Care and Feeding 101
Our first curriculum will "tour" the Xubuntu desktop systematically. After logging in, we'll start by looking at everything in/ on the panels, moving counterclockwise from the "exit" button. When we get to the "update manager," if it's present, we'll discuss updating, what it is, why it's important. When we get to the "Places" list, we'll discuss the Linux filesystem. From the applications list, we'll talk about setting screen resolution, using office software, Etc. Below, we have some basic activities in italics that we suggest for each class to do with the teacher after each "demo" area.
Things the instructor(s) will need to bring:
*a video DVD *an audio CD *a thumb drive
Things to cover:
- The login screen, and changing language
- Panels-- defaults and how to add things, remove them, etc. have class add orage and clock to the panel, and then remove them.
- creating a new user have the class add a new user with their name and give him/ her administrative privileges. then have the class delete that user. make sure they're not deleting the "user" user.
- using Open Office have the class try to duplicate the "support" sheet (it should be on the wiki soon) in Open Office, but minus all the writing, and with a formatting of their choice.
- package management
- running updates
- installing new programs, the scope of what's available have the class hit the "check button" in the update manager to see if there are updates and then have them run the updates. in synaptic, have users add 3-d chess to their computers. Show them that it then appears under "games" and have them open the program and make a couple moves. have the class delete the program from synaptic afterwards.
- reading data from removable media (CD/DVDs, thumb drives/card readers)
- playing an audio CD
- changing sound volume, how the volume app may differ from Windows have the class add a master volume to their volume control, if it doesn't already appear.
- the filesystem, and how it differs from NTFS (Windows file system)
- connecting to the internet
- wired ethernet => it's easy
- wifi => walk through the wifi-connection dialogs
- 4G ISPs (Clear, Sprint) => ....?
- the desktop itself (trash, the "filesystem" and "home" links that are created by default on the desktop, automount point for CDs, thumb drives, etc).
- how to shut down properly, the importance of shutting down properly
- print out support resources doc on wiki (should be up soon), go through the sheet briefly.
Issues for consideration: Do we want to have the whole class actually play a CD? We'd need to duplicate an audio CD, and have all the computers setup with speakers, which could make the space itself more wirefull and could create a horrible cacophony when everyone plays a cd in not-quite-unison.
Optional stuff
There's only so much we can go over in a 1.5 hour class. There are some other topics that we could cover as-requested at the end of the main class, or possibly cover in a second class ("Care and Feeding 102").
- changing your wallpaper
- printing
- adding a printer
- printing a document
- playing a video DVD
- burning CD/DVD
- f-spot/camera import
- scanning
See also
Portland's Adoption class
Comments
Comment by Taylor Hales on Wed Jun 23 13:15:35 2010
I added an item about the filesystem in 101.
There are a couple questions I am wondering about regarding these curricula.
1.) Do we need to go over mounting/ unmounting? Especially in 101? Can't most Xubuntu/ Ubuntu users get by without really knowing how to mount and unmount at a terminal?
2.) Maybe we should have "optional topics" that we leave for the last 30 minutes of class-- stuff that isn't necessarily relevant to *everyone*, like connecting to wireless, printing, scanning.
Comment by Dee Newcum on Fri Jul 2 10:12:46 2010
You're right. I'm stuck in the 90's, I didn't realize that this was a better user experience now. I've changed it to "reading data from removable media (CD/DVDs, thumb drives/camera cards)"