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Welcome screen

User discussion about Debian Development, Debian Project News and Announcements. Not for support questions.
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rafahrpl
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Welcome screen

#1 Post by rafahrpl »

I know that Debian is not recommended for beginners, but I think it would be very interesting to include a welcome screen with links to documentation, support and community. But ONLY for people who use Debian for desktop GUI. Other types such as Debian Server would not have.

Another suggestion I have would be to include Debian forums links in the site footer.

Apologies in advance if you have posted in the wrong place.

English is not my first language.

feas
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Re: Welcome screen

#2 Post by feas »

i think it woud be an anoyance for many users even new people after some time. ThIs link may be of help when you download the source though,


https://debian-handbook.info/browse/stable/

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4D696B65
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Re: Welcome screen

#3 Post by 4D696B65 »

Beginners section has this
http://forums.debian.net/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=58557
Lots of links for you. :wink:

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Re: Welcome screen

#4 Post by Bulkley »

Bookmark such links in your favourite browser.

One of the good things about the Internet is that it is a source for answers to problems. Whatever problem you have with Debian, do an Internet search for. If you have an error code, search for that. Almost every time someone has had the same problem and found an answer.

rafahrpl
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Re: Welcome screen

#5 Post by rafahrpl »

Many of these links I avia already read but what I really mean is that I believe it would be interesting for most users who use Debian as desktop with graphical interface that soon after the end of the installation there was a welcome screen.

I know it may seem a bit stupid something for experienced users, plus there will always be new users and I believe this would be of great help to them even for me would have been when I started using Debian.
I also know that there are people who do not like new users, but they very important to the community, both to make the Debian increasingly known, or perhaps in time to help in the programming, documentation or elsewhere ...

I know there are other distros that have a welcome screen, but does not compare, because none come close to everything Debian offers.

I would like to hear from you who use the forum regularly, what do you think of this idea.

Translation into English by Google is strange but you can understand.

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GarryRicketson
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Re: Welcome screen

#6 Post by GarryRicketson »

I am not sure I understand what it is you want, ???
And then this:
by rafahrpl » I also know that there are people who do not like new users,
How is it that you know this ?, or is it just a conclusion you have made up.
Nobody has said anything to indicate they do not like new users.
Please note the title here:
Forum stuff & feedback
Do you think the forum needs some kind of special welcome screen
for beginners and new users ?
by rafahrpl » very interesting to include a welcome screen with links to documentation, support and community.

Then this is the appropriate category, it is about forum stuff and feedback, about the
forum.
=================
by rafahrpl » I believe it would be interesting for most users who use Debian as desktop with graphical interface that soon after the end of the installation there was a welcome screen.
Here it sounds like you are talking about some sort of "splash" screen, or screen
that comes up the first time the new user re-boots after installing Debian, ...??
If that is the case, then to start with, that would be a topic to be discussed, here:
Debian Development

If this is so important to you, why don't you create some "themes" or "splash screens",
to show more clearly what you have in mind, and submit your ideas to Debian Development.
http://debian.org
======
by rafahrpl>Translation into English by Google is strange but you can understand.
Not really, yes I understand the words you say, but the "reasoning" just does
not make sense,..I do not know what is your normal language, but if it is a problem
for you to translate, maybe it would be better to look for a forum that is in
your language, where you can be more clear.
One last note, On all the Debian installs I have done, the first time I started the
browser, it connects to: http://debian.org
and that is where everything any one , beginner or experienced, that is where everything anyone would need to know is.

rafahrpl
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Re: Welcome screen

#7 Post by rafahrpl »

Initially I thought of developing post but just not paying attention, it's like you said it might be better to move the post.

It is possible to move the topic or is necessary to create again?

What about this:
by GarryRicketson>
One last note, On all the Debian installs I have done, the first time I started the
browser, it connects to: http://debian.org
and that is where everything any one , beginner or experienced, that is where everything anyone would need to know is.
I believe that non-gnome installations do not have this little resource why it is not the default.

And going back to the previous topic, it's like you said, I think interesting one "splash" screen or (welcome screen) after the Debian installation with the option to withdraw or remain after the system startup. Here I make it clear that this is an idea for Debian instações desktop and not for Debian installations on servers where often your users are extremely experienced.

I can not do graficos topics but I can try the case after the opinion of most users.

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dasein
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Re: Welcome screen

#8 Post by dasein »

rafahrpl wrote:I would like to hear from you who use the forum regularly, what do you think of this idea.
It's a fine idea--good enough to have been incorporated into many Debian-based derivatives and respins (not to mention many distros that have nothing to do with Debian). These distros have a "welcome" screen that typically displays on first boot, provides some useful links, invokes custom utilities, etc. Such screens typically have a checkbox to permanently dismiss them once the user feels comfortable.

The point that I think you're missing here is that Debian doesn't aim to be "newbie-friendly" (or even "user-friendly"). It's not that OOB usability isn't a good thing; it's just not Debian's focus.

Debian's "special sauce" is to provide a minimally preconfigured base that can quickly be spun into something else (be it user-friendly desktop, HTPC, router/firewall, etc.) with relative ease. That's precisely why Debian is the "mothership" for so many customized derivatives/respins that do exactly as you suggest.
I know there are other distros that have a welcome screen, but does not compare, because none come close to everything Debian offers.
Some do. And folks who are looking for a user-friendly desktop experience will be much happier installing one of those other distros, instead of Debian.

rafahrpl
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Re: Welcome screen

#9 Post by rafahrpl »

Good have tested some and saw pictures of others but do not think just less experienced users have the worst experiences with Linux as in the past I had because of distros that are said to be user-friendly but turn away platform users ...

Lately I settled ubuntu 15.10 on other people's computers in place of windows. Many people liked and few computers did not work very well. But when formatting with ubuntu 16.04 "LTS" with so many problems drivers or stability problems to delete a single file. And so I had to stop installing ubuntu. Not to mention their flavors.
I'm talking about ubuntu to be better known and be more user-friendly but it is impossible to use an unstable system. I will not talk about other distros as this is just an experience I'm past related to the comment of 'Dasein'.

I find it very good the freedom to create based on debian but in this case would be a competitor other distros that beyond a few users, few developers have few resources to maintain.

I believe it is much better to help a growing distribution in any form to create another.
Debian has grown since its creation it also provided many modifications to provide the best for its users.

So I believe that the inclusion of a small change would not change the main purpose of debian, also would not change its focus, change the ISO size would be imperceptible in size and help a beginner to use it immediately after installation to get all important information for computer management and system. Also the inclusion would not hinder the Debian working on different architectures and device types.

After selecting the installation menu logically the resource would be available only for desktop and laptop systems.
So would not hinder a person or company that uses Debian on a router / firewall.

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GarryRicketson
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Re: Welcome screen

#10 Post by GarryRicketson »

So many of the DE's now, come with all sorts of ugly Icons, that make no sense,
Yes indeed, it would be nice to have it where after the install is done,
A screen that starts,with a welcome message, and the command
prompt in plain sight, where it is easy to find,
it could say, :
Welcome to Debian
Type 'help' for a list of commands,
Type `help name' to find out more about the function `name'.
Use `info bash' to find out more about the shell in general.
Use `man -k' or `info' to find out more about commands not in this list.
======================================================
Use the 'man' command to get details on the commands.
Use

Code: Select all

man man
to see how to use the 'man'
If you are a beginner and need more help, read the documentation
at : http://www.debian.org.
Type 'exit' to exit this terminal and go to
your Desktop Environment and menus.


username@debian:~$

This is the biggest problem with the new Desktop Environments
nowadays, it is to hard to find the command prompt,... the most important
part of a OS, and they bury it under some silly lcon, or behind some "applications, menu,... The command prompt is the first thing one should see.
------ edited---
I forgot, a important item in the "new" Welcome Screen, I am going to design,...
If my granddaughter likes it, that is good enough for me,..:mrgreen:
Last edited by GarryRicketson on 2016-07-21 02:39, edited 2 times in total.

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bw123
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Re: Welcome screen

#11 Post by bw123 »

I think the idea of a common welcome screen for all desktop environments would create more work for the guys who are managing the repos, who probably already have too much to do. I mean, where would you put it? Every DE has a different way of starting up, don't they? Putting it in console would be cool, but nobody wants to read man pages, they don't like black screen, I think they're superstitious nowadays.

Now that I think about it, you already have a few links to documentation when you download the installer from debian.org and lots of links telling you to rtfm before you even install... ?
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rafahrpl
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Re: Welcome screen

#12 Post by rafahrpl »

Well I better close the topic, why have found the solution.

In the case of a new User I tell him to look for documentation, social contract, and even links to the forum on the terminal.
And I will not forget to tell to type 'man'.

Maybe the wrong has the title of the topic should be terminal screen.

At no time he said he needed to find documentation or help at the terminal.
Was to find out opinions on the screen, was not asking how to know details about a particular command, it escapes the beginning of the topic.

But all right I get it.
Close the topic since it is not of much interest.

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GarryRicketson
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Re: Welcome screen

#13 Post by GarryRicketson »

The thing of it is, no matter what kind of screen the developers come up with,
there will be some people that want some thing different,
For me the perfect Desktop, is one that has the command prompt,and it is
easy to see,... ..others
want a Welcome Screen, with windows style Icons, and maybe some kind of
"Tour Guide", that explains to them step by step, how to right click this Icon,
or Left click the other Icon,...etc,.. what ever, ...Others like the "Gnome" classic, style
others, XFCE, and so on,....
As mentioned, for the Developers, they have enough work , and are kind enough
to provide us with a basic operating system, that works well, they also do offer
a variety of Desktop Environments, so that users can pick which one, or ones
they like, all of which are easily customizable,...
What somebody could do, is if they really think others would want it,, ( I think I am repeating myself),
And actually quite a few people do, create a background or theme, and submit it:

http://mate-desktop.org/themes/
or
http://mate-desktop.org/backgrounds/
For example, obviously for a different DE like XFCE, they would have a different
url,...
So then if the "new user" wants to use the "theme" with a welcome screen, or a background with Welcome to Debian , and some links listed to help the beginner,
They can select that theme or background,..
One of the main reasons I like Debian, it is a good basic Operating System,
then the user (me), can install or create what ever Desktop Environment or Windows Manager we want, in fact most of the DE's and WM's available for Debian, are also available for the BSD's and even Unix as well, ...
After all said and done, though, the forum is Debian User Forums, and I am not
really sure, but I do not think very many active developers spend much time
looking at this forum.
If someone really wanted to suggest something be added or included in the
installation images, (CDs/DVDs) then they should try some of the mailing lists,
that the developers use.
https://www.debian.org/
https://www.debian.org/contact
From:https://www.debian.org/contact#development
Debian Development

If you have questions that are more development related, there are several development mailing lists in Debian that you can use to contact our developers.

The general development mailing list is debian-devel: you can subscribe to it and then send e-mail to debian-devel@lists.debian.org.
by rafahrpl »Close the topic since it is not of much interest.
Topics do not get closed, just because there is not much interest,
The OP, (person that started the topic), can edit the subject line, and say
it is "solved", if it is a problem and the problem is solved,... Who knows,
some people may find it interesting to read, and there may be others that
have additional comments, or even ideas.
by bw123 » Putting it in console would be cool, but nobody wants to read man pages, they don't like black screen, I think they're superstitious nowadays.
I agree on , "the black screen", part, I don't like that either, I changed mine to white,background, with black text.

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dasein
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Re: Welcome screen

#14 Post by dasein »

rafahrpl wrote:So I believe that the inclusion of a small change would not change the main purpose of debian,
Write up your idea of the perfect welcome screen, post it on the Web, and link to it in your forum sig. "Problem" solved.

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GarryRicketson
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Re: Welcome screen

#15 Post by GarryRicketson »

The opportunity is available :
All the OP needs to do now is a little "design work",...
Recent post:
http://forums.debian.net/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=129289

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Re: Welcome screen

#16 Post by bw123 »

I think this kind of thing would have to go in debian installer, right?
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