> > Message: 3 > Date: Thu, 23 Jun 2011 14:05:03 +0530 > From: Kenneth Gonsalves <law...@thenilgiris.com> > Subject: Re: [Ilugc] Free laptops from TN Govt - The students Nature > To: ILUG-C <ilugc@ae.iitm.ac.in> > Message-ID: <1308818103.2007.227.camel@localhost> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" > > On Thu, 2011-06-23 at 13:03 +0530, Vivek Rajagopalan wrote: > > > agreed - and if they do it will backfire. > > > > Backfire in what sense ? Linux only laptop will give "bad image" in > > what > > sense ? > > I have been using linux only for the last 15 years. My wife and kids > have been using linux only for the past 7 years. Last year my daughter > who was studying in Chennai had problems with her Suse netbook. I mailed > the list asking for someone in Chennai to help out. She was willing to > go to the person's place for the re-install. Guess how many people > volunteered? So she had to go to a browsing center and do her project > work on windows. When she came here I installed Fedora 14 - and things > are ok until she buys her usb modem - do you expect her to install and > configure usb_modeswitch on her own? >
I cannot but agree with this with all my heart. Lack of support is the one critical element which is stymying the spres of LInux. I find hundreds of people giving advice over net and mailing list. But support in flesh and blood even on minor issue? Forget it. You only need to browse mailing lists to see enthusiasm for organising Installfests. But just look around for people to lug around PC systems, printers and electrical adapters, tables on which to place them, YOU WILL NOT FIND A SINGLE PERSON. As long as the linux geeks shed their geekiness and prepared to hget their hands dirty by helping newbies (sometimes even so called veterans), forget about spreading of LInux. -- NS Srikanth SRINIVAS NP 9/826 Mangarathoppu, Pappanamcode P.O, Trivandrum-18 PIN:695018 KERALA Ph:0471-2491508 _______________________________________________ ILUGC Mailing List: http://www.ae.iitm.ac.in/mailman/listinfo/ilugc
