> From: Nick Rout [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> this is the canterbury LINUX users group
(Nick, you'll find your apology on the second to last line)
<RANT t='FRIENDLY :) '>
...for your consideration - sorry if this post is to long for your average
short attention list reader :)
THE TRANSITION MANAGEMENT GAME by Donald J Gould
SCENE ONE - Setting the Stage
Customer: Do we need to get a new computer and upgrade to Windows XP?
Don: Why do you ask?
Customer: My existing computer isn't working properly anymore after
installed all those updates on it from Microsoft.
Don: Have you considered using Firebird?
Customer: Fire what?
Don: It's a different web browser recommended by some guys from CLUG.
Customer: Who?
Don: Bunch of guys from around Christchurch who all help each other out with
software.
Customer: Oh. Do we still need a new computer?
Don: I would suggest giving Firebird a go first and see if it improves
things.
Customer: Ok, what does it cost?
Don: Nothing, just my time to install it.
Customer: Ok, that sounds good. Why don't I just install it my self?
Don: You can if you want, here's the URL to download it from.
Customer: Thanks.
SCENE TWO - Coffee With Customer
Customer: That new web browser you recommended is really good. It's made me
realise just how slow my email is. You got any more free software?
Don: Yes, just install the email client that Nick Rout from Clug
recommended last month.
(Note from script writer - sorry, was to lazy to look up what Nick's
recommendation was, if you really want to know then check out the clug
archive!)
Customer: Ok I'll give that a go. Can I set that one up myself as well?
Don: Yes, you can give it a go. It's a bit more complex than a web browser
but you can just give me a call if you get stuck.
Customer: Ok thanks... I guess I owe you the next coffee
(Note from scrip writer - the script writer is easy to bribe with good
coffee)
SCENE THREE - Customers Office To Talk About Machine Upgrade
Customer: My mail is fixed now thanks to that software that Nick recommended
but Word and Excel still run like a dog. Do you think we should upgrade out
machines?
Don: have you considered using Linux?
Customer: No, what's the benefit?
Don: Lots
Customer: I don't want to have to learn a heap of new applications!
Don: You don't, you've already been using two of the most common ones. If
we upgrade you to Open Office from MS Word and MS Excel you should also see
some system performance increase. But if we were to change you over to
Linux from Windows then you should see quite a bit more.
Customer: Really?
Don: You've already seen the difference that using the other applications
had. You've already done the hard bit - you made a choice to change.
Customer: Ok that makes a lot of sense. How much does Linux cost and can I
install that my self?
Don: It's also free and yes you can install that your self but I wouldn't
recommend you do.
Customer: Ok, what would you recommend then?
Don: I can see you're keen to buy a new machine. I would suggest that we
install Linux on it and your other new applications and you give it a test
drive. I can also install Windows so you can compare the difference and
chop and change between each as you like. I think you'll find that Linux is
the better choice but you're best to make up your own mind.
Customer: ..... (Dear Reader, you can make up your own mind about how you
think the customer would respond) ....
+=+=+ THE END +=+=+
Dear Nick (and the others who were thinking the same thing! :),
Yes you are quite right. This is a LINUX list and I am a power WINDOWS
user, programmer and system integrator.
I CAN make money from WINDOWS (I've made lots in the past).
10 years ago the mission was to persuade people to use MICROSOFT products
rather than WordPerfect and Novell.
"But NO ONE uses this NT thing you're recommending" is a line I would hear
every day.
15 years ago the mission was to persuade people to choose a non TELECOM
company to provide them with a PABX.
"Who do we ring if our telephones don't work?" is the line I would hear
every day.
Today the mission is to persuade people to put an OS on their computers that
is FREE.
"What's the catch?" is the line I hear every day.
I can log on to www.whirlpool.net.au (or #whirlpool on Austnet) and ask
AUSTRALIAN people what browser they would recommend and get an immediate
answer with out any issue.
I posted the message on the CLUG list because I wanted to know what
recommendation the local (CHRISTCHURCH) LINUX guys would make and find out
if there is a local mirror.
Business people are always interested to know what level of local support is
available - especially in somewhere small and remote like Christchurch.
I assumed some of you will be using strategies like the one in my story
(above) to transition your clients from Windows to a Linux platform.
Because I assumed this I thought it a fair question to ask what applications
you're using to do this.
I apologise if that wasn't obvious.
Cheers Don
