Editing Talk:Main Page


Hi everyone. The focus is to 

     1/  provide sufficient basic info on Mint to a target audience of potential first-time users 
     2/  possibly be a source of info for some common issues that turn up in -help (I'd want a prior OK from Clem or at least the Ops). 

I think that short paragraphs would work best with some screenshots; enough info to get the idea but without making our text TL:DR  :)  I personally like how How-To-Geek do their pages, e.g. https://www.howtogeek.com/242428/whats-the-best-way-to-back-up-my-computer/.  

Each section could include 
     the basic steps for the given topic
     common problems and fixes 
     some relevant homepage links for going deeper (Mint forums, Ubuntu, Debian, Archwiki, others?)  
     

I think it might be best if we spend some time on getting the layout, content, etc. sorted in document form for easy editing, then put it on the site once we're happy with it.  I assume we want one webpage per main link?

Let me know if there are any sections you'd like to add/remove/re-order or any other ideas.

Stylus

                                               -----------------------------------

1 - What exactly is Linux? 
    General info & a brief discussion of Mint & other distros, inc. level of expertise required. 
    Primary question; what do you want to do with your computer? 
    Links to Ubuntu, Arch, etc.'s homepages & distrowatch
    Advantages (Secure, stable, free, repo)
    Disadvantages (Supported badly/not at all on some hardware, Skype & other popular SW? Altering/fixing things can get deep very quickly)

2 - Terminology
    Table of Linux & Win terms

3 - Downloading and checking your ISO 
    Win checkers, esp. Hashtab, 
    Newb-friendly version of Mint's verification process

4 - VM Installs from ISO (VBox, VMWare, others?)
    Live-sessions (what they are and why they're used. Advantages and limitations.) 

5 - Making install media

    From Win:
         Universal USB Installer - http://www.pendrivelinux.com/universal-usb-installer-easy-as-1-2-3/
         Rufus                   - https://rufus.akeo.ie/
         Unetbootin              - http://unetbootin.github.io/
         List of recommended DVD burning SW (suggestions?)

     From Linux:
          USB Image Writer (Mint)
          dd?
    

6 - Installation options, inc. how to use the installer's partitioning tool:
    BIOS edits to enable boot from USB/DVD 
    Mint-only, Dual-boot with Windows/another OS & potential Grub issues. Multi-HDD installs.
    Fastboot/Secure Boot issues

7  - LVM, RAID, Disk encryption - a brief what, why & how.

8  - Firewalls (UFW, GUFW, other?)

9  - Antivirus (ClamAV? Any others worth mentioning?)

10 - Updating the system (Update Manager preferred but also via CLI)

11 - Installing software (Software Manager/Synaptic/apt-get/PPAs)

12 – WINE, Playonlinux, Steam. Links to each.

13 - Printers/scanners

14 - Getting Help

     LinuxMint Documentation           https://linuxmint.com/documentation.php
     LinuxMint Tutorials               https://community.linuxmint.com/tutorial/search
     How to ask sensible questions     http://catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
     Hexchat use & etiquette
     The Linux Documentation Project   http://www.tldp.org/

15 - Recommended reading 

     Linux is not Windows 
     How to become a Hacker            http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/hacker-howto.html
     TLDP                              http://www.tldp.org/

     (other good links, anyone?)

16 – Useful links (Distrowatch if it hasn't already been included, others?)


TODO:

     Where to put package management