[mdlug] how would you teach a class?

[Jeff Hanson]

On Wed, Jul 8, 2009 at 5:18 PM, Dean Durant<mdlug at wowway.com> wrote:
> Hello, I have a coworker who has asked me, how would I teach an intro class on linux. He thinks he can get some students together who would like to learn linux.
>
> At first I thought I would have the time and the motivation to really get involved with something like this but now I'm not so sure.
>
> He came up with a "linux bible" 2009 ISBN: 0470373679 (by: Christopher Negus)
> I don't know that something so general, or new, would be needed, what do people think?
>
> I think we, or he, would really need an instructor too, I think this would be like a volunteer type of thing, although there is maybe some small chance of some payment. He says he has a location.
>
> I made a commitment to at least ask this group.
>

http://books.google.com/books?id=PPG8PvUyTOAC&dq=linux+for+dummies&printsec=frontcover&source=bn&hl=en&ei=3A1VSr-VK5G1lAeOodDsCA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4

Start off with "it's not Windows or Mac or Unix".  Then discuss that
it is "free as in freedom" not "free as in Windows XP Black Edition".
Then show how there are multiple options for desktop environments and
window managers but most applications work on any of them.  Show them
how many companies have Linux versions of their games (ID Software,
Epic) but sometimes it's just servers, not clients (Valve).  Discuss
virtualization and emulation versus native applications.  Discuss
cross-platform applications like Java, .NET, Flash.