On Tue, Apr 17, 2007 at 05:33:35PM +1000, Michael Lake wrote: > > Beryl/Compiz is of no use to sales persons. Find out quickly what sofware > they are using and look around for some applications that they can use as > alternatives if they were running under Ubuntu. Demo those.
Michael hit the nail on the head. Most medium->large businesses are interested in Linux and FOSS because of potential cost reductions in infrastructure. To a business, bling like Compiz is a flashy distraction that doesn't add significant value to the software stack. Show them how to emulate their existing environment with FOSS. Work out what software they're using and find Linux equivalents. For things that you can't find equivalents for, show them Windows Terminal Services support. Focus on the basics. FOSS usually betters equivalent Windows software in this field. Show web browsers, email, IM, office apps - the things people use day in day out in the business. Software speaks louder than words - show them the system in action! If you feel you need slides, run your demo from OpenOffice. If you're feeling adventurous, try integrating the presentation into parts of the system you're demoing (a web page in Firefox with key points, a Tomboy note, an email you sent yourself in Evolution, an SVG you knocked up in Inkscape - the sky's your limit). My suggested attack plan: - show the basics (web browsers, email, office, etc) - show the volume of software available (synaptic is your friend here!) - show integration with existing infrastructure (terminal services, emulation, virtualisation) - explain to them that while the software is free, it's going to be a big commitment to go down the FOSS path - give them LiveCDs to play around with > Be fair and show the problems that can arise e.g. transfering complex Word > docs back and forth. Be pragmatic and realistic as possible. Admit shortcomings Start small and focus on one area that you *know* you can excel in. Once you have success there, move up to something a bit bigger. It's the domino effect, baby. Lindsay -- http://slug.org.au/ (the Sydney Linux Users Group) http://holmwood.id.au/~lindsay/ (me) -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/ Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html
