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Linux#1 A Red Hat to cover your a-- (oops!) head.
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Lyle Mariam on October 07, 1998 at 09:38:14:This is an excellent article on Linux. "Experts" often forget that others do not know as much as they do about a subject. This causes the newbie all sorts of problems when the manual (written by an Expert) leaves out a few minor steps as the Expert forgets that simple fact. Many times you are doing something in a cookbook fashion where you read the instructions, do it, and then go to the next instruction. When something is left out or glossed over, FUD (fear, uncertainty, & doubt) raises it's ugly head and the newbie doesn't know if he/she did something wrong or what.
There should be more articles written, where we drag someone in off the street, hand them the manuals and say go to it. Then the expert should stand in the background and when the process grinds to a halt, investigate the reasons and correct the manual.
As a professional programmer with over 20 years experience, I can't tell you the number of times one of my users has asked me a question about a programs operation that the manual did not explain properly or was just plain wrong. Manual writing is one of the most hated jobs for most programmers and the work product shows that fact!
Articles like this which explain the process from a novice's point of view are excellent. We should always keep in mind, who benefits from an article or book. The expert probably doesn't need it and the material should be aimed towards the real person who needs the information.
Sorry to ramble, but I did like the article. I've been trying to learn Linux after being away from Unix for 10 years or so and can relate to the author.
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