Debian-NYC would like to invite you to our next Novice Night.
Novice Nights are Debian-NYC's meetings for everyone. If you would like to install Debian, come on by. If you would like help with configuring or making Debian do what you need, we can do that too. If you want to hang out with Debianistas to pick up tips and tricks, come on by. We can also provide some help with other derivatives of Debian, such as Ubuntu.
Novice Nights are free-form: bring your questions, and you'll be able to talk to people to answer them. There isn't a set structure here or presentation, so you can come and go as you would like. There may be mini-presentations throughout the night. We will be able to help with new installations or fixing/configuring existing ones. We can make installation CDs or USB drives. You should bring your computers you would like help on (and your friends!).
We welcome groups. If you have a group attending, feel free to contact us in advance so that we can prepare something for you. If you have questions, please direct them to Richard Darst <rkd at zgib dot net>.
The next Novice Night
The January Novice Night was a success, and we hope to have another in February or March: possibly February 23rd
Where and When: Eyebeam, Tuesday, January 18th, 2011. Come and go as you like, recommended arrival times are 18:30 to 19:00.
Getting there: See Eyebeam directions. Eyebeam is on the west side of Manhattan, in Chelsea. (540 W. 21st Street, (between 10th and 11th Avenues) New York, NY 10011) A/C/E/1/2/3/L trains are the closest, and Eyebeam is right next the Hudson River Greenway.
Contact: IRC at #debian-nyc on irc.debian.org ; debiannyc@vireo.org ; or Richard Darst (rkd at zgib dot net).
Web: http://wiki.debian.org/DebianNYC/NoviceNights
Resources for attendees
The Debian reference card is a one-sheet card that lists many common configuration commands.
The Debian reference is a beginning to intermediate user manual.
http://ask.debian.net is a site for community asking questions.
http://forums.debian.net are the semi-official Debian forums.
Linux Tutorials
Downloadable PDF books (search for them)
- FLOSS Manual
- rutebook
TLCL (The Linux CommandLine)
Ubuntu Pocket Guide & Reference
Forums to get help from
Linux News
Objectives
- Get Debian onto machines that were previously running Windows / Mac OS X (Ubuntu?)
- Help people to use existing Debian installations (installed by us, or otherwise). Stop "I installed Debian but I can't make it do what I want" from being a problem. Also support Ubuntu wherever we can, if resources exist.
- Let experienced users interact with the community, so that even they can learn a lot.
- Spread the philosophy of software freedom.
- Form communities among attendees so that they can help each other.
- Provide a support forum (and link to global support forums).
- Make Novice Nights self-replicating, in NYC and around the world. Have former "students" become the experts who come back next time.
Notes once you get there
- Someone should say "hi" to everyone who comes in, asking what you'd like to do and help you get situated.
- Ask around so that you can sit near people working on the same thing you are doing. The greeter should help you do this.
- Try not to download any large files (CD images and larger) from the internet without checking with the leaders. If everyone does this, we'll saturate our bandwidth and things will be very slow. We will come prepared with local mirrors, check with us to see if we have a copy of it already, and if not, we'll get it once for everyone.
Mini-presentations
Here are some ideas for quick user-oriented presentations we could give
- Explain subsystems: bash tutorial, tour of /etc, ...
- Go through parts of the reference manual
- bits from the advanced packaging system use talk.
For all planning details, see the planning subpage