<quote who="Stephan Borg">
> (a) Your average Joe Business Owner most probably has never heard of it
> before and/or doesn't even know Linux/OpenSource exists.
I think this is pretty far from the truth nowadays. Small business people
who know bits and pieces about computers and are investigating technology
definitely know about Linux. To a lesser extent "Open Source", and to a far
lesser extent, "Free Software". It's just been too all over the magazines
to miss (think PC User, APC, PC World etc).
> (b) Small business owners are wary/cannot comprehend that anything for
> free because its free and there is ALWAYS a catch.
You're not selling yourself for free. Thus, you're not selling Linux for
free. It's a solution, and it comes with a cost. Trying to edge yourself
into a market by saying "FREE OF EXPENSE! DON'T SEND ANY MONEY!" is a bad
idea. :) You, as the solution provider (or "fixit man", depending on how you
see yourself), and the client's needs, are the important things in the
equation; not the technology you solve it with.
> (c) That this 'free' product (Linux) is being promoted by someone who
> appears he's only in it to make a buck (ie me offering services).
> Please comment/flame at will.
This is still appealing to the 'free' as in beer dichotomy. Everyone has
their preferred solution or product to hawk, in this case, you're selling
something that has a little more background and interest factor (at least to
yourself, don't be surprised if no one cares) than CLEEN-MACHINE-2000.
> (a) How do you resolve such a problem and make it easier to find
> reputable Linux support people/companies?
Let's turn this one on it's head and say... "How do you find reputable
software and hardware support people and/or companies?" How do people do it
with Windows? I honestly don't know, other than to say that it's word of
mouth, and calling in old mates (if I ever hear the phrase "one of my
yachting mates was telling me about this great..." again...)
> (b) How and where do you advertise such a niche service in terms that
> your average Joe can understand? (ie if they've got a 'Slackware' box,
> good chance is they don't even know they're running Linux - believe me).
You kinda can't. You have to offer something the 'average Joe' will care
about or need. "Slackware Support R US" is going to get an amazingly niche
market.
[ This is probably more appropriate on slug-chat, but has broad appeal
anyway. *shrug* ]
- Jeff
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Perl - The Movie
Starring 'Weird' Al Yankovic
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