newchix information and guidelines

NewChix is a LinuxChix email list. The newchix mailing list is for newer Linux and Unix users, especially women, who are seeking a friendly environment in which to find help on a basic level. This list is also for people who, for whatever reason, feel that their Linux question is too basic for techtalk. Experienced users who want to share their newbie experiences to help newbies get through them are also welcome.

Although basic questions are more than welcome on the techtalk list, sometimes readers with newbie questions are concerned about disturbing busy techtalk readers with a simple question when they are in the middle of an advanced discussion. This is only part of the use for newchix. The newchix list is also a place for newer (and experienced) Linux users to share their trials, tribulations, successes, and achievements with a sympathetic audience.

Maybe you have successfully completed an installation or your first compile or just discovered a new program that makes your life better. Share your excitement with us. Maybe you are facing a new challenge with your Linux system and you are nervous. Tell other newchix about it. You are also welcome to write the list just to talk through a small problem. Sometimes it helps.

Newchix is not a replacement for techtalk or any of the other lists. Newchix is not for people experienced at Linux. It's not for people who are competent in Linux, but happen to be new at a particular language, or distro, or anything like that.

There is a reason for this. Experienced people tend to use jargon and terminology that intimidate newer people. This happens even if the experienced people are doing something new to them. Newchix is a place where newer people can go to avoid intimidating jargon. We want to keep it that way. Techtalk is the appropriate Linuxchix list for experienced users who are using something new-to-them.

The lack of experienced people could be a problem, but only if we let it be. We still have the techtalk mailing list available when the newchix can't answer a question. Also a number of the more experienced chix have signed up to help. Newchix is a friendly community of beginning users and more experienced users who remember what it was like to be a beginner.

If you post a question to newchix and do not get a satisfactory answer, PLEASE post your question to techtalk. The techtalk list is a friendly place where even basic questions are welcome. If you're worried that your question is 'too basic' for techtalk, a good rule of thumb is 'if the newchix couldn't answer it, it's not basic after all'. All newchix readers are encouraged to subscribe to techtalk. It is a good way to learn more. It is also a good place to ask the slightly more advanced questions.

We expect that most of our readers will eventually feel so comfortable with Linux and the techtalk list that they stop feeling as much a need for the newchix list. But don't worry, newchix will still be there for you and for other beginners.

When a thread gets into an advanced topic, it should be moved to techtalk. Although the advanced discussion might be interesting to a lot of the newchix readers, it also might overwhelm other newchix, defeating the purpose of the list.

Guidelines for posting

Please help us to help you. When asking a question about problems you are having with your computer, it is very important to include as much relevant information as possible. At a very minimum, you need to tell us which distribution of Linux you are running (don't forget the version!) and whether it's on a normal PC, an Apple, a laptop, or even something else.

If you are having problems with sound, graphics or other hardware, mention the type of card that is in your machine.

The last thing to add is the verson of XFree86 you have and the name of the graphical environment or window manager that you are using and its version. This might be Gnome 1.4, KDE 2.2.2, IceWM, Enlightenment, or one of the many others available. To ask for help on a specific programme, include that programme's version too.

If you're not sure where to find all this version info, thats no problem either! Just post to the newchix list with your question and explaining that you don't know how to find out which version of what you are running. Include your distribution name here, as the method of finding out varies in the different distributions.

If no one has answered your question, perhaps no one on the newchix list knows the answer! After posting your query, wait a few days so that everyone has a chance to read it. If you don't get a response after a few days then post your query to the techtalk mailing list. Also make sure that you haven't broken any of the rules. Most people will instantly ignore a message in HTML or one that contains excessive amounts of quoted material.