---Offensive approach to user error and technical support---
Something that is somewhat overlooked at times in pursuit of the main nuts and bolts is excellent tutorials and guides. Linux Lite is one of the best at these from my experience. I am fairly new to linux in general but it was Lite that gave me the encouragement I needed to go all in with linux. The simplicity of the distro COUPLED with the tutorial/manual was so welcome in the world of distribution chaos. Having a great simple "windows user" friendly disto is awesome and for a new user to not have to figure out the linux lingo, distribution methods, flavors, compatibility problems, terminal commands, etc. etc. etc. (the main things that make up the linux learning curve) but have a guide that is custom made for their distro (linux lite) makes all the difference in the world.
Something I think the linux community as a whole sometimes understands but needs to be more pre-eminent in is that "friendliness is king".
Here is why I think effort should be put into this area:
-It is easier to make a guide to show someone how to do "random thing in linux" then to code it into the main release.
-You can reach almost every users needs without spending the time coding it all. (Yes still annoying being customer service but I think it should be treated offensively instead of defensively)
obviously you start with most important things first. I am thinking of some kind of importance "tree" if you will.
The
Roots are linux roots more importantly Linux Lites Roots - This is the part most people don't see and ex windows users don't need to know about at all in the beginning.
The
Trunk is what makes it into the Linux Lite Releases. These are the obvious and simple parts that hold up everything else. You see it right away. It is the largest most in your face component.
The
Limbs are the built in Linux Lites extras. The top 20 or so most commonly requested and used additions that are oh so conveniently just a click away! As some grow bigger they demand inclusion into the release.
at this point we have (hopefully) catered to 80-90% of our followers. wonderful!
Branches are just outside of this. Maybe a major program used in other linux distros that didn't make the easy install list so you have to use the other slightly more clicks installer or heaven forbid the terminal! Maybe theme changes, personal layout preference, different default apps, etc.
Twigs are nitty gritty. twigs involve years of know how and a post to a forum for guidance. Most definitely twigs involve terminal. But even this isn't bad with a guide whether the guide is a person or a manual.
Leaves.....come on now. I will leave that alone.
as the tree grows twigs can become branches which can become limbs. even the trunk can get bigger (but lets avoid becoming a bloated windows monstrosity that is all trunk)
thinking offensively in this area does nothing but benefit everyone involved.
if it is organized well people can vote on what grows and what gets pruned.
I think Linux Lite is excelling already at the trunk and limbs parts. Most distros are in their own unique ways. What I am suggesting is that the next step be taken to conquer the branches. I don't think ANY linux distro has done this well yet. The focus always seems to stop with limbs. I think if you can conquer the branches(which I do see as more community tweaking and less developer focussed) this could explode. I think Linux Lite is THE distro to make this happen.
No number of developers will EVER be able to fix everyone's twigs. There needs to be a better system of teaching everyone to mind there own.
Organizing and curating this community effort almost as aggressively as the main project would do wonders for the branches.
I know I ramble. I am still new. I sit in the midst of newish user experience and future ideals and voice my opinions. Like all linux users I want to see it succeed and I put forth this as one possibility. What are you thoughts? I feel on the verge of loony and I am sure my analogy breaks down horribly in many ways.
What ways can we improve the power, interactiveness and reach of the Help Manual??
When someone has a questions that gets answered in a forum how does that "twig" get added to the "tree of friendly convenience"??
Where can we see this "tree" grow and get more arborists involved??
Who are the arborists going to be??
Why am I still using the tree analogy??
lets turn this -----------------------
into this ------------------------
