Ubuntu Wiki

Topics

Topics for the evening are:

• Team projects.
  • User Support
  • Welcome Packets
  • Custom CD
• Install Fest cont.

Log

20:08 <  montgoej> I guess we might as well go ahead and start
20:09 <     etank> works for me
20:09 <     etank> tonights topics are     *
20:09 <     etank> tonights topics are           Team projects (User Support, Welcome Packets, Custom CD), Install Fest cont.
20:09 <     etank> oops
20:10 <     etank> oh well. We have started thinking of some team projects to work on 
20:10 <     etank> the are (as seen above) (User Support, Welcome Packets, a Custom CD
20:11 <     etank> the idea of User Support that we have had is to set up some skype accounts and specify 2 hours one day per week where users that need help can call in
20:12 <     etank> what are your thoughts on that?
20:12 <      Zuph> I like the idea
20:12 <      Zuph> I'd like to research the idea of a party line for that
20:12 <      Zuph> Where we can have 5 people that "know" linux, and one caller
20:13 <     etank> skype has a conference call ability i think
20:13 <      Zuph> Ideally, we could set up a skype in account so those without internet could call in.
20:13 <      Zuph> I don't know if skype in and converence calling work together, though
20:13 <  montgoej> sounds good, but one thing, Skype is closed source so we may wanna mention that to people that wanna use open source software
20:13              <   Koji-Murasame!n=nick@74-131-39-113.dhcp.insightbb.com []
20:13 <      Zuph> montgoej:  There is nothing anywhere nearly as good out there
20:14 <      Zuph> or with nearly the capability
20:14 <  montgoej> no
20:14 <     etank> there is gizmo too but when bkingx and i were testing with it we had crashes
20:14 <  montgoej> but I was just mentioning it
20:14              >>> Koji-Murasame!n=nick@74-131-39-113.dhcp.insightbb.com
20:14 <  montgoej> yeah, Skype beats gizmo definately
20:14 <     etank> it is something that we may want to point out though
20:14 <     etank> good point montgoej 
20:15 <      Zuph> I still think it's a matter of simply being the best there is.  And ideally, free (as in beer) for the people calling in.
20:15              >>> Sadalmelik57_!n=l@12.199.228.19
20:15              >>> bkingx!n=bkingx@mail.hsgworld.com
20:15 <     etank> the other good thing is that if we are on something like skype and we don't know the answer we can chat with the others that are helping to figure it out
20:16 <     etank> Zuph: i agree
20:16 <     etank> and people with problems are not going to worry about stuff like that
20:16 <     etank> they are just going to want their system working
20:17 <  montgoej> yeah
20:17              <   X626!n=X626@dialup-4.225.5.25.Dial1.Cincinnati1.Level3.net ["Leaving"]
20:17 <      Zuph> Exactly.  And it isn't as if skype isn't friendly to the linux community.
20:17 <      Zuph> Which is big points in their favor.
20:17 <     etank> venomous: mentioned that it would be good if we could find a free service like WebEX so that we could get on their machines remotely to fix the problems if we couldn't talk them through it on the "phone"
20:19 <     etank> we have also started setting up some of this on the LP page at https://blueprints.beta.launchpad.net/~ubuntu-kentucky/+specs
20:19              >>> X626!n=X626@dialup-4.252.101.120.Dial1.Cincinnati1.Level3.net
20:20 <     etank> the wiki pages that go with these projects need to be fleshed out 
20:20 <  venomous> still think it's a good idea given that they will be new users (for the most part) with little idea of how to describe their issue.
20:21 <     etank> any questions or thoughts on this idea?
20:22 <     etank> alright then lets move on to the Welcome Packets
20:22 <     etank> bkingx: you want to take this one?
20:23 <    bkingx> hang on...
20:23 <    bkingx> keep going, I'll come back
20:23 <     etank> ok
20:23 <     etank> the idea with this is to make a "Welcome to Ubuntu" pack to give to new users
20:24 <     etank> this can be used at the Install Fest and also just something to give out when we give a CD to someone we meet
20:24 <     etank> os far the ideas that we have for stuff to put in it are:
20:24 <     etank> some documentation
20:24 <     etank> Ubuntu CD (duh)
20:25 <     etank> a CD with screencasts burned on it and a copy of vlc for Windows
20:25 <     etank> and some stickers
20:25 <  venomous> documentation might include some helpful websites for troubleshooting issues (including ours of course)
20:25 <     etank> do you all have any other ideas?
20:26 <     etank> venomous: true
20:27 <     etank> i already talked to system76 to get 100 of the "powered by ubuntu" stickers too
20:27 <  montgoej> the CD with screencasts could be made into a CD with different help documents, screencasts, etc.
20:28 <  montgoej> instead of just screencasts, we could make it a whole cd of general documentation
20:28 <     etank> good point montgoej. whatever docs we give them we can make a softcopy of on the CD
20:30 <     etank> any other ideas?
20:30 <    bkingx> The One Page Manual
20:30 <    bkingx> ?
20:30 <  venomous> don't think the welcome packet should be overwhelming in content or size
20:30 <  venomous> we may be overthinking what to include
20:30 <    bkingx> venomous: agreed!
20:31 <  venomous> too much content/reading might be a turn off for the users who want the windows equivalent of just turning it on and go
20:32 <    bkingx> Exactly what I was thinking!
20:33 <  montgoej> and about the screencasts, if we want to give them to users, they're might also want to give them to winblows users to show them Linux, but there is no format that we can use that'll play on both without installing extra software/codecs
20:33              >>> comfurtn__!n=kyle@mrtcdsl-162.mis.net
20:33              <   comfurtn_!n=kyle@mrtcdsl-162.mis.net ["Catch y'all later."]
20:34 <  montgoej> *they might...where did  "they're might" come from...lol
20:34 <     etank> montgoej: for that we can include the vlc player for windows on the cd
20:34 <  montgoej> okay
20:34 <  montgoej> sounds good
20:35 <  montgoej> I think there's a way to run VLC from a cd so we could do autoplay and not have to install anything to the winblows machine
20:35 <     etank> if you couple this with the User Support idea then the users will have lots of ways to find the answers to problems that they are having
20:35 <     etank> montgoej: that would be cool
20:36 <  montgoej> ok, it does work from a CD http://portableapps.com/apps/music_video/vlc_portable
20:36 <     etank> so we could create a playlist and have the autorun call it
20:36 <  montgoej> yep
20:36 <     etank> nice
20:37 <    bkingx> VERY NICE!
20:37 <     etank> the other idea that was floating around was using the flash version of the videos to do the same thing
20:37 <     etank> but the ogg format looks soooo much better
20:38 <  montgoej> yes, Open Source if at all possible
20:38 < comfurtn_> okay guys, i'm finally here.
20:38              ~   comfurtn__ is now comfurtn
20:38 <     etank> hi comfurtn 
20:39 <     etank> ok any more ideas for the welcome packet?
20:39 <    bkingx> One Page Ubuntu Manual!
20:40 <     etank> bkingx: talk about it
20:40 <  montgoej> it is nice, I read it earlier
20:40 <    bkingx> Sure!
20:40 <    bkingx> From the mailing list I sent out a one page manual of linux commands.
20:40 <    bkingx> Well, one page front and back
20:41 <    bkingx> This was from another feller from back in 1999, so I need some help updating it.
20:41 <    bkingx> I think it is a nice How-To for the welcome packet as well.
20:42 <    bkingx> If everyone can read it and make corrections, additions, comments, that would be great!
20:42 <  venomous> command line work should NOT be for the typcial newbie....they'll want a gui environment similar to what they're already familiar with
20:42 <      Zuph> venomous:  Yes, that would be ideal
20:42 <      Zuph> and for 95% of stuff, it will do
20:43 <      Zuph> But face it, Linux isn't there yet.
20:43 <      Zuph> So a basic reference card will be a huge help
20:43 <  venomous> obviously there will be some newbie "geeks" that will want to see the CLI but i don't think that will be typical
20:43 <  montgoej> be back in a few minutes, gotta eat supper
20:44 <      Zuph> A reference card will be handy and probably won't scare anyone.
20:44 <    bkingx> Good points, guys.
20:45 <    bkingx> Anyone else have an opinion?
20:45 <  comfurtn> the biggest thing is that we make the process of managing software as easy as possible... via the GUI
20:45              >>> Shirmpy_!n=chatzill@whlm01.sl.uky.edu
20:45 <  comfurtn> i.e. : installing, removing software
20:45 <  comfurtn> updates too.
20:45              >>> lapjack!i=kevin@buley.org
20:45              <   |{evin!i=kevin@70.150.134.116 [Remote closed the connection]
20:46 <    bkingx> You are talking my language now!  GUI!
20:46 <  montgoej> back
20:46              ~   lapjack is now |{evin
20:46 <    bkingx> !hi | Shirmpy_
20:46 <    ubotwo> Shirmpy_: Hi! Welcome to #ubuntu-kentucky!
20:46 <  venomous> synaptic package manager vs. aptitude.  think synaptic to be a little more new user friendly
20:46 <  comfurtn> definitely.
20:46 <  Shirmpy_> hello, i'm kinda late/ i can't stay long but i wanted to say HI
20:46 <    bkingx> Glad you could drop in!
20:47 <  venomous> hey Shirmpy_
20:47 <    bkingx> So the consenus is to leave out the One Page Manual of the Welcome packet?
20:47 <  Shirmpy_> i'm exicited about the meeting at the coffee shope!
20:47 <     etank> venomous: i think that if we can use the Add/Remove app then that is even slightly better than synaptic
20:47 <     etank> it has pictures with it
20:47 <  comfurtn> etank: i agree.
20:47 <      Zuph> I think the one page manual is a very good idea
20:48 <  comfurtn> Zuph: i also agree.
20:48 <      Zuph> These new users will HAVE to use the CLI eventually
20:48              montgoej agrees w/ add and remove app
20:48 <     etank> i think that the pics make it a little more user friendly
20:48 <  venomous> picture are pretty!!  i had forgotten about that... point taken
20:48 <      Zuph> It might be a week after they install, it might be a year
20:48 <      Zuph> but eventually SOMETHING will go wrong and they'll have to use
20:48 <      Zuph> And we don't want to leave them in the dark.
20:48 <    bkingx> Hmm...agree with Zuph on this one.
20:48 <  venomous> Zuph, true....but maybe we can "ease" them into cli...
20:49 <      Zuph> How's that?
20:49 <     etank> i am all for helping user ease into linux but i think that we should get them to the cli as soon as possible
20:49 <    bkingx> And it could be used just as reference when we help them too.
20:49 <  montgoej> have a way of saying "this is how the GUI does it, this is how the CLI does it
20:49 <  Shirmpy_> well, saddly that is my five mins of saying hello and ubuntu-kentucky rocks
20:49 <     etank> bkingx: that is what i was thinking too. if we are on a call with them we could say "see line #3 on the card, type that"
20:50 <    bkingx> LOL...later Shirmpy_ !
20:50 <     etank> later Shirmpy_ 
20:50 <  Shirmpy_> bye bye all!!!
20:50 <    bkingx> OR if they ask, how do I do this, we can say, look at the card.
20:50 <  Shirmpy_> (maybe i'll sneak on at work lol)
20:50              <   Shirmpy_!n=chatzill@whlm01.sl.uky.edu ["Chatzilla 0.9.77 [Firefox 2.0.0.1/2006120417]"]
20:51 <  venomous> montgoej, sounds like a good idea.  i like that compromise.  it's my preference to use cli, but i'm trying to put myself in the new users shoes..
20:51 <    bkingx> OK...so we leave it in for reference then?
20:52 <    bkingx> Not as a "you have to do it this way"?
20:52 <      Zuph> Yeah
20:52              bkingx +1
20:52              montgoej +1
20:52              etank sure
20:52 <      Zuph> We'll tell people how to do it graphically, but include the reference anyway
20:52              X626 +1
20:53              Zuph +1
20:53 <    bkingx> venomous: ?
20:54 <     etank> ok then lets move on the the Custom CD idea
20:54 <  venomous> later Shirmpy_
20:54 <    bkingx> K
20:54 <  venomous> bkingx, what??  remember...i suffer from a slight tor lag
20:55 <  venomous> oh....yeah vote +1
20:55 <    bkingx> OK...so we leave it in for reference then?
20:55 <    bkingx> Not as a "you have to do it this way"?
20:55 <    bkingx> K
20:55 <    bkingx> moving on.... etank ?
20:57 <     etank> so the custom cd idea is to build a disk with some packages that we recommend
20:58 <  comfurtn> i'll be taking note here.... for the knowledge base section "Applications we recommend"
20:58 <     etank> what kind of packages do you think we need
21:00 <      Zuph> amarok is cook
21:00 <      Zuph> *cool
21:00 <     etank> and which desktop
21:00 <    bkingx> K3b
21:00 <    bkingx> Yakuake
21:01 <  comfurtn> amarok is awesome.
21:01 <  comfurtn> are we sticking with openoffice or going with something lighter on resources??
21:01 <    bkingx> gnome
21:01 <    bkingx> openoffice +1
21:02              montgoej votes for OpenOffice
21:02 <  venomous> +1 OO
21:02 <     etank> i like exaile for a media player instead of amarok
21:02              etank +1 for OO
21:03 <  comfurtn> i might be a little behind, but i'll ask anyway... which desktop are we going with?
21:03 <  venomous> here is a good link for running multimedia stuff....
21:03 <  venomous> http://www.ehomeupgrade.com/entry/2663/how-to_get_full
21:04 <     etank> i used reconstructor to add some stuff to a dapper cd and it made the iso 710MB
21:04 <  venomous> runs with both dapper and has edgy instructions as well
21:04 <     etank> all i added was vlc and some codecs
21:05 <    bkingx> So we need to slim it down a bit?
21:05              <   Sadalmelik57_!n=l@12.199.228.19 ["Leaving"]
21:05 <  comfurtn> ok, so what comes with Ubuntu that we dont need/want?
21:06 <  comfurtn> i know that some of those horrible gnome games can go.
21:06 <    bkingx> LOL
21:06 <  montgoej> Ubuntu CE took out Gnome Games and gimp, but I suggest we leave gimp in
21:06 <  venomous> comfurtn, agreed 100%
21:06 <     etank> if we drop back to xubuntu that will make it smaller
21:07 <  comfurtn> etank: and faster on old machines.
21:07 <    bkingx> But will it impress enough to make someone want to continue to run it?
21:08 <  comfurtn> not really.
21:08 <      Zuph> how about this:
21:08 <      Zuph> Is there any way to make an easy to use install disk of "ubuntu KY approved apps"
21:09 <  venomous> |{evin, are you alive?
21:09 <      Zuph> They pop in the additional CD, and run one file, and it installs cool stuff
21:09 <  comfurtn> dump the packages on it and then include a metapackage?
21:09 <     etank> that is possible to do
21:10 <    bkingx> So you can install a default Ubuntu, then choose to install the metapackage for KY?
21:10 <  comfurtn> i like that idea
21:10 <    bkingx> That sounds pretty good!
21:11              montgoej thinks it sounds good
21:11 <     etank> if we do that then we may be able to set up a repo to install without a cd
21:11 <  comfurtn> true.
21:12 <  comfurtn> then we could keep it updated.
21:12 <  comfurtn> just bundle a custom sources list with our cd.
21:12 <  comfurtn> so that the repo is setup automatically.
21:13 <     etank> we could try to get some ideas form the Ubuntu CE people on how the did their setup
21:13 <    bkingx> That sounds like a great idea.  Is it feasible?
21:13 <  comfurtn> anyone know how to setup a repo?
21:14 <      X626> I don't know.
21:14 <  montgoej> Ubuntu CE has no repos, although there are a few .debs on the site.  CE just uses UCK and reconstructor to build a custom CD image with custom apps, wallpaper, splash, usplash, etc.
21:15 <  montgoej> we could make a package/script to install packages, change wallpaper, usplash etc. very easily
21:17 <    bkingx> OK
21:17 <    bkingx> So we live the Live CD as it is then?
21:17 <    bkingx> And come up with an alternative for installing recommended apps?
21:18 <     etank> works for me
21:18 <  comfurtn> we should at least customize the artwork.
21:18 <  comfurtn> add our team name to it somewhere.
21:18 <  venomous> ok...we've come up with some good ideas.  let's talk about who is actually going to do some implementation
21:18 <  comfurtn> or "Brought to you by your KY Loco Team"...
21:18 <  montgoej> customizing the wallpaper with a script is a piece of cake
21:19 <    bkingx> comfurtn: you and I can work on some artwork.
21:20 <     etank> montgoej: is that something that can be done in UCK or reconstructor?
21:20 <  venomous> i will volunteer for some of the documentation.
21:20 <    bkingx> Thanks venomous!!!
21:20 <  montgoej> it can be done in UCK or Reconstructor AFAIK, but it can also be done with a .deb(which we can tell UCK to install) or a script
21:21 <     etank> cool
21:21 <  montgoej> to change the wallpaper(on Gnome) is only one line in the command line
21:22 <  montgoej> but we could also just extract the CD image with reconstructor and replace the default
21:23 <     etank> do we need to have a team location (ftp or whatever) to be able to drop files so we can all access them?
21:23 <  montgoej> it depends on how much we'll need to drop
21:23 <     etank> the only issue is see with that idea is that some of us are on dialup
21:23 <      Zuph> it depends on how fast they need dropped
21:24 <  venomous> i think that leading up to and following the dry run....in prep for next week's meeting, we should all consider our schedules and come back with some real world offers of actual work/implemenation.  so far, our meetings have consisted of alot of talk/suggestions.  let's start actually doing something tangible.
21:24 <  montgoej> if it's just gonna be small files, we can upload them to the forums, if bigger files(such as .isos) we'll need an ftp
21:24 <      Zuph> venomous:  Hear hear!
21:24 <  venomous> seems 1/2 of my message got dropped.
21:24              etank agrees with venomous 
21:25              X626 also agrees
21:25 <     etank> venomous: what was the rest of the message?
21:25              montgoej + 0001
21:26 <  venomous> never mind.  found the rest of it after a refresh
21:26 <     etank> montgoej: are you using binary there
21:26 <  montgoej> yep
21:26 <     etank> g33k
21:26 <     etank> there are on 10 types of people in the world. those that understand binary, and those that don't
21:27 <  montgoej> 10100111001
21:27 <  comfurtn> I want to make a wiki page for our custom artwork.... just so that we can brainstorm, post, and caliborate on it... where should i put it?
21:27 <  montgoej> or, if you like it to be in blocks of 4, 8, etc, 010100111001
21:28 <     etank> comfurtn: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KentuckyTeam/CustomArtwork
21:28 <  comfurtn> etank: okay, that works.
21:28 <    bkingx> I was gonna suggest a forum thread, but this will work also.
21:29              montgoej + 0001 for the wiki page
21:29 <     etank> i say that we close up with a quick dry run talk
21:29 <     etank> who all will be there this Saturday?
21:29              etank +1
21:29              montgoej will be there
21:29              Zuph +1
21:29              bkingx -1
21:29              X626 will be there
21:29              comfurtn can't make it
21:30 <      X626> btw, is it okay if my mom comes, too?  She is a little....paranoid I guess is the best word.
21:30 <     etank> i know that ScatterBrain will be there too
21:30 <    bkingx> Scatterbrain should be there.
21:30 <    bkingx> lol
21:30 <     etank> X626: no problem at all
21:30 <  montgoej> @X626:don't worry, my mom MIGHT be there too, she's thinking about it
21:30 <      Zuph> X626:  I'll be sure to wear my hair in a mohawk and turn the PA to Rammstein the whole time.
21:30 <     etank> i would be too if my kid were wanting to do something like this
21:31 <      X626> Yeah, I know.  I figured you wouldn't mind (and I figured she'd want to come, too).
21:31 <      X626> Just making sure.
21:31 <  montgoej> my mom is just trying to find something to do for the time we're there, she might go to the mall or something
21:31 <     etank> hamburg is just 6 miles from where we will be
21:32 <  montgoej> yep
21:32 <     etank> ok, all for closing the meeting now
21:32              etank +1 sorry i have a headache tonight
21:32              X626 +1 (So do I)
21:32 <    bkingx> +1
21:32              montgoej + 0001
21:33              comfurtn +1
21:33 <     etank> i do think that venomous mad a very good point tonight
21:33              bkingx feeling a bit tired too
21:33 <     etank> i do think that venomous made a very good point tonight
21:34 <  montgoej> I agree
21:34 <    bkingx> Me too
21:34 <      X626> Same here.