On Fri, 10 Feb 2006 16:17:23 +1300 Christopher Sawtell wrote: > On Friday 10 February 2006 15:40, Nick Rout wrote: > > Back On topic, what is an application that has a real WOW factor on a > > demo day? I am not sure that it is enough to say "Look at linux, it will > > do the same things as your windows machine" - people want a reason to go > > through the (greater or lesser) degree of pain involved in switching. > Frequently a very beguiling reason is $0. > > I remember some years ago I prepared a set of policy papers for a small > primary school using the LyX / LaTeX / TeX tool chain. > > I was waylaid by female parent who had a small office cum typesetting > business. Upon her seeing the printouts, the conversation continued in > this vein:- > > She: "OOh! that's nice work, what software did you use"? > Me: "The LyX front-end to LaTeX and TeX". > She: "Never heard of it, where did you get it? How much does it cost"? > Me: "It's a free download off the Internet, but you have to know how to > set it up". > She - with emotion: "I've just spent $12,000 on a supposedly top notch > typesetting system, and it doesn't produce anything as nice as that. > Me: "I'm so sorry." > She - now in fairly full flow emotionally: "These conputer companies are > just rip off artists. I've just been conned out of twelve grand"! > > Or words to that effect. > > -- > CS
But they do not need linux to run latex or lyx! Lyx is available for windows. On the other hand I am thinking there are so many people out there who do not pay for software for windows either. If you know where to look you can find about anything in the software line for nothing: * tools to make serial numbers that convert 30 day trials or cripple ware into fully functioning product. * full iso's of expensive high end software. In other words I am not so sure that price is necessarily a huge factor for the average windows home user. I suspect very many of them are playing the piracy game. There may be many businesses in the same league. Whether they will switch to linux just to legitimise themselves is unclear to me. Probably a question worthy of putting to slashdot LOL. -- Nick Rout <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
