working with a couple of the best "wow" features running but I have never set it up on my system before. Or details on the legal issues with codecs (if I can demonstrate a legal method of playing MP3 and watching video, then all the better).

Some of the research I am looking for (links and summaries would be great) are
A quick summary of the origins of Linux and how the heck to pronounce Linus' last name
How do I get the Cube and other desktop effects working?
I saw a list of programs that somebody posted of OSS or possibly legal multimedia playback programs ... how legal are they (in the US) and what do they cover?

gstreamer0.10-ffmpeg,
gstreamer0.10-plugins-base,
gstreamer0.10-plugins-good,
gstreamer0.10-fluendo-mp3,
quicktime-utils,
quicktime-x11utils,
totem,
totem-mozilla,
totem-xine
Using w32_codecs may be easy but due to their questionable (at best) legallity I would rather stay away from it.
When did RedHat stop supporting the community version and went paid-subscription-only (and then split out Fedora)?
How can distros (SuSE, Xandros, etc.) charge money for their distro and not have to provide the source code for free? OpenSuSE may be mostly compatible, but it isn't the same as SLED, it's a "version" of SLED
What is actually covered in the Microsoft-Novell or Microsoft-Xandros (Scalix) deals?


Some ideas of what to demonstrate that I've thought of include
How 99% of everything you (Window users) normally do can be done in Linux
How easy Ubuntu is for maintenance and installing new software (via Synaptic)
How 99.9% of activities and settup can be done without the CLI
That an iPod does work in Linux (I will use my iPod shuffle)
OpenOffice's capabilities and ability to open MS Office files including VBA Macros
Provide and introduction on how to navigate the desktop so users can quickly start using


So if you have any ideas of what to demonstrate, technical information and useful triva knowledge or suggestions on making sure it is interesting and not too advanced/dumbed down, any of which I would be appreciative of hearing.

I definitely want to avoid bashing Microsoft and if I can avoid doing too many comparisons against Microsoft then I would be happier. I think Linux can stand on its own, but since people know Windows then I may have to use it some for a point-of-reference.

Thank you in advanced. I'll ask more question or update with more ideas as they come along. I want to spend 1-2 weeks more brainstorming and developing an outline before diving into the mucky-muck.

[hessiess]

how some windows binarys can br run under wine

[loserboy]

you might also want to add

1. how much more linux can do than windows for productivity ( theres so many things that it fries my brain)

2. how cost effective using linux in a work invironment is

3. increased security

4. helpful community


you also might wanna be ready for questions about commercial software availability

[ericartman]

Just a newb here and for me even though I love the flexibility and easy custom configurations linux offers, Ubuntu's community is why I chose first Feisty and now Gutsy. The people in these communities and on these boards are unbelievable. I have successfully put up a music server for my house, set up automatic backups for all my systems,and I am now fooling around with a mythtv box. Linux and Ubuntu are truly the first OS's I've tried that make the effort and time spent learning them worthwhile.

Cart

[popch]

You say that the length of your presentation is going to be 20 minutes. Personally, I take about three minutes of presentation for each slide, assuming a slide to contain one major point of interest. Thus, I could use max 6 major slides (or points) in 20 minutes.

Cut down on content, or you will just mention lots of point without actually explaining any of them.

If the majority of your audience is used to windows, you might just stress the point that linux has become undistinguishable from other GUIs, and that most major functions can be used by Windows-savy people without blinking.

[Kevin]

1. Wikipedia it :) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux

And for Torvalds name, http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/3c/Sv-Linus_Torvalds2.ogg

2. I'd say the quickest, easiest, and best way to get *proper* desktop effects going, that are well designed and useful, is to install the Gutsy beta. They're modified compiz very well and selected a good number of useful plugins. Also, they work right away on install.

3. Same as 2. Gutsy installs codecs better than Feisty did, so you can even show off that ability.

4. Not sure, but wikipedia likely has answers.

5. Probably due to the fact that the difference between OpenSUSE and SLED is the inclusion of some proprietary code in the latter. The GPL doesn't require the entire distro be open source, as long as binary programs don't link into GPL programs and stuff. OpenSUSE only includes fully open source code.

6. Many things.... be prepared for answers all over the place :)

Finally, I'd say one of the most interesting things to show off, would be to have a LiveCD with you, and show how easy it is to boot into a fully working environment, and then install the system to your disk.

[colllin]

2. I'd say the quickest, easiest, and best way to get *proper* desktop effects going, that are well designed and useful, is to install the Gutsy beta. They're modified compiz very well and selected a good number of useful plugins. Also, they work right away on install.

3. Same as 2. Gutsy installs codecs better than Feisty did, so you can even show off that ability.

I agree plus Gutsy will be released before your presentation.