Good on ya! The problem as I see it is that we tend to sound like Nerdy entusiasts (ok we are nerdy enthusiasts) and are not seen as offering real solutions. I still think a real problem with GNU/Linux is that there is insufficient naive-end-user software. I recently ran a workshop for teachers on using Netscape to generate a bookmarks site for students. I advertised in my school for people who considered themselves computer literate and effective. Those who turned up could write a powerful spreadsheet, create pretty graphics and documents but often could not arrange applications on the desktop, drag and drop between folders without being shown and were intimidated by using any console commands to create permissions in their public_html directory. These are typical users because organisations often assume that users have computer skills and will not cough up the cash to develop those skills and ensure there is a base level in for example a school. Each of my workshop attendees had had to acquire their skills the hard way and each was focussed on the application they needed to accomplish specific tasks. Look, for example at the typical use of a SOHO box. It is a fax machine/typewriter/publisher/book-keeper not a web server, academic publisher and developer's toy. Faxing from Linux sux (for the average joe), it's typwriters are broken (Abiword/WordPerfect) inflexible/arcane (Lyx) and incompatible (KOffice/Applixware) and preparing poster/fliers is yukky. Staroffice is not an option for the average home user because it is incredibly memory hungry, slow, klutzy and takes over your entire desktop (It will not even install on my Aptiva/Mandrake 8.0 box). As for low end LPT1 scanners - well until the manufacturers get off their arses and out of MS's nothing much will happen. At least with Macs once they're set up your average sysadmin doesn't need to do anything! :) -- Laurie Savage Earth Science @ Orange High School Orange, NSW, Australia -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/ More Info: http://lists.slug.org.au/listinfo/slug
