Quoting Deepak Saxena ([EMAIL PROTECTED]):
>> You lose because (e.g.) the moment you finally convince someone that
>> Star Office is equivalent to MS Office, he hauls out his final
>> objection: "But I already have MS Office. Why should I change?"
>
> Because it's cheaper, faster, and more stable.
But it also requires change. So, you lose.
> What if the people whos requirement is that nothin change just aren't
> aware that there aren't any alternatives? Going back to the
> misconception computer=Windows, most people don't know that there
> is a choice to be made.
Two years ago, this would have been a compelling argument. Back
then, when I ran InstallFests in the middle of Robert Austin computer
shows (weekend swap meets), we were mobbed by people who genuinely
had no idea what we were about. After the Linux PR breakthroughs of
1998, this no longer happens. People walking by our tables now
no longer give us puzzled looks, and have a pretty good idea what
we're demonstrating and installing.
> What if by showing them the similiarties +
> added benefits, you make them start thinking about the fact that
> maybe their requirements aren't being completely met?
My experience suggest that they're already well aware of this. And
those who don't know Linux is much more stable haven't really been
paying attention. (We'll pick those up, too, from _any_ kind of
Linux demonstration.)
> As for showing people SAMBA connectivity, and using Linux as a proxy,
> I agree that those are also important aspects to demonstrate, but
> those are things that more technical users are going to be interested
> in.
Key advantages aren't necessarily "technical". Consider the
possibility, for example, of demonstrating connecting a cheap, headless
Linux box via crossover cable to an MS Windows box, then putting a
freeware X server on MS Windows and displaying The GIMP on it, alongside
familiar Win32 applications.
Also, dig into Network Neighborhood for the SAMBA server[1], drag a
shortcut to it onto the desktop, and demonstrate using it for storage
and backup.
Then, tell the crowd to imagine the scrounged Linux 486 sitting in
a closet, and remind them that this is just _one_ of the many ways
to use Linux.
> I think a Linux demonstration needs to cater to both the non-technical
> and the technical user as they have completely different needs for
> their computers. If a 18 year old computer windows-using computer
> gamer with a home network saw SAMBA, ipmasq, and other network centric
> features of Linux, he would be much more likely to give Linux a try if
> you demonstrated the same to someone who just uses his computer to
> send email and do document processing.
But, you see, you are preemptively classifying the unique advantages
of Linux as "technical", and therefore to be avoided in demonstrations
for the general computing public. That begs the question: Are they
necessarily prohibitively "technical"?
Is a storage & archive mechanism that's enabled by default and browsable
via Neighbourhood, and configurable using a Web browser, "too
technical"?
I think, overall, that you (plural) are risking falling straight into
the "better Windows than Windows" trap. It didn't work for OS/2, and
won't for Linux for the same reasons. (In fact, it's a worse tragedy
in Linux's case, since the "All computers run standalone desktops"
fallacy is all the more grievous in its case.)
> One could argue that someone who uses his computer for only simple
> tasks has no need to switch to Linux, but I just don't agree with
> that. I have switched several people who just browse the web from
> Linux to Windows, and they are much happier with their computer.
Well, yes, setup and appropriate roles are key. This is what happens
at my downstairs neigbour, The CoffeeNet (http://www.coffeenet.net/),
too, which is 100% based on Linux X workstations. Customers aren't
usually even aware that they're using Linux. (As far as they're
concerned, they're basically just running Netscape.)
> I think that succesfully demonstrating Linux requires adjusting what
> aspects you focus on dependend on the target user's computing habits
> and technological knowledge.
I agree that you must pitch your appeal to the level of knowledge you
find. However, if you limit what you demonstate to the user's existing
"computing habits", then in many cases you thereby cripple Linux so
badly that you would be better off not showing it at all.
You show them comparable functionality as part of getting their
interest. You should them _key differentiators_ in order to show
why it's worthwhile.
For the same reason, I tear out my hair when I see InstallFests
bogging down because people are waiting for CD-ROMs. Hello? Has
nobody heard of NFS or ftp installations? Doesn't anyone realise
that they're faster and more efficient?
[1] Which is of course provided preconfigured in current Linux
distributions, making its "technical" nature something of a moot
point. It also has Web-based administration & setup.)
--
Cheers, "By reading this sentence, you agree to be bound by the
Rick Moen terms of the Internet Protocol, version 4, or, at your
rick (at) linuxmafia.com option, any later version." -- Seth David Schoen
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