Video tutorials on DVD

[tamarin]

I have been thinking for a while about making some video tutorials that would go through a lot of the steps you would need in daily life computer usage.

Linux is quite easy, and with Linux Mint even easier. Fanboys of other operating systems should be silent with the usual "yeah, tell my mother how to install JAVA" or "you need a science degree to install DVD (or other media) support on Linux" when making a comment to an article about Linux Mint. This, and for some genius solution that Linux Mint has come up with, I feel that Linux Mint is the best way to introduce Linux to people with no experience with this operating system.

From the last release, I saw some video in the new feature. I really think that video can have a bigger impacted on giving the motivation to try out Linux. It is really easier to just press play and watch a video, compared to reading a long webpage, and you will also get to see every step taken so there is not much room for missing out on anything.

The plan would be to make the videos available on both DVD in a download-able .iso-format with menus, and via streaming online.

What I have thought about so far is:

- First a quick introduction on Linux Mint to show off the distribution.

- A quick "open up a web browser and go to http://www.linuxmint.com" and show the download destination, and some other parts of the Linux Mint network.

- How to make a bootable CD or USB, both from Linux Mint (right click and choose "burn to disc" ) as well as Windows (CDburnerXP? free and easy) and OS X (have little experience with OS X so do not know what is available here).

- How to use the Live-CD/USB and how it works. Show the installation process. How it can be useful as a possible back-up solution for Windows and OS X users who have trouble with booting their systems and do not want to install Linux.

- Going through the desktop and some of the applications. First menu and desktop. Then Firefox, Rhythmbox, Gimp, Pidgin, and some other already available software. And show that many both audio and video codecs are supported.

- Ways of installing and remove software and update your system. Via menu, Synaptic, Software Manager, terminal and .DEB-files. Maybe go into Wine and other OS compatibility layers. And install some good alternative open source applications, then give them a quick intro.

- How to change themes, and how to add effects with Compiz.

- Show different alternatives to Gnome.

- This last one I am not sure of yet, since the focus is on Linux Mint, but maybe a quick show-off of other distributions and how they may differ.


This is what I got for now, the list will probably expand when the work is started ... as well as something might get ditched.

I have some concerns, that is the lack of experience with:
- Recording the screen. Have some experience with Record My Desktop, and seems to work OK.
- Sound editing (any suggestion for application?)
- Making a DVD (no clue on application here either)
- Editing video (could PiTiVi make the job done?)
- English, at least speaking English. I can make myself understood, but I probably have a noticeable Norwegian accent.
- I have no chance in hell to do this alone, and if anyone else think this is a good idea, we should probably gather a little team and discuss how this can be done.

[DrHu]

From the last release, I saw some video in the new feature. I really think that video can have a bigger impacted on giving the motivation to try out Linux. It is really easier to just press play and watch a video, compared to reading a long webpage, and you will also get to see every step taken so there is not much room for missing out on anything.

Listen, good luck with that project

• However, just like DVD movies verses downloaded movies, "the times they are a 'changing." DVD or video instruction isn't so popular these days, when there is so much easier to find data (information) available on the Internet, like youtube

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_q ... arch_type=

..you will also get to see every step taken ....
That is one of the problems with videos

• By necessity, they are edited versions of a long instruction sequence, which would get/list all the actual steps needed. This would be like having someone look over your shoulder as you went through the sequence, pointing out any gotchas!

To make something clear in a video, without boring an audience, you have to miss out a lot of intermediate steps or explanations, and just assume people want a general overview of the sequence..

• This is similar to the problem that NASA indicated they had with powerpoint slides; bullet points
  --yes they simplify the steps, but unfortunately they don't tell you what might be missing

http://www.shkaminski.com/Classes/Hando ... rpoint.htm

Have look for instructional DVD on the Internet, see if the format/style appeals..
http://www.gobyoc.com/
--one example

A very good instructional website: software training
http://www.lynda.com/

[tamarin]

These videos could also be added on Linux Mint in a "tube"-format, or in a channel on YouTube, in pure downloadable video format, or whatever people would like.

By every step taken, I do nor mean to go in dept. For example, if one of the parts is about installing Mint, I do not want to make the videos go into manually partition your hard-drive, and showing this process would probably take maximum five minutes. People who have a bigger interest in computers would probably prefer to find the information a little more in dept somewhere else.

Some of the videos on this web page http://www.linuxmint.com/rel_gloria_whatsnew.php, is great to show others who are curious about Linux, though some of the videos takes a lot of unnecessary steps for a certain task, for example that one where they show Mint Install.

[oobetimer]

An exellent idea ..

http://www.youtube.com/user/ILO98120