<html>
<head>
<meta content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1"
http-equiv="Content-Type">
</head>
<body text="#000000" bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 18/03/13 09:41, Phil Daintree wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote
cite="mid:1904894227.181224.1363552872472.JavaMail.open-xchange@emailmg.ipage.com"
type="cite">
<meta content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1"
http-equiv="Content-Type">
<style type="text/css">.mceResizeHandle {position: absolute;border: 1px solid black;background: #FFF;width: 5px;height: 5px;z-index: 10000}.mceResizeHandle:hover {background: #000}img[data-mce-selected] {outline: 1px solid black}img.mceClonedResizable, table.mceClonedResizable {position: absolute;outline: 1px dashed black;opacity: .5;z-index: 10000}
</style>
<div> </div>
<div> > <br>
> Other than the use cases I've already mentioned, my
experience of <br>
> non-technical users is they would rather gnaw off their own
arms than change <br>
> the way they access their PC's. They know just enough in
order to turn on the <br>
> pc, get to the tools they regularly use and where their
"stuff" is kept. <br>
> Change the slightest detail and they are all at sea,
prompting the support <br>
> calls we've all received (no doubt). Optimism definitely
has it's place, <br>
> though :) <br>
> <br>
> <br>
<br>
</div>
<div> This is exactly right IMHO... this is why Mac/iPad/Android
tablets are becoming so prevalent. </div>
<div> </div>
<div> The other category of users - the hardcore gamers have to
have Windows in any event as the software is not available for
Linux (yet). </div>
<div> </div>
<div> Only when there is a software imperative that requires Linux
will it become mainstream - this is most unlikely to happen
because we insist on the code being open - and compilable on any
platform. </div>
<div> </div>
<div> We are the tinkerer minority :-) and hard to see how/why
that should change. We have needs that others don't have - we
want to be able to get to the engine room and see all the moving
parts. Most folks just want it to work. </div>
<div> <br>
</div>
</blockquote>
<br>
For me the first move is to make sure that Windows OEM users start
'properly' - Introduce them to the likes of Firefox, Thunderbird and
Libre/OpenOffice, under Windows if that is their wish.<br>
<br>
When folks realise that the way they do things under Linux is
essentially identical (due to the same software being available
across platforms) the hurdle is nowhere near as big - especially
when you then point out things like their (relative) immunity to
Viruses, the greatly simplified methods available to access the
software they're likely to want, etc.<br>
<br>
At home we're in a situation where for 90+% of what we (as a family)
require out of a computer, the Operating System is irrelevant. The
only reason it's not higher is one or two specific apps that're
windows-only. But having gotten this far means my wife is
essentially as comfortable in Linux as in Windows (or MacOS, as she
had a Mac some time ago) and my daughter (7) doesn't particularly
care what OS she's infront of. Firefox, Chrome, Thunderbird. Heck
even Nautilus/Thunar both are sufficiently similar to Windows
Explorer that managing files isn't a problem either.<br>
<br>
I use Linux myself at work and at home, though i have a Windows VM
and a pair of dual-booted machines to let me cover the bases I can't
cover natively under Linux. And the only reason I have dual-boot
machines at all is the OEM software load that I wasn't inclined to
delete completely - I havn't 'purchased' a Windows license since
Windows 2000, and I probably wouldn't have Windows at all if OEM
deals weren't forced onto vendors and buyers (sigh).<br>
<br>
Mark.<br>
</body>
</html>