I've been branching out on some of the new videos as some of you might have noticed if you keep track of our youtube channel, I've also tried to funnel some of the questions from there over here so hopefully we will have a batch of new questions in a few days.

BUT

With the branching out it becomes difficult to decide exactly what to do and I am definitely a person who struggles with "make us ... something" I do much better with specifics.

So what do you want from me? what do you want to see on the site, what do you want to see in videos? I'm pretty open to suggestion in such a way that even if I have to teach myself how to use something ( especially that actually) so I can present it to you I am completely open to it.

I am a Software Engineering major (programming/systems analyst) and I had years of networking training and my CCNA completion certs (never took the test, 50$ I didn't have in High School lol)

I was also a multimedia student so I've had courses (and still have the books) on things like flash, Photoshop, Illustrator, 3DS max, aftereffects, premiere. I've had several classes in Linux and Unix systems.


Building a better community helps us build a better product. In effect I am here for you. Tell me what you would like to see and I will work to see it happen.

I wouldn't mind having more instruction on Linux and Unix and maybe Ubuntu OS. Not sure what form it should take but I have Linux on a Slave dual with XP but have never been able to figure out what it takes to make it internet usable. I would like to start using Linux to know how and maybe help others to know how and that they have OS options. It sort of seems a waste to have free OS but no one knows about it or how to use it.

I have to agree with IOWA. I would love to learn how to really use Linux also. My buddy Troubleshooter always disagrees, but I love opensource programs because for one they're free, and two if you know what you're doing, if there is something the program doesn't do that you want you can write the code to make it do it. Also, I just hate Microsoft, and Apple for that matter, because if they weren't so big and had the governments 100% backing they would be out of business, and the only other real option for most people is to spend way too much on an Apple who's os is only marginally better than windows. I live to see the day that I can have a computer without anything from Microsoft or Intel on it. I won't get into why I don't like Intel, but let's just say I have been, and always will be, an AMD fan.

In order to get a Linux screencap going with my current hardware I will have to make a remasterable Live DVD (or film at home lol) but that shouldn't be an issue.


What parts of it do you want me to focus on first? Getting it useable as a standard desktop, how to run windows programs or alternatives, command line and shell scripting.... what are you really after as far as knowledge in this field?

Frank the Awesome IT guy decided to install VMware on our machine so I will be able to support multiple OS's and make videos for you. It probably won't happen for a bit but multiple OS videos should be coming soon.


Any other ideas for what you might need or want?

In short, the only thing I know about any Windows OS is the computer comes with or I can use a recovery disc. I have never had to load any OS with drivers, software, or the like. Here is a link I came across.

http://www.howtoforge.com/the-perfect-desktop-linux-mint-8-
helena

Am I correct that all the software is there but has to be loaded? What about drivers? Let me know if this link tells the story. Linux mint 8 is green ( and Im greener still LOL) And again what does it take to connect Linux to the internet.

I guess the biggest thing is how do you use it, and what software will work on it? For me my comp is mainly used to surf the net and I d/l alot, but mainly I'm more of a multimedia user I guess.

So we have Linux and alternative OS's, how to install them, how to use them, what works on them.


What else do you guys want to know about? Not just in the *nix field, what else would you like to learn about?

Really what I want to be able to do is design and build processors,and other hardware, but that's not something I'd be able to learn here. That's why I'm going to university. I mean really the only reason to learn linux is if you need to for your job, you just hate microsoft and apple (which I do), your cheap and don't want to spend the $100 or so for windows, or you just want to up your geek cred. Which is pretty much why i want to learn how to use it.

You opened a great wide door, Will. I will add my input as well.
I want to learn something about Linux too, but I haven't a clue where to start. Command Line especially so I can properly utilize it when I need it. I know how to open it and it stops there. Even though FTP is somewhat obsolete I am still having troubles connecting my 2 desktops and my Xbox on the same network for easy transfer. I know virtually nothing about networking home computers, but eager to learn.

The main thing I would like to learn is multimedia and photoshop. I want to learn how to encode movies e.g. creating .avi/mpeg/x264/ from source material to no illegal end. I just want to experiment doing it. I would also like to learn how to create ISO's and what are the best programs/tutorials. I need hands on training and or videos because the written word only conveys to the an adept.
On the photoshop issue, I would like to splint together movies/pictures/and sound to create my own videos for personal and recreational use.

Lucky for you trouble I've done all those things, I even used to stream trans coded HD video across the network to my 360 becuase the 360 didn't support subtitles and it didn't support .mkv's in h264 either. Was using a program called TVersity.

As far as using photoshop for what you want that really isn't photoshops thing. It sounds more like premiere and aftereffects with some illustrator thrown in.

I'm working on some website work this week and probably some of next week but after that hopefully I will have vmware installed. I will also go over what I can for photoshop and other programs and possibly their free/cheaper alternatives.

I'm doing a bunch of css this week, I used to be good at it but apparently I've gotten rusty lol.

Hank:

There are other reasons to run linux/unix/amiga/BeOS/Hailku/ReactOS besides the ones you mentioned. As far as geek cred goes... your more likely to get it helping out on software or writing documents than you are running the OS :P If I ever hear the expression "becuase it makes me a cooler geek" I think I will have to retire my commission lol. If you really want "geek cred" though I will show you how to compile your self optimized kernel, strip windows drives and use a wrapper to enable the function of nonfunctioning hardware (might not be able to do this, the old laptop that I had to do this for died a year ago lol) and Ill show you how to compile custom patches in Wine to update bug fixes so you can game in Linux :P

Many of the reasons to be involved with OSS have to do with solidarity and a Raison d'être. Being part of something greater, and being able to contribute to the group that makes it possible.

Not all the reasons are for seething hatred of a oppressive monopoly with deep pockets :P

Thanks for the extra ideas and keep them coming. The more you give me the more I have to work with.