On 22/09/11 18:06, paul sutton wrote: > If a friend complains their computer has a virus, ask what is a > virus?,and say you use Ubuntu and never have that issue, offer to dual > boot their computer or at least boot a live cd and recover that > essential file, they a) leave happy, b) get a good impression of how > ubuntu (or any linux) is a good thing, and c) hopefully ask for it to > be installed.
The timescales in such a situation can be quite long. I am in contact with a lot of Windows users at perpetual novice level, and if they know me they seem to regard my knowledge with some awe (which is touching because as Ubuntu users go I am on the novice side of experienced). However, people -simply- -do- -not- -believe- what I say and what others say, about, say Ubuntu. I have a friend who I worked with before we both retired some years ago. He was/is a mathematician and engineer. He was senior to me in technical matters. It took literally *several* years, until his XP laptop ground to a halt, before he was prepared to accept my help to make a dual boot machine. He now uses only the Ubuntu os. The turning point was a conversation, when I (again) (tactfully) mentioned the Ubuntu alternative. He suddenly said 'I HATE' Windows! He said he had another friend who was saying the *opposite* to what I was saying. That if he could not do Windows, then Linux was NOT for him (the 'L' word again....) He trusted us both. And had a conflict of direction. His existing XP at least was familiar. So, we live in a situation where only complete desperation will prompt users to risk change. Then they need a lot of hand holding because at every turn they are faced with a Windows user prompting them to stay in the club. This is more than a monopoly of retail supply, there is a long term effect, fed I guess from Microsoft and their very skillful marketing people. There is psychology and emotional issues. Part of the effect arises from users being and feeling unable to understand or control what happens. They get to feel helpless. Things go wrong as they try to go through hoops, and they get frightened. And stay frightened. They get so un confident that it really takes an exceptional friend and exceptional situation to prompt a change. -- alan cocks Ubuntu user -- ubuntu-uk@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-uk https://wiki.ubuntu.com/UKTeam/
