[NBLUG/talk] #se7en -- http://windows7sins.org/

Jordan Erickson jerickson at logicalnetworking.net
Thu Sep 3 10:24:50 PDT 2009


Bob Blick wrote:
> That made me smile. Here are two reasons why you are wrong.
>
> 1. Since someone else pays, Windows/OSX and software are essentially
> free to schools. So why switch to something that requires time to
> master? They already know how to use Photoshop and Word.
>   

Meh.

1. I wouldn't care if Microsoft Windows was free to *everyone*, I'd 
still use Linux because I believe it is technically superior for the 
needs I have in a computing environment (at work *and* home). That's 
like saying "Well, this nice shiny SUV is free, though it gets 8MPG and 
will roll if you turn too fast...Or, you can have this free hybrid, 
which gets 80MPG and is built from the ground up by people who care 
about the environment"...

2. Requires time to master? So every time MS comes out with a new 
release of Windows/Office/etc. that requires no re-mastering? How about 
the certifications you have to re-take? How about all of the software 
that has to be re-written?

> 2. Substitute "Christianity" for "Windows" and "Islam" for "Linux" and
> think how your communication plan would play out. You can just as easily
> get someone to switch to Linux as you can get them to become a Muslim. I
> know that's not a great analogy and not perfectly true, but you probably
> see there is something to it.
>   

Yikes. I don't think choice of operating system and your choice of world 
religion really need to be mentioned in the same sentence, do you? 
That's a pretty bad analogy. I like my SUV/hybrid analogy. Nobody (well, 
very FEW) are really THAT passionate about their OS. Were any wars 
started because people wanted to use a Mac instead of Windows?

> People switch to Linux as an individual decision. Change comes from
> within. It's a slow process and what flips that switch is different for
> everyone.
>   

Agreed.

> I've been using Linux for something like 16 years but when someone asks
> me about it, it's rare that I suggest they try it. The "bar" is still
> higher than Windows/OSX and the last thing I want is for someone to try
> it who is not ready and then they are soured for life.
>   

Neither do I, though my mom's been using Ubuntu for about 6 months now 
and she loves it. She is *not* a computer literate person, beyond 
touch-typing. She resisted the change (people just plain don't like 
change) but when I *showed* her how to use it, she was delighted and 
hasn't looked back. Same thing with the schools I work with. Change 
sucks, but when you have someone there that knows about it and is 
willing to help you familiarize yourself with it, there's nothing to 
worry about.


Cheers,
Jordan



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