In various discussions at various forums, one thing has emerged clearly: The one thing which has prevented wide-spread adoption of Free & Open Source Software at the common man's desktop is "lack of perceptible support".
Though, all of us talk about ample documentation and mailing lists based support, it is the support from your friendly PC Technician in the neighbourhood PC Assembler shop is what most non-IT background people expect. Today, unfortunately, these are the very people who are holding away and in a way dissuading people to adopt and use FLOSS instead. I have spoken to a few "Owners" of these establishments and found a general lack of awareness of even the most basics about FLOSS. Therefore, it seems stupid to blame these ignorant people on the subject.
Some times I think of a minimalist dual boot 4GB kind of Linux Partition, which these assemblers can install for their customers, for their own safeguard. These partitions will work when the other "Proprietary and Pirated" partition goes "sick", and they can reduce their support calls by letting the customer have something to work, while their "sick" partition gets treated. This way, more and more end customers, will start getting aware and use FLOSS as a choice. We can also generate a monthly, Local LUG approved, Linux Friendly Hardware Component List, for benefit of these assemblers and end customers.
Can any thing be done to address the situation? Do Linux User Groups spread over the country have a role to play? In my personal opinion its "Yes" for both questions, but opinions vary. Ilugd has been rightly focussing on Campuses, but I personally do not feel it sufficient.
I know that the moment you talk of "Suggestion" in ilugd, it means, "I Volunteer". But let this not kill the spirit of generating new ideas.
I have the following to suggest:
End user support and guidance, more popularly called "Handholding", can not be expected to be "free in cost" in general. But enough "Low Cost" resources can be built with some effort.
India has seen two very popular similar efforts: (1) Co-operative Movement, specifically ladies, in Gujrat and Maharashtra (2) Your friendly neighnourhood Tutor for your child etc Both are economic activities and no Giant Company is sponsoring or controlling these activities. Yet they are formidable economic forces themselves.
I have a feeling, we can also develop a "Cottage End-User Support and Handholding" industry. It is here that with a proper, synergised co-ordinated and popularised effort the variuos Linux User Groups can be a starting point.
The Local Linux User Groups can keep a target of developing at least one person, who can be sighted as a "Neighbourhood Resource", every 5 km, to begin with in major cities where LUGs are active. This resource is free to charge a nominal amount per hour. As time passes by, we can increase the number of such "Neighbourhood Resources". The Larger LUGs, can spread their hooks to the community, by encouraging such "Neighbourhood Resources" to publicise themselves in whatever way they seem fit.
We need to also hold roadshows at exhibitions and shopping centers, be they at schools, Durga Pujas, or any other community event. It is these "Neighbourhood Resources" again who can do it in a much better way, than probably LUG Volunteers.
Comments are welcome.
Anand Shankar
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