[mdlug] global linux helpline

[Peter Bart]

On Thu, 6 Aug 2009 09:01:07 -0400 (EDT)
Dean Durant <mdlug at wowway.com> wrote:

> 
> 
> 
> What would it take to do this? 
> 
> 
> There is a voicemail only number that I have. It's a magic jack. I am
> prepared to give out this number. Since they don't support linux, I
> can't use it, so I still have a landline. People around the country,
> or around the world, could call with their linux questions. If people
> want to call with their Unix questions, they can, but I don't know if
> I will be able to help. I would even field MacOS questions, except I
> don't have one and it's been years since I supported them. I would
> forward questions I couldn't answer to this list, unless that
> wouldn't work out. Or if not, some other list. 
> 
> I get the voicemails forwarded to my email as .wav files, which I can
> then listen to on my home system. It's kind of an experiment. I'm not
> worried about prank calls. I think the honor system will keep them to
> a minimum. If somebody calls and pranks the number, the Magic Jack
> people should be able to trace it, right? Some people call from
> untraceable numbers, but maybe there is a way to block this? 
> 
> I have plenty of room in my email, and it's all free. It's a major
> search provider that recently announced a distro they would be
> launching in 2010. I can always disable the forwarding of the wave
> files. Or forward them to one of my WOW accounts, which I don't use.
> The voicemails could be forwarded to anyone who wanted to work on the
> issues presented in the calls. 
> 
> And of course, I wouldn't do windows. Not for free. Maybe there would
> be some kind of outrageous premium for windows support, like maybe
> $500/ hour, and no guarantees. 
> 
> unemployed people could take the calls and maybe prove what they can
> do, or what they know. There's already a website offering free linux
> help. I just don't know how much publicity they've gotten. 
> 
> The idea may be a little rough around the edges, but usually you
> start small and polish things up if it grows. 
> 
> Depending on the e-response I get (or not), I may try to make the
> meeting and pitch the idea.

	Wow!! I think this is a great idea! I may like to adapt this to
	my field, with your permission. I especially like the idea
	about the un/under employed. I use Gizmo because it's what I
	have and it's supported on Linux. I remember seeing a package
	in openSUSE's package manager for a call center manager. I
	don't know more than I've seen it, it would be really slick to
	integrate that. Good Luck!!
Best Regards,
-- 
Peter The Plumber sm

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