Re: Explaining Linux

[Richard <nospam [at] sheflug.co.uk>]

Richard

"R.A.Fletcher" wrote:
> 
> My friends and I have been talking lately about Linux, and it has
> lead to some pretty heated debates. Simply put, they have never
> used linux, they are used to Windows and see no reason why they
> should change, and hence anyone else like them. They presume
> that Linux only has advantages for the technically minded and will
> be useless to the average user. They accuse Linux of being harder
> to use, having less software and being less dependable as, since
> its free, there is no accountability like there is with Micro$ofts
> products.

This is typical of the sort of cultural crap that you find in the
British Isles.  I tried thoughout our demo days last year to explain
to everyone that Linux is a desktop system that can be used to write
letters and send faxes.  I was thoroughly undermined by a complete
team of sys admins and IT "managers" who insisted that I am/was a
lunatic who should be kept out of the way in a hospital.

> 
> What do the list think of this? There are certainly many advantages
> to Linux, and many disadvantages, the amount of problems
> experienced by the members of this list makes this clar, although I
> do have to say most of the problems are of a nature which would
> not interest the average computer user. Im thinking of Richards
> ISDN troubles at the moment.
> 

I'm not having any problems with ISDN and SuSE.  Just Red Hat.  They
don't support ISDN at all.  Neither does Definite Linux.  Both of
these companies just pay lip service to ISDN so that they can sell
software.

> How can I explain that when I tell someone about Linux its
> because I think it may benefit them, if not educationally then
> financially?

Explain SO to them ?  Tell them that they don't have to be software
pirates for the rest of their lives ?  Show them a working system ?

Thanks

-- 
Richard
Sheffield UK

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