Finally I can come out of lurking with something to offer :-)
I have a RH 5.2 dual boot box
Jack Barnett wrote:
> > I am interested in what the list subscribers think of this statement. Do
> > you think Linux, like Red Hat 6.0 is more of a system to be more used at
> > the office or can consumers get in on using Linux, too?
My feeling on this is first to put Linux into perspective in these changing
times and environments. The kernel of the Linux idea has been lovingly
developed and nurtured, many seeds have been planted and watered and it's
roots are being grown by the user groups and newbie maillists :-) Now,
everyone's looking around at these new sprouts reaching out to the sun and
depending on the roots to feed it's growth - wondering who are they and how do
we feed them and stake them against the inevitable winds of change.
Recently I participated with our local Linux users group at the California
Computer Expo in San Diego....concentrating my energy on just this defining
question.
My observations were that over 95% were men.
In this group most of the current Linux USERS who stopped by were either closet
geeks (not members of LUG) or sysops who were playing with Linux and praying
with NT while dreaming of the day when Linux will be a reality in their work
environments. There was also a respectible group of teens in jr and sr high who
would LOVE to do something with their school's computers and another group of
retired businessmen.
This group of users generally wants to understand the technical aspects
of the guts of the system, it's quirks, explanations of the benchmarks,
cool tweaks, the highest system capacities and capabilities.
The male NON-users were generally administrative types (not necessarily tekkies)
who are looking at the street gossip of cutting edge technology or they were
concerned sysops with NoTrust.
This group is interested in the benefits of change in terms of
investment ratios, risk assessment, growth potentials and all want
to hear THE sales pitch - for a variety of reasons.
I didn't personally speak with any female users :-(
The female contingent with whom I spoke, consisted mostly of SOHO or medium
sized business owners with some indepth experience from DOS on -up-that-thread,
who want to step out of the unsatisfactory technical ennvironment in which they
are finding themselves and are ready to move into an environment where the os
and programs are flexable enough to allow them to customize to their individual
needs.
What I heard this group say is that they don't want to lose all the gui
features that make their day-to-day work environment efficient they
just want to have control over that part of the operation...they'll leave
it to the root structure to create the underground stability and spin the
wheels, they're into being enabled to make sure that their wheel doesn't
wobble on path. Terminal type screens are best for the command line
functions.
All wannabes are interested in the quality of the Linux tools, the delivery of
Linux requires lots of adaptability within it's roots :-)
and I think that this far from the expressed needs of our male visitors
I am most closely identified with the latter group (small tho is is :-) having
continuous experience from pre-DOS days thru many years as a UNIX vt .edu user
, wanting changes in a life with an os that ends in an infinity sign on edge.
My greatest challenge is learning the TLA vocab and sorting out which
distribution EACH works in and the second greatest is finding the RIGHT website
to learn EACH of the 10,000 things and then decoding the explanations to words
(and eventually sentences) which I can understand and then apply :-) before I
am capable of asking a question in this culture.
So I guess I could say that the hardest part is learning the language coupled
with finding the right and current dictionary for the foreign tongue, including
all dialects ;-)
- all comments will be graciously investigated -
Having said that - you are all correct in the assessment of the high learning
curve, ragging on the inferiorities of the current ripple may rather be seen in
the light of our role in enabling this ripple to take it's strongest position
the greater wave a-building .
translating each step into how I go about achieving it and organizing the
process.
he first wave is cresting and the view is of the ripples rushing to shore only
to gather more sand and build the impetus for the next wave and the next ...
>
> Richard Salts wrote:
> if they get a
> preinstalled
> machine with everything setup for them.
>
> If they have to go from ftp -> floppy -> install -> configure -> use,
> most
> home user will turn away,
> it would allow the home user to use the system without taking the time
> to
> learn about it, or put any effort what so every into it.
>
>
> But if you give him an ftp site and tell him to RTFM, I don't
> think this user would have a very good chance of getting
> what he wants done, done. He doesn't want to take the time
> to learn unix, and he doesn't want to put any effort into it.
> He wants it all done for him, and that is the only thing he
> cares about.
>
> I used to work tech support for an ISP, and from experience,
> %99 of the users that call up there, don't care about tcp/ip
> or modems or software. They don't care how it works or why,
> or how to make it better, they want to click the send button
> and have their email get to where ever it is going.
>
> They want to double click on the little "e" and veiw web pages
> They don't care what the little "e" is, they don't care if
> the little "e" is closed or open source, they don't care if
> it takes away their freedom, because they are to lazy or don't
> care.
>
> They don't care, the only thing the typical home user cares
> about, is when they click the little "e" they want to veiw
> the Ken Star Report.
>
> If people or companies can setup a Linux computer or any
> type of computer for that matter where all the user has
> to do, is click the Blue "N" and veiw the Star Report,
> then yes Linux is ready for the home user.
>
> If you hand a CD to a typical home user and leave,
> there would be much of a chance for the home user
> to use Linux, the majority of them would get confused
> when it comes time to split their Hard Drive up.
>
> If the home user wants to learn about Linux, they
> will. If they want to point and click to veiw
> their email, and they can do that with their system
> with what every OS is already on there, then they
> will "not fix what THEY don't see as broken", if it
> brings up their email, then to THEM, it is not
> broken, and their is little chance of them changing.
>
> Opps, that is probably longer than it should have been.
>
> Standard Disclaimer,
>
> This is only my veiw, it could be wrong, you are free to
> tell me other wise. It is based out of personal experince
> (or/and personal hangups) with typical users (if there is
> such a thing). This is not a flame, troll bait, or what
> ever, it is how I see it, but then again there isn't much
> light in this room :)
>
> Jack
