← Back to team overview

ubuntu-manual team mailing list archive

[Bug 504668] Re: Ordering of content might need some tweaking

 

I would suggest that we *not* even have a chapter on the terminal
[chapter 7].  Defer it to the advanced section , where it would serve as
an introduction to the terminal usage.

For a few reasons:
- There is a profound fear among new users that Linux==terminal knowledge is a must. Not mentioning the terminal or giving it importance in the simple guide will ease the user's fear a bit. 
- Since it is just an intro to the terminal ,  something which we dont want a user to use.  Why introduce it? 
As mentioning it here makes it seem it is something the user needs to know about.
- One of the desktop goals is to purge sudo from the desktop > 
https://blueprints.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+spec/security-karmic-no-sudo

-- 
Ordering of content might need some tweaking
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/504668
You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu
Manual Team, which is a bug assignee.

Status in Ubuntu Manual: In Progress

Bug description:
I have been taking a look at our current TOC and am wondering whether it needs to be tweaked slightly. My concern is that we will be asking users to open a terminal and type commands within the first six chapters, however it is not until chapter 7 that we have an 'introduction to the terminal' that explains what it is and what sudo means etc. This doesn't make sense to me and could be confusing/offputting to a beginner.

My suggestion is this:

1. Rename chapter 6 to simply "Updates and Upgrades", and remove the section on "system maintenance".
2. Rename chapter 7 to "System Maintenance", and make the content on system maintenance (that was in chapter 6) a new subsection of chapter 7, following the 'introduction to the terminal' subsection.

That way, I think we could almost get away with not using the command line at all for the entire first part of the manual, as it's mostly gui-based stuff. Then when the reader gets to part II - advanced, the first thing they read is an introduction to the terminal.

Hope that all made sense. Anyone have any other suggestions?





References