[mdlug] global linux helpline

[gib at juno.com]

How would an answer be returned back?

---------- Original Message ----------
From: Dean Durant <mdlug at wowway.com>
To: mdlug <mdlug at mdlug.org>
Subject: [mdlug] global linux helpline
Date: Thu, 6 Aug 2009 09:01:07 -0400 (EDT)





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. 
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