[CentOS] A new blog on the block for Linux newbies

Thu Sep 4 16:58:57 UTC 2008
MHR <mhullrich at gmail.com>

On Thu, Sep 4, 2008 at 4:08 AM, Sorin at Gmail <sorin.srbu at gmail.com> wrote:
> Niki Kovacs <> scribbled on Thursday, September 04, 2008 12:16 PM:
>
>> So, to answer the question above: IMNSHO, the best advice comes from an
>> expert who *can* think like a newbie. (At work, I usually deal with the
>> opposite paradigm :oD)
>
> There is no more dangerous user than a user that knows *a little* about
> computers and who tries to "fix" stuff for himself (it's usually a he). Every
> now and then I get a few of those users at the departments I support, and I
> make a point of usually taking them down to the ground again as fast as I can.
>
:
>
> MotD:
> Those of you that think you know everything, are annoying to those of us that
> do.
>

IMVMHO, having been brand new to CentOS but a long time Linux user and
sometimes administrator, delving into the depths of the kernel,
returning to the Linux email list world (as an idiot AND a newbie) and
now charged in part with porting a major real-life real-time app from
FC1 to CentOS, my best advice for newbies of all stripes would be
this:

RTFM, then read everything else you can find, and remember, Google is
your friend.

Subscribe to one or more email lists based on what you found in your
extensive reading (see above) AND READ at least long enough to learn
how to post, whom to trust, who the curmudgeons are (no, kidding on
that last one!), etc.  (I.e., read some more.)

ONLY when all else fails, ask (nicely) on a list where you have some
idea how to post and whom to trust in response.

Oh, yeah, and avoid pretentious signatures, even if they contain your
"real" job title - they just piss off the people whose answers you
really need.

(Yes, I am speaking from first hand experience on all of the above.
Most of you already know that.... ;^)

Now, if there was a web site that said all of that and nothing else,
that would be perfect for newbies (and newbies who think they are
not).

mhr

(IMVMHO: In my very much humbled opinion,...)