Ubuntu Manual

Is 'Getting Started with Ubuntu' appropriate name?

Asked by belovedmonster

The fact this document is 97 pages and has yet to include a single image (which will surely add looooads more pages) its clear this is a replacement for a fat dead tree book.

The problem I have is by calling the document 'Getting started with Ubuntu' it implies to the user that in order to get started with Ubuntu you have to read a big fat instruction manual. I.e Ubuntu is difficult, and requires investment of time to learn.

If you look at titles for similar books on Amazon it is things like 'OS X bible', 'OS X: the missing manual', 'Windows 7 Step by step', 'Windows 7 Inside Out'. Basically it is only with Ubuntu that a big dead tree book is referred to as being a starter guide.

In my mind 'Getting Started with Ubuntu' implies a short 'quick start' guide that would be less than 10 pages and tells you the absolutely basics, no way would it be a 100+ page uber manual. I really do think the name needs to be reconsidered.

I appreciate that the guide is written to introduce complete newbies to Ubuntu, but even so, I believe 'Getting Started' will lead people to believe Ubuntu is complicated.

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Language:
English Edit question
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Ubuntu Manual Edit question
Assignee:
Ryan Macnish Edit question
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Revision history for this message
Ryan Macnish (nisshh) said : 		#1

The entire team believe it is the right choice, the point is that the user doesnt HAVE TO read every page. Just the ones they want to. It has alot of pages, not because its extremely detailed but because it covers such a massive range of topics and tries to cater to as wide an audience as possible.

Revision history for this message
Benjamin Humphrey (humphreybc) said : 		#2

We do make it very clear in the prologue that it's separated into two parts for beginners and advanced users.

In the future we will probably split these two parts up into separate publications and the beginner half will become the Getting Started guide.

Don't expect that we'll stick with the same title for the next x number of years, it could very well change for 10.10.

Revision history for this message
Ian Comings (iancomings) said : 		#3

I believe that the title is also foreboding. I find it difficult to get my mother to read a book with the title " the official ubuntu book" that I got her for Christmas. Maybe there should be a slight modification to the name. Perhaps: "Ubuntu, Plain and Simple."

Revision history for this message
Almufadado (almufadado) said : 		#4

I also agree with the original poster.
This must be something exciting ...
Suppose I'm the newbie (cof...cof) ) ... I'm tired of windows ... it's has been the same sh...ot all over again ...
Ubuntu ?!?!? nice ! let me "DISCOVER UBUNTU" ... it's new, it's exciting ... if I am here I am (probably and hopefully!) willing to lean new things ....

Ubuntu ... the last frontier ... this are the ...
... the "Ubuntu Road map" ... too english !
... "bible" ? too much name for too little content
... "Discovering Ubuntu" ... I like this !

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