[PLUG] LInux Clinic and you avg P-town computer user?

Michael Moore moore.michael.m at gmail.com
Fri Jan 22 21:33:00 UTC 2010


On 1/22/10, Mike Connors <mconnors1 at gmail.com> wrote:
> Question: If you just use a computer for email, web, etc but don't know
> much about them or anything about Linux how would you know about why you
> should give Linux a try or where you could go to get free help/support
> from some good, friendly, Linux loving folks?
>
> Backstory: I was helping a friend w. fire wood, got a phone call, and
> then asked here if I could jump on the web w. her computer. Ugh! I don't
> know recall which version of Win-duhs but when I tried to open up a new
> IE session, the computer threw-up all over itself. I spent about 10 mins
> or so just trying to get to my gmail. I said to her, how the heck do you
> use this thing? I told her she should let me install Linux on it. And
> she just looked at me w. a blank stare. At the moment I wish I had a
> LiveCD or my laptop to show her the brave new world of Linux.
>
> So I guess what I'm driving at is how do we get the word out to the avg
> computer user? If you don't know someone who runs Linux or aren't
> involved w. Free Geek how would find out about it?

Is it still true that most people who don't spend much time thinking
about what OS they use mostly default to either: 1) what they use at
work, or 2) what seems like a reasonably priced box for their needs at
the nearest big box store / big online retailer like Amazon?

That was my reality, back when I bought my first computer, but back
then schools weren't using computers, students didn't have laptops,
and people weren't raised with the ubiquity of information and
electronics that exist today.  I haven't kept up with how younger
generations learn / think about these things.

I had a brief chat about Linux with a fellow at the BTA a few weeks
ago.  He was telling me about how the BTA was updating its database
system because what they had was hopelessly outdated.  The BTA (whose
office is filled with computers running Windows) contracted with a
Portland software consultant firm that, according to this fellow, is
run by a bunch of former Microsoft employees.  He said this firm has
done similiar work for a number of other similarly sized non-profits
(one he mentioned is Friends of Trees, I can't remember the other
ones).  I told him I use Linux at home.  He wondered if that posed any
problems in terms of compatibility.  I said no, not really, I can
pretty much access any type of file I want, including multimedia
content.  I said you have to be willing to be in a legal gray area
when it comes to playing DVDs, and he volunteered that that particular
situation (as I explained it) sounded like it had all sorts of
anti-trust implications.  The upshot was, he probably came away
thinking Linux was possibly a viable alternative, and he probably
forgot about the conversation within about two hours because he wasn't
looking for alternatives, nor did he have any particular reason to be
looking for alternatives.

That's kinda what I see as the rub:  what's the use of getting the
word out if they people you're getting the word out to are satisfied
enough with what they have?  As a total rank amateur Linux user -- not
a programmer, not a software professional, almost no idea what goes on
in IT departments -- it seems to me the fastest road to Linux
visibilty is to make business cases for Linux adoption by businesses,
whether profit-making business or non-profits.  Then the employees of
those businesses get exposure and experience and realize Linux can
work for them as well as (or better than) Windows or OS X.  (Or, no
doubt, some decide they like one of the others better, but at least
they make an informed decision.)  So my question, for those who are
professionals, is why isn't this happening more than it is?

Michael M.



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