[Linux-disciples] Teaching Linux

[Stephen R Laniel]

Hi Professor Pullum,

I wonder if I might bother you for a moment. My friends and
I in the Boston area are Linux enthusiasts and generally
devotees of the open-source way of thinking. We've just
gotten it into our heads to see whether there's interest in
teaching a Linux class in one of the adult-ed programs
around here: start from the ground up, and maybe eventually
get to advanced topics.

Offhand, my goal would be to teach people what makes Linux
so much better than Windows -- what they can do with Linux
that they couldn't dream of doing with other OSes. I'd
suspect that GUI applications like OpenOffice, Thunderbird,
Firefox &c. wouldn't really do the quickest job convincing
people that Linux is the way to go, especially since all of
those are already available under Windows.

I see that you've taught a course as recently as 2003
introducing people to Linux on the Left Coast. I wonder if
you might be willing to share any lessons you've learned
from teaching such a course. What typically converts people
the most quickly? What amazes them about Linux? When -- if
ever -- should the lessons get to the command line? Which
subjects (regexes, for instance) do people have the hardest
time understanding?

I appreciate any help you can pass along. I'm CCing the
mailing list that my friends and I use to discuss this sort
of thing. I look forward to hearing from you.

Steve

-- 
Stephen R. Laniel
steve at laniels.org
+(617) 308-5571
http://laniels.org/