Jonathan Daugherty wrote:
# That's what I don't get about Linux people who try to get regular # non-geek computer users to switch and then are frustrated when they # don't.
I see this a lot. I would personally rather evangelize to those in whom I have sufficient confidence; I don't care if my grandmother uses it. I know it's a reality that she can't -- and that it's simply not the right thing for her.
The difference here is the casual user vs the advanced user. Right now, it is easier to be a casual user of Windows. I support a number of casual Windows users, most of the grandparent vintage. They don't care that it's Windows; they just want it to work. On Monday, I'm going over to help one of them "clean off her desktop." She could just as easily have a Linux desktop cluttered with lots of useless (to her) icons.
These users need help setting up everything, so it won't matter if it's Linux or Windows if it gets the job done. For some, that means it has to be Windows, because a key reason they want the machine is a program available only in Windows. For others, they just want e-mail and the web.
I found that telling people that I just don't have the time to help them re-install windows (..again) and if they want my help that they should consider something like linux which if they are on broadband or something I can login and help fix problems without leaving my desk. This has worked with a few people, usually being people that only use the pc for web/email/music/video/office anyways. Now that those features are easier to utilize in linux, there are less and less desktop features that are keeping people from considering something new. Usually showing them mozilla/firefox on windows helps start this process...and when they get comfortable, they still have their familiar web browser and are more open to trying linux.
Some people want to keep linux geeky and I think it will as long as new stuff is added to it and if my friends and family use it for a desktop, I am a-ok with that. Infact, I'd prefer to fix a linux desktop probably over a windows problem any day.
my pointless 2.3 cents,
-Robby
-- "you have fifty fingers, i have 27..." _______________________________________________ PDXLUG mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://pdxlug.org/mailman/listinfo/pdxlug
