[ubuntu-uk] Precise - some thoughts .....

[Sarah Chard]

On Mon, 2012-05-07 at 09:08 +0100, Barry Drake wrote:

> On 06/05/12 23:16, Tony Pursell wrote:
> > All the computers I use now have an option to show a boot menu.  
> > Usually something like Esc or F12.  Sometimes this shown as an option 
> > when the computer is starting up, sometimes not.  My desktop tells me 
> > it is Esc, my two EEEPCs don't tell me, but it is still Esc.  So I 
> > don't need to go into the BIOS to change the boot sequence.  Maybe 
> > your chap can find a boot menu option and you can avoid any mention of 
> > the BIOS.
> 
> This particular guy says it is an older computer.  I have no information 
> from him about hardware.  The thing is, Windows folk who don't know 
> anything about bios settings or boot menus haven't a clue how to find 
> out - most Dell computers kindly show the options briefly on the boot 
> flash screen, but a lot deliberately don't do.  It would be far easier 
> if mobo manufacturers adopted some sort of standard.
> 
> Regards,        Barry.
> 
> -- 
> Barry Drake is a member of the the Ubuntu Advertising team.
> http://ubuntuadverts.org/
> 
> 


My experience working with teachers and  running parents evening as part
of our Tuxedu project is that this is the main stumbling block to
getting people too use any Linux system - ordinary users want their
system to run - they don't want to have to think about Bios or boot
menu's.
As a group working on our project we looked for ways to tackle this as
it's a major problem- (we are running Tuxedu on USB's)-  but one we have
to overcome if the project is to be successful in the long term.
At the moment we are compiling a database so we can create an android
app to help people -  they can put in their make and model of pc/laptop
and it will tell them how to get into the boot menu - we feel this will
be useful not only to our project but also the wider community - 
If you want to help go to
http://www.tuxedu.org/tell-us-how-you-get-your-pc-into-usb-boot-mode/

Sarah



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