Software Triage
The beauty of Linux and Open Source Software is that there are numerous choices. The problem is that sometimes those choices can become overwhelming.
While we understand that each of our volunteers may have software favorites, it's important that you're familiar with the scope of our offerings so that you can better assist new users and Library staff.
For example...
An important consideration with Linux Distro Triage is hardware compatibility. While most systems will work fine, there are cases where a particular hardware setup will cause issues.
From our point of view, it's more important to get a new user on a working system than it is to begin bug tracking. In some cases that means going elsewhere for success. Obviously if the issue can be overcome quickly, then do so. But please use your best judgment on what is a 'reasonable' amount of time before you pursue other avenues to success.
The most common issue with hardware compatibility these days is age of equipment. Older machines are ideal for a Linux or Open Source upgrade, but they may suffer from slow processor speeds and a lack of RAM.
When dealing with older equipment, the rule of thumb here is to look for releases that bill themselves as small and/or fast.
XFCE, Fluxbox or Enlightenment Desktop Environment is a tip that an OS will be more likely to succeed with older hardware.
When dealing with an issue that's not age related, the best chance of success would be to try something from another branch of the Linux development tree. Not that the problem won't re-occur in another family, but if it's a quirk specific to that development line, you're most likely to avoid the problem by going another route.
You can think of Linux in terms of family lines. Within those lines there are what we like to call "Mother" distros such as Fedora, Debian, and Slackware. Then we move on to the Distros which are based on it.
In the Debian line, we'll find Ubuntu, Knoppix, and Mepis, among others. There are even distros that are third or fourth generation. For example, Linux Mint is based on Ubuntu and Debian.
Then there's just personal preference. Take a few minutes to listen to what the user is hoping to get out of new software and help find titles that best suit their needs.
