When I first became a Linux user, I wondered how will I master all of this information. Can I actually use this operating system for everything? Obviously the answer to that question now is yes. Everyone goes through this period when they begin migrating to Linux. The process for becoming a Linux user is the same one you want to put others through to make them Linux users. Your goal is to become an independent user. What do I mean by that. You need to be able to fix your own problems. You need to be able to set up your own printer, wireless drivers, and make whatever other tweaks you make.
At first you are always confronted with problems. The internet doesn't work. The display manager isn't behaving like it does for your friend. Wine refuses to run that program I need so badly. You need to quit viewing these things as problems, but instead as learning opportunities. These problems give you a chance to become acquainted different components in Linux. Internet not working gives you a chance to better understand your network devices and wherever the problem is at. Gnome misbehaving has the advantage of you're not only fixing it, but also of a knowledge of how to customize it to your liking. As for wine I am still looking for advantages to working with problems on that, but have not found any yet. Remember these are learning opportunities for your own good.
The next thing to remember is not to have your Linux savvy friend do everything for you. This is bypassing the whole independent process. Your friend already knows how to fix things and this just extends his knowledge a little bit compared to you learning a lot from a simple problem. This is how you eventually give up on using Linux because supporting yourself is a requirement of using it. Your Linux savvy friend will not always be with you. When a problem arises, try to fix it yourself first and avoid going to your friend until you have run out of options, and I do mean run out of options.
Make Google your friend. You would be surprised how much I use Google to get help from the online community. You might wonder how is that different from asking help from your friend. It's different in that you have to learn how to use some of the things suggested as fixes unless you use a script someone else wrote. In learning different commands you figure out how to navigate the command line, use man pages, edit configuration files, etc. You do these things yourself, and you figure out how to use your system to its full potential. The Linux community knows how to help people by teaching them.
Now to the making users portion. Never ever let your new user be lazy. Get them thinking about how to solve the problem. If they want your help, do not run over and go fix the problem. Give them advice they can implement and let them do it. The only time you want to help them is if they just installed and they are having a multitude of problems and are not committed to using this thing at all. If they are committed, only teach them. Do not do for them. Sometimes they will get impatient. In moments like these lift your finger only a little bit, and it satisfies them. Do not go to far to help them as it only acclimates them to being lazy again. The best thing you can do to help them is get them to help themselves. The idea that giving a man a fish helps him eat for a day, but teaching that man to fish enables him to eat for a lifetime. The same holds true for Linux.
The advantages to this approach last. One friend of mine is naturally independent and when we got Linux working on his computer, he took off with it asking for my help only when it was absolutely essential. He has since taught others and made Linux users out of more people. Another friend of mine was working with me in a canvassing program, and I peaked his curiosity. We attempted to install Fedora on his machine before the program was over and failed. We parted company, and unbeknown to be he still tried to get it working and did. He had more questions about how to get this and that working to which I was hesitant to answer as that is part of the process. Needless to say he got impatient and fixed it himself. He is now using Linux solidly and has converted others to using it too. The approach works with those who are committed, but those who are not fall by the way side. For those it does work with, they become a help rather than ones who need help. They even help you with fixing your problems.
This is the process. The goal is independence, and when this is achieved, your work has been accomplished. You are now a true Linux user, and whoever you work with will be also.
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