The Age of Aggressive Linux Advocacy Is Upon Us? 482
GonzoJohn writes "Jamie Harrison, founder of GBLUG in Glen Burnie, Maryland, has written an exclusive editorial for Linux Orbit about how he sees the state of Linux advocacy.
"Whether we want to admit it or not, Linux has entered a critical period in its development - a period that may, in fact, determine in fate forever.
Now that Linux is no longer a strange little niche Operating System, and has developed to the point where Microsoft actually feels threatened by its proliferation, the folks in Redmond are doing everything they can in the way of software design, legislation, regulation and control of the internet to snuff Linux out. The main reason that they have failed up to this point is that Linux has matured and grown in popularity, gaining public and private defenders in the consumer market and especially the corporate boardroom."
Read the editorial here" I don't think that I agree with all the points here - but it's an informative read if nothing else.
Now we've got to be careful... (Score:4, Insightful)
Most non-technical people perceive a community by their loudest members. If all the 'Linux' community can offer is "Mickey$oft SUXXX!" and "You're too stupid to write your own device drivers, you don't deserve a computer!" then Linux shall forever remain a niche Operating System.
Re:Now we've got to be careful... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Now we've got to be careful... (Score:5, Funny)
Do you also type $alvation Army?
Re:Now we've got to be careful... (Score:2)
Re:Now we've got to be careful... (Score:2, Informative)
actually you do have permission (Score:5, Informative)
Microsoft's right to the trademark only extends to the right to attach it to products being sold. It does not have the right to prevent the of their trademark in public discussions about their company or their products.
Besides, if you use the correct trademark "Microsoft", then the comments you make will be correctly associated with the correct trademark and not some fake moniker.
So, use "Microsoft". I try not to ever use MS, Micro$oft or any other false name.
It is the tradename that should carry the burden of the bad reputation causes by Microsoft's illegal acts. Not some other name.
Re:actually you do have permission (Score:2)
Re:Now we've got to be careful... (Score:5, Insightful)
If you can't handle it, or have sudden urges to spout "RTFM!", then walk away and let someone who can be polite take over.
"Aggressive" can be misunderstood in this article title. Hemos doesn't mean to be "rudely aggressive", but to market the idea of Linux more often, but still politely.
RTFM (Score:2, Insightful)
"Real experts and Gurus" don't want to waste their time with someone who can't even put in the effort to read the documentation, and listen to instructions.
I consider myself somewhat experienced, I help with problems/finding solutions, and interactions that people have.
If the user can't even be bothered to read the HOWTO first, then why should I waste my time helping them?
Re:Now we've got to be careful... (Score:5, Interesting)
Whatever your view of each operating system, the end marker is that they are tools. And when you're selecting the right one you need to be independent, you need to consider all the alternatives, and most of all you need to be unbiased.
Its one thing to like Linux, its quite another to expect everyone else to. If Linux is the best OS for the job, go with it. If its not, don't. Choosing Linux just because you're been told its the best by some RMS wannabe might well be a very bad business decision.
Re:Now we've got to be careful... (Score:4, Funny)
I'll eagerly follow that divine, demented hippie into the very bowels of hell!
Re:Now we've got to be careful... (Score:2)
They are tools. Like most tools in most professions, sometimes people have preferences and recommendations. People in other professions share information both good and bad about their tools. This exchange does play into the tool selection process along with other factors. The reputation of a tool among professionals is a legitimate factor to consider along with other factors in making a decision.
Choosing Linux just because you're been told its the best by some RMS wannabe might well be a very bad business decision.
Choosing Photoshop because you've been told it is the best by other graphic artists (or wannabes) might well be a very bad business decision.
Choosing Craftsman (or insert other brand here) wrenches because you've been told they are the best...
Choosing Hoover (or other brand) vaccum cleaners because you've been told they are the best....
Exactly (Score:2)
Just as we laugh at Microsoft for slinging their anti-Linux FUD, we must be careful not to sling it back. If we present a professional image, and are perceived as a helpful community (I know how tempting it is to yell RTFM!) then we can only attract more people who are becoming disillusioned with Microsoft's insecure and unscalable offerings.
Corporations (Score:2)
Re:Now we've got to be careful... (Score:2)
Re:Now we've got to be careful... (Score:2)
The reality is NO ONE CARES!
I sent one of those EFF faxes to my congressman (Charlie Bass) and I got a form letter explaining to me how the DMCA is the best piece of legislation ever passed to protect my being able to get enterainment over the internet and they hope to get pass more legislation to keep the web safe from terrorists and the like.
If he had actually read the fax I sent, I would have probably just been placed into a category of electronic trouble makers like those cr|hackers that they see in the movies.
We don't matter.
HOW ABOUT A "FAMILY" LINUX DISTRIBUTION? (Score:2, Interesting)
It should have a light window manager (gnome is too slow on older hardware like P200s that often end up in our parents houses, but still work fine with MS windows), a web browser, mail, easy connection to the internet via dialup/adsl with wizards to set all this up, and an office suite.
Most functions of the OS should be easily accessible by wizards and menus (I don't think mom wants to be using VI to adjust her screens size/ colors/ resolution).
You should be able to put in 1 CD, (and a floppy if necessary), boot it, and have a whole linux install get set up with friendly menu's and then at the end of the install, everything should just work, with the window manager working, nice fonts, all devices (nothing esoteric, ie. modem, printer, sound, basic lan if there is one, the screen/graphics in the right graphics mode and internet browsing/getting connected to the internet/email and office).
So far, though I love linux, it seems to be not there yet (though I don't think we are that far away).
Is there anyone working on a standard linux distribution that is 'install and run' for mom and dad type non technie folks?
Now that would be the killer application that makes Redmond scared. .
What are we waiting for?
Re:HOW ABOUT A "FAMILY" LINUX DISTRIBUTION? (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Now we've got to be careful... (Score:2)
Maybe you could provide some more detail to this technical superiority claim?
Instead most advocacy seems to center around completely emotional reasons, thus the use of the $ sign as some sort of "Fight the man!" argument. When people don't have good sound logical arguments to support their claims, they typically resort to such childishness.
This is new? (Score:2, Interesting)
On a more serious note: what's this crap about Linux dying? Linux can't die until the last developer croaks. That's unlikely to happen. Linux may lose corporate support (unlikely, but not impossible), but that's a long way from Linux's death.
Re:This is new? (Score:2, Informative)
Ballmer faces reality [theregister.co.uk]
The Age of Aggressive Microsoft Bashing is Upon Us (Score:2, Insightful)
I think it's been getting worse lately, witness any of Michael's screeds against MS, and then the me-too comments, and you get the feeling there's less Linux advocacy and more and more Microsoft bashing, whether it's deserved or not.
The idea that Microsoft is paranoid and fearing Linux might be true, but is totally overblown. Microsoft fears any competition, the most likely competitor is Apple more than Linux.
So maybe it's time the Linux advocates look in the mirror first and see what kind of advocate they'd like to be.
Re:The Age of Aggressive Microsoft Bashing is Upon (Score:4, Insightful)
#1 Their OS only runs on propriatary hardware and the number of deployed systems is quite small compared to the number of Windows systems.
#2 Microsoft is able to make money from Apple users through application sales (Microsoft Office)
#3 Microsoft can point to Apple as being a worthy competitor thereby reducing the effect of Microsofts monopoly. (remember, Microsoft made a big contribution to Apple at a critical time not so long ago).
Basically, at this stage, Microsoft has nothing to fear from Apple. Once (if ever) Apple is able to take more than 10% or 20% of the market from Windows, watch out.
Microsoft fears Linux because they realize there is no easy way to make money from the Linux users other than porting (and maintaining various flavors for each version of Linux) Microsoft Office.
Linux runs on nearly every platform and is primarily used on cheap X86-based hardware rather than expensive propriatary systems.
Don't fear the apple... (Score:2)
Unlike many of their competitors (most notable IBM), they have little substantial revenue outside of their software production. They are particularly lacking in the services arena. Thus they are uniquely vulnerable to anything that could force down the margins for software. The operating system has been a commodity for the last 5 years or so and it's only Microsoft's domination of the market that has kept that little fact from disrupting their cash flow. Today, as an operating system, Linux is capable of everything Windows is and that means that people may start to recognizae how commodity Windows is. That will hurt their bottom line if that notion spreads far enough.
Re:Don't fear the apple... (Score:2)
How pray tell is this?
We are being screwed right now. Open Source will stop us from being screwed.
not so (Score:2)
Microsoft is probably much more affraid of Linux, because Linux is free. Microsoft cannot undercut Linux and burn money until Linux dies.
* although I suppose this could change now with Mozilla and Open Office almost ready for OSX.
Re:The Age of Aggressive Microsoft Bashing is Upon (Score:2)
I doubt it would be necessary if Microsoft were not still bombarding us with dastardly deeds. Slashdot and other Linux sites are in a peculiarly good position to notice Microsoft's dirty tricks, seeing as Linux has been since 1998 a chief target of said tricks. (October 1998, as you may recall, was the date of the leaking of the first Halloween Document, an internal Microsoft report which called for the company to "deny [open-source software] entry into the market" rather than out-competing it within the market.)
Perhaps you find it boring that Microsoft critics are saying the same things today as in 1998 and before -- that Microsoft destroys free markets, perjures itself before courts and Congress, harms democracy and fair & free trade, curtails user freedoms, and so forth. Sadly, it's still true, and I suspect that people will keep saying it as long as it is.
Manifest Destiny-sounding fluff (Score:5, Insightful)
We don't NEED to gain market share. We don't NEED to singlehandedly supplant Windows in order to be successful. In fact, if Linux does supplant Windows, it's just going to become the next widely-hated major OS of the time, until someone else comes along and supplants Linux. Doesn't sound like fun to me.
What goals does the Linux community have, other than supplanting Windows? Hrm.... creating an autonymously stable and useful operating system. Showing the Windows world what it's like to build an OS that interoperates with the majority of standards out there. Tons of others.... Why do we feel this conquistador-like goal to take over the OS world? It seems bullish and idiotic to me. There are much better things we can accomplish, cooperatively, when we're not wasting our time trying to dominate. If we keep this up for too long, Linux really will be the next Windows, in all the worst ways.
Re:Manifest Destiny-sounding fluff (Score:5, Informative)
By increasing market sharing, hardware producers will start producing device drivers for new products, one of the thing linux is definately lagging behind apple or MS. I would also expect an increase in commercial software for linux (Macromedia software is the main reason FOR ME not to use linux on my desktop)
Re:Manifest Destiny-sounding fluff (Score:2)
See, you're not helping anyone by 1337 ing linux like that. Hell, in most cases compilations *do* go wrong and I'll have to fiddle with documentation and configs to get it to work. The thing is not that I cannpt do it, I just don't WANT to spend hours to get my modem running. I don't WANT to know how my video codec's API works. I don't even want to know what a compiler is. I just want to buy a new video card, jam in the install CD and get it running within 5 minutes. Sure, It'll take a reboot with windows, but that is still a lot quicker that reading through all the docs so you can compile your own drivers.
Re:Manifest Destiny-sounding fluff (Score:2)
And although the shallow side of me secretly pines for those small Linux victories over Redmond, Washington's monster, I very much realise that you are correct in that Linux doesn't have to "beat" Windows to be a success.
Really, our only concern with Microsoft should be when they're actively trying to make it difficult for Linux to grow through manipulation of the industry.
Otherwise, they can go off an plug Windows all they want to grandmothers and other computer users, as Linux and the other alternative OSs will continue to serve their purpose regardless.
"Aggressive Advocacy" actually annoys me, whether it be those people who insist on typing 'micro$oft' or people who take any and every opportunity to make the rest of us look like fools with their 'L1nux R00lz! W1ndows sUx0rs 4 evar!' rants.
elitist attitude? (Score:3, Interesting)
That aside, there are many reasons Linux would benefit by having larger marketshare. Briefly...
1. Device drivers - hw makers can't ignore large segments of the market
2. Apps, games, etc. same as 1
3. Choice, currently, Linux is only an option for a small segment of the market, due to 1 and 2. OS develoeprs often tout choice as a reason for OS
4. Promotion of standards, ie. prevent MS from "embracing and extending" everything under the sun. Don't we want the web to be more standards compliant?
5. Legislation. If large segments of the market are using Linux, OS can't be easily legislated out of the market like some are attempting to do.
I think that's enough.
I'll be blunt, Linux does not need elitist attitudes like I suspect yours is. If I'm wrong, I apologize.
Also, I don't think anyone is suggesting that Linux completely blow Windows off the desktop, just that it acheives enough marketshare to ensure my 5 points listed above.
Re:elitist attitude? (Score:2)
The need for device driver support, Applications, choice of development OS, and sane legislation is self-evident. This is fueled more by Linux' promotion and adoption of standards than by market share. As far as games go, that's a pretty cutthroat market... As people better understand the need for standards-compliance, these needs will naturally follow. Market share will naturally follow as well, while we more efficiently spend our time working on the quality and standards-compliance of Linux. I think there's a better way of divvying up the time we spend working on Linux than the proposals given in the article.
The Relevance of Philosophy. (Score:5, Interesting)
The philosophies of Linux are not only relevant, but essential:
- Open Source. Whether you're a purist like RMS or not, the ability to [have someone working for you] see and occasionally modify source code is central to the value that Linux offers. It makes it possible to optimize the OS and core applications for specific hardware and purpose of the machine, customize the system to completely remove unused components for security reasons, etc.
- Open Protocols. Even when we don't have access to source code, we have well-established open standards for how programs providing certain services should communicate with other programs. This philosophy grew out of, and simultaneously made possible a corollary *nix tenet...
- Open Data Formats - Text Files. The configuration info for a program is held in an
.rc or .conf file that can be accessed just like any other file, not buried under layers of misdirection of GUIDs like {02468ACE-3F57-11AF-B579-08002D30DEFD} within a database stored in a proprietary format. This in turn makes possible another facet of the philosophy... - Interchangeable Parts. Don't like EMACS? Fine. Use vi, or a thousand other editors. They all manipulate text files, and once the file is created, your compiler, interpreter, or whatever really doesn't care. And this fits into another *nix philosophy...
- Small, Sharp Tools, or Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combination. Most of the work to be done on a *nix system can be accomplished by combining specific tools in a shell script. Metaphors such as piping and command substitution make it unecessary to compile a custom application to do what can be accomplished via
Without these philosophies, there would be no reason to prefer Linux to any other OSwe all need to get our hands dirty (Score:5, Interesting)
Sure. I'd like to contribute to linux by answering newbie questions (even though 90% of these can be found by a google search or the first 5 lines of the man page)
However what annoys me most is some GUI features of linux. I'd really like to help improving that. Now the problem is that I doen't speak C++, and I don't want to spend years learning it.
I would be able to make a drawing about possible improvements, but I do have the feeling that peaople that are not 31337 just won't be taken seriously by true coders.
So: Would there be a way for non-coders to make a contribution to GNU software?
Re:we all need to get our hands dirty (Score:3, Informative)
Yes. Documentation, testing, suggestions. Can you write some funky HTML? The project might need someone to look after the website. Can you draw icons, logos etc? The project might need some help with some eye-candy.
If you're not sure what you can do to help, ASK!
Re:we all need to get our hands dirty (Score:2)
Most coders will crank out mass quantities of code, but are not very good at documentation because it requires a different skillset. That's why companies hire technical writers.
Besides, specialization makes sense in this case. Companies WANT their coders to spend time programming and their writers to spend their time documenting the project/process.
Re:we all need to get our hands dirty (Score:2)
Contribute? Easy! (Score:2, Insightful)
- Testing (including usability testing).
- Writing documentation.
- Translating documentation and software.
- Drawing pretty pictures and icons for use in applications.
- Maintaining bug databases and feature requests.
- Sales.
- Sending encouraging noises and objects towards the people cutting the code
Re:we all need to get our hands dirty (Score:3, Informative)
GNU project has a page on How to Help the GNU Project [gnu.org].
If you want to improve a piece of free software, you can help enormously by reporting bugs, improving artwork, testing bleeding-edge versions.
The KDE project suggests "Go to apps.kde.com and Freshmeat.NET and do a search for the application you are thinking of writing or just browse the lists there. If you find in these lists something of interest to you, you might want to contact the author(s) of the code and offer your help directly."
If you can design websites, offer to become a project's webmaster. If you can write music, find a game to contribute music to.
In short, if you have any skill at all, you can probably find a project on freshmeat you can contribute your spare time to.
more than just the code (Score:2, Interesting)
There are many things you can do short of coding.
You can participate in beta programs. Almost all linux distributors have them. Some are more open than others. But, a lot of very useful work can be contributed in that way. And, it is not just limited to finding and reporting bugs either.
You can help by proposing alternative outlines or menu structures.
Right now Mandrake 8.2 is a fine distribution for many purposes. But, the menu outline is highly confusing. In part this is caused by the separate contributions of GNOME and KDE. And, in part it is caused by the very nature of collecting together contributed work from many separate or independant sources.
Windows, MAC, Xandros Linux, Corel Linux and Lindows each benefit from an effort to reform the presentation to the user into at least a chewable structure.
The LSB is an example of this kind of reform at the internal level. But, the face presented to the user needs some real improvement if the popularity of linux is going to increase. It has to be more organized, consistent and understandable.
For the user, Interface Design is a lot more important than the code. And, you can conclude from that the success of linux is going to be based upon how well the interface is designed rather than the quality of the coding. Microsoft has proven that to be the case time and time again.
Re:we all need to get our hands dirty (Score:2)
That's all very well, if you know which feckin' man page you are supposed to be looking at. I used Unix at university ten years ago, so when I go for my biannual Linux install*, I am all like, "hmm, I remember that there was some sort of command to do that, umm it was two characters, ok 'ls
* It's never taken me more than a couple of weeks to get pissed off and go back to Windows...
Re:we all need to get our hands dirty (Score:2)
Or just do:
ls
But there are some stuff in
find / -type d -name '*bin' -maxdepth 2 | xargs ls | grep '^..$'
See how intuitive that was ?
(though I'm sure somebody can come up with something better)
Seriously, though, there are quite a number of GUIs that are pretty decent to shield you from the command line. I happen to like Konqueror 3, actually (most of all the split-screen). And with
the tabs in 3.1, it's gonna rock !
Anyway, use what you like best, that's what the fight is *really* about.
Re:we all need to get our hands dirty (Score:3, Insightful)
So, you don't know how to program, or you only know how to program in languages that are unacceptable for Free Software (such as VB), but you want to contribute. No problem!
1. Pick a project that you care about in some way. You will almost certainly lose interest in contributing to software that you don't use regularly.
2. Subscribe to the mailing list. Keep up with how the project is progressing, and what things are holding it back. Lurk for a while. (If the project does not have a mailing list, contact the project lead and coordinate setting up an SF.net account and getting one going.)
Some examples of how a non-programmer can help:
- If you are and admin type you can help new users of the package. Helping new users is probably the number one thing a non-programmer can do for a project.
- You could bring existing documentation up to date (see why you needed to lurk?).
- You could convert existing docs to "better" formats.
- You could do some other non- or semi-technical work, such as bringing a web app's HTML output into compliance with a W3C recommendation.
4. Make your presence known. Volunteer in some concrete way. Don't say "I'd love to help" say "I have six new FAQ entries, where should I send them?"5. ???
6. Profit (just kidding).
Following these easy steps I (briefly) became the project lead of a package that was featured in this month's Sys Admin Magazine, without ever writing a single line of code.
-Peter
Re:we all need to get our hands dirty (Score:3, Insightful)
Many gui-using projects have a bug database; don't be shy about entering usability bugs in the database. Your opinions do matter; you may well have more taste in interface design than many of the coders on the project, even if you aren't able to express your ideas in code. Of course, be sure you understand the issues well before posting, and state clearly what the usability bug is, not just how you think it should be fixed. I.e, "It requires 6 mouse clicks to turn off Javascript" (it really does, in Mozilla) not just "let me have an option to put a button on the toolbar to turn Javascript on and off".
No, the age of IMPROVED USER INTERFACE (Score:2)
The first front is the aggressive advocacy. However with increased spotlight (both good and bad) comes increased scrutiny.
There are many tasks that linux can handle with aplomb. And for those things that it doesn't, we need to get working on it.
And yes I mean we. So how can *I* help?
big shock (Score:2, Troll)
The single biggest threat to the success of Linux is the Linux zealot who reads Slashdot, thinks UserFriendly is funny, talks about Monty Python incessently, and recompiles his kernel daily. Windows has its geeks, too, but it also has a ton of normal people who get some fresh air once in a while and enjoy the company of other humans.
Slashdot should be working to counteract this, not by trying to become still more geeky and elitist, but by trying to attract a more middle-of-the-road audience. How about a Sports section, or a columnist who deals with issues that everyone cares about, like taxes?
Re:big shock (Score:2)
How about a Sports section, or a columnist who deals with issues that everyone cares about, like taxes?
This is Slashdot, News for Nerds. If you want to discuss sports or taxes, why not read kuro5hin or any of the multitude of other sites out there that do cover topics like those ?
Re:big shock (Score:2, Insightful)
You want news and weather and bite-sized breakfast chit-chat material? Try yahoo.com. Or msnbc.com. The cool thing about having more than one website available on the Internet is that you can open them in separate browser windows, and (here's the neat part) read multiple sites at the same time.
Do you always insult people for their personal preferences, likes, dislikes, and habits, and at the same time expect them to agree with you and do what you want? Reality doesn't actually work that way, but I suppose you'll find that out soon enough.
The real reason Linux is gaining popularity (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:The real reason Linux is gaining popularity (Score:3, Informative)
I can tell you that for my purposes -- development (cvs, gcc, emacs), remote administration (ssh, X11), graphics (GIMP), audio/video (MP3 players, Quicktime [with Dreamweavers Crossover], MPEG) -- it works just fine. It supports all my hardware -- a TV card, Wacom Intuos tablet, Turtle Beach soundcard, USB Canon G1 digital camera, USB IBM webcam, Yamaha CD burner, Matrox G200 video -- with no problems.
In addition, it never crashes, handles NFS and NIS, is not vulnerable to the Bug Of The Day, and handles my web sites and mailing lists.
Oh, and it's free.
Team OS/2 (Score:2)
http://www.jerrypournelle.com/archives/archives
I do agree with putting your money where your mouth is, but preaching to "non-converts" when you don't have the actual goods to back it up borders on futile.
The lady in the checkout wants to turn her PC and play a game or balance her checkbook. She doesn't want to hunt online for these things. She wants to buy them at the local store.
Mac users, too (Score:2)
Linux is free (Score:2)
If it weren't for Netscape, we would be paying for IE. Same deal.
Re:Linux is free (Score:2, Insightful)
Now it's other way around. People pay for bundling IE wth Windows and as such IE price tag is included with system price. Netscape has gone further by supporting Mozilla, so his price tag has gone below zero (not by usability, price only).
Re:Linux is free (Score:2, Insightful)
you are paying for IE (Score:2)
It costs billions to develop. And, there is no reason whatsoever that a monopolist who knows you must buy it would price it at zero. None. There are no reason.
Oh, they can lie about it.
But, Judge Jackson had it correct. IE is free when downloaded as is any product that you get without paying money. But, when you part with cash and you get IE in the box, you did in fact pay part of your money for IE.
Ask your mother. Ask your mother about those toys in your Happy Meal. She will tell you that they are not free. The toy in CrackerJacks is not free either. But, the HappyMeal toys are better, right? And, the HappyMeal costs more too, right?
Do not be confused into thinking gum you buy at the store must be free because a friend of yours gave you a free stick the day before. (That is the stupid argument that IE must be free because "others" can download it without paying. That is not what determines the price of your HappyMeal.)
Let's not get ridiculous. (Score:2, Insightful)
So, despite your notorious group ego, Microsoft's addressing of Linux doesn't mean a hill of beans toward Linux being anything more than yet another flash in the pan, for there have been many. Smart businesses attack before new competition has a chance to really put down roots, and that's what's going on here.
Re:Let's not get ridiculous. (Score:2)
The difference is that if Coke were to start spreading malicious lies about Pepsi, they'd be facing a lawsuit right quick. Microsoft can get away with FUD and outright lies regarding Linux and the GPL because there isn't a single corporation controlling them.
Re:Let's not get ridiculous. (Score:2)
Incorrect. Microsoft's responsibility to their shareholders is simply to maximise their profits. There are two ways they can achieve this:
They can create a better, more compelling product than their competition, or
They can eliminate the competition.
The first of these is more profitable in the long term, since competion increases the market size, and fosters innovation. Removing the competition tends to the opposite effect, since without competition there is much less incentive to improve a product.
Re:as long as it is legal (Score:2)
See the HPMuseum web site for full specifications.
You might want to update your knowledge of the industry.
In addition to the above posts... (Score:3, Insightful)
This takes education and support and above all helping anyone just starting/trying out linux, to get them up and running. Even if we as community move away from the "newbie?, RTFM!" attitude, we will be doing some really positive advocacy.
What I would prefer (Score:5, Interesting)
Maybe I should explain myself a bit better. I know what Linux is, how well different parts and distributions works and don't work. I am a software engineer myself. I know about Windows as well, and I am fully capable of choosing what is best for me, or for a customer if that is needed.
Trying to convince me one way or another is fairly useless, I have heard all by now, and I don't listen to those that try to convince me anymore. I do on the other hand find technical articles interesting and read them about all the OSes. Finding that what I think is a problem in Linux has been dealt with (with patches, new software, rewrites, etc) is far more interesting that anyone spewing out more random nonsens that they (often at least) don't know anything about.
That said, put your effort into improving whatever you can instead of bickering with me. Help convert API specifications to Gentoos new XML documentation format, write new documentation, fix bugs in KDE, write a great IDE with exellent state of the art debugging and incredibly powerful performance analyzing (something I sorely miss), or even better make KDevelop have all of that. I switch OSes according to my needs, and according to cost (mostly my time).
To all the nice and helpful users and developers, keep up the good work!
To those that are thinking about replying with "this and that is done, now you can love linux you bastard!", please read what I wrote again.
the way it should be (Score:2, Insightful)
Ideology is nice but should not determine the choices. Open source or not should not decide the issue either.
Being an advocate is fine too. Just be sure you disclose you are being an advocate.
Re: the way it should be (Score:2)
Today's price, today's quality, today's performance? What about tommorrow?
Ideology is nice but should not determine the choices.
The reality of today's market is that most large corporations are facing a forced two-year upgrade cycle from Microsoft, at considerably higher expense than the 3-4 year upgrade cycle they anticipated due to unfavorable changes in the licensing and bulk purchasing agreements.
So go ahead, take that great deal on proprietary apps with proprietary data formats and protocols that won't interoperate with other vendors. After all, it's the best price, quality and performance, and that's "the way it should be". Factors like following open standards and the integrity of the vendor (Ideology) are "nice but should not determine the choices". Save a few bucks now, and get locked in later.... "the way it should be"?
In a few years, don't be suprised when that vendor has saturated the market yet their valuation is based on sustaining their growth. They're gonna need to get those dollars somewhere, and that's gonna be you! Suddenly, they won't be the best price, but your short-sighted decision has you substantially invested and it'll cost you a lot to switch. They know that, and they'll take you for whatever the market (you) will be able to bear. Is that "the way is should be"?
Re:the way it should be (Score:2)
The information you want is on the web.
Advocate to the right people (Score:4, Insightful)
In 3 years time, Microsoft in conjunction with AMD and Intel are going to start setting up a hardware and internet infrastructure which Linux will not be able to run on. Want to install Linux on your new PC? Can't - the CPU won't let you because it doesn't support their properterial encryption. Want to run a DVD, a Direct X game, a TV tuner, a new 'security concious' hard drive or motherboard? Can't, for much the same reasons. Next it'll be email, then webpages, and so on.
Anti trust laws you say? Won't work. MS has more power over the US government than the oil barons. Think about that. There is also another dimension. There is a little thing called 'war on terrorism' on right now, and having every computer in the world capible of being easily monitored, controlled, observed and disabled by US inteligence agencies, because of the next version of Window's 'security', will greatly appeal to them... don't underestimate this factor.
If you want to stop Microsoft, extending the user numbers isn't going to help much. Microsoft can simply cut off the air supply. The only way to stop them now is to actually get politicians in power who aren't all incompetent or corrupt fatcats.
Re:Advocate to the right people (Score:2)
It means that everybody must take Linux into account for device drivers, games and other programs.
The world would look much different then.
Re:Advocate to the right people (Score:2)
Yeah I am sure that will prove very popular with people who live outside the US.
antitrust laws can work (Score:2, Interesting)
The upcoming remedy in the States' case could be very helpful. But, it will not be sufficient. That is why AOL, SUN and BE filed their own private antitrust law suits. But, of course, their law suits will take years to work their way through the legal system. 5-8 years may be involved. And, if Microsoft continues illegal practices, several law suits by linux distributors may join in the mess.
In some ways the linux distributors should file suit now.
They could form a class action and sue OEMs and Microsoft to force open fair market opportunities for the distributors. The DELL case is a prime example. And, RedHat has already said publicly that many of the OEMs they have approached turn cold when linux on the desktop comes up.
Well. A class action of all linux distributors would be in order.
And, the purpose of that suit would be to stop all marketing agreements which serve to preclude lessor volume products from having fair and open markets.
The prime example is the huge discount that Microsoft offers if only Microsoft products are sold. Those kinds of agreements are in essence exclusive deals. No OEM can afford to pay $10 more per copy of windows in order to sell 5-10% of its systems pre-loaded with linux (or bare). Economically, it is cost prohibitive.
Some OEMs may be able to form separate subsidiaries just for the linux sales. Set up two companies. Share on the hardware deals but make separate and distinct software deals. Not that you will fool Microsoft. But, rather that the agreements are not being violated. In fact, they would be complied with since company B would be selling the linux products. And, company B has no deal with Microsoft at all. The fact they would use the same hardware is of no significance.
And, there may be other ways to avoid Microsoft precluding trade in linux products. Filing law suits is just one of those other ways.
DELL was made the patsy. They gave it a try until the chief idiots at Redmond took out their baseball bats. I call them idiots because it comes very close to extortion.
The Sky is Not Falling (Score:3, Interesting)
So what do I do for the "cause"? I wear Linux t-shirts, I help friends who are interested in learning Linux (or any 'nix for that matter), and I go about my business with my OS of choice. Those who are interested enough to explore the world of Linux will, and many of them will stay. The ones you have to evangelize are a lost cause. You will never compete with the likes of MS for mindshare.
Well that's nice.. (Score:4, Interesting)
Is Linux ready for the commercial desktop? You bet. The apps are there, the OS is solid, and net admins can easily manage large installations.
Is it ready for the home desktop? No way. The home apps aren't there (read: games). Not everyone is or wants to be a system administrator. Look at the zillion unpatched windows boxes out there and think what would happen if they all had a [Apache|OpenSSH|ftp] vulnerability? What if the vulnerability was in something more obscure, like snmp? RedHat and Ximian (and others) have made great strides in getting there, but there's a lot of work remaining to be done.
So go out, do the things you do, and spread the word. Write documentation, submit bug reports, fix bugs, buy software, register hardware and tell them you use Linux.
Unpatched on Windows == unpatched on Linux (Score:2)
Besides, why would your average home user be running something like apache or a ftp daemon by default anyway, unless that is something they'd be doing in Windows too? They'll use their ISPs homepage space if anything.
Kjella
Re:Well that's nice.. (Score:2)
I think the default install of major distrs need a limited, free up2date type feature that runs nightly, or at least weekly, in a cron job to check for and automatically install the major security patches. Or maybe at least tell the user there is a security update, and click OK to install. The power users can turn this off and do their own manual stuff, but Joe Average isn't going to care and rarely will patch the system manually. MS already does this by default on XP and for better or worse it's probably a good thing for the average user, security-wise. And it should happen whether or not the Linux distro is officially "registered" or just an ISO copy from a friend.
So who will pay for it? I'm not sure, perhaps some .org thing with
people around the world volunteering mirrors. I'd volunteer mine. I
don't think the bandwidth requirements would be extreme - major holes
aren't found that often - but if Linux ever takes off with the general
public, and a major hole is found and left unpatched on millions of home
systems, hacked boxes and Ramen-type worms are going to be a big
problem.
Re:Well that's nice.. (oops) (Score:2)
Haven't played Civ III yet.
What to do? (Score:5, Interesting)
Wrong. Let me explain please.
First, please do know I'm one of the three (a rough guess) people on the planet who are deep geeks with a marketing background. Okay, that said, here's some info to graze upon.
In the marketing world all research for the past 100 years shows that the very best -- bar none -- type of advertising is, surprise, word of mouth. Nothing has every beat it, nothing ever will beat it. People will trust the opinions of people they know first hand over any advertisement. Why do you think there are so many ads which try to establish that type of trust relationship in the minds of the ad viewer? These types of testimonial ads are among the most successful types of ads, but pale in comparison with "word of mouth" in terms of pure clout with the target audience.
Linux is doing as good as it is (which is very good indeed) because of a number of factors: quality, cost, and -- ta da -- the number of in-the-know technical people (computer geeks) who say it's as good or better than the commercial stuff available. Word of mouth advertising by people who have the confidence of the people with whom they're talking.
Who do you think mom or grandma or little brother/sister is going to believe, Microsoft ads or you? If they have any experience with MS product over the past ten years then they're not going to be inclined to believe anything in a MS ad -- their personal experience tells them MS marketing is geared toward getting the money out of their pocket and MS product is not very good.
You, the techincal person in-the-know, are in a great position compared with MS. You have a product with outstanding quality, an impossible-to-beat value-to-cost ratio and an entire, world-class army of other techies who are saying the same thing you are.
In my opinion, Gnu/Linux/OSS/Freeware advocates would do best to just keep doing what they've been doing. Don't focus on bashing MS, just make honest comparisons, be up front with newbies about the learning curve (harder to learn, easier to use) and focus on the benefits of the product when compared with the competition. You'll continue to win big!
Frankly, if I were leading a marketing push for Linux right now, I'd say that it's time for the little guy to be "on." Not the uber hackers (who do their own stuff so well) but all Linux users: Time for them to really focus on truely helping others understand the choices available and then helping them get going down the learning curve (which has become much shallower in the past year -- Gnome/KDE/OpenOffice.org -- hero-level work folks, congrats and thanks!)
So, if you want to help the world avoid continuus and expanding MS hell:
1. Join your local LUG or start one.
2. Learn how to make a simple press release and learn where to send copies for your area.
3. Offer some free evening classes to individuals and small businesses via the press releases (donate some time -- see next item.)
4. Make sure there are resources in your area for individuals/businesses (consultants, tutors, etc. -- if you're not seeing $$$ by now you're blind.)
5. Always remember that you serve yourself best when you do your best to help those you are targeting. This is the essense of quality! I know it sounds odd, but it works: The more helpful you are for your audience, the more rewards you'll see for yourself.
I coulda/shoulda/woulda been a preacher but that whole god thing really got it the way.
Re:What to do? (Score:5, Interesting)
It appears that a number of people need to figure out what it is they want to see happen with Linux in the future, before they can really figure out how to respond to the original editorial.
Re:What to do? (Score:2)
Perhaps the key here is the tolerance that results from knowing there are many levels of users, most of whom will find their comfort level and be content. Don't dis others because you know more than they do, just view the disparity as an opportunity to help/instruct/encourage, etc.
Re:What to do? (Score:2)
Let me explain this point a bit.
In a closed source environment like one built up by Microsoft and AutoDesk the objective is to suck as much out of the client without actually killing the client. So yes this is a parasitic scenario. But the scenario is not just about selling a piece of software. It is about selling a solution based on multiple peoples input. Training, Consulting, Service, etc an eco-system where money is fluid.
And here the Microsoft and AutoDesk empire rules in sheer momentum of their third parties. People know they can make money at selling their services or whatever.
In Open Source and specifically LINUX this is not the case. People who in Open Source tend to be two things; cheap and farily intelligent coders. Two things that keep the ecosystem small. Fairly intelligent coders tend not to hire as many consultants, contractors, buy books, etc.
While many may say that it is good that people do not have to hire "leech" consultants or contractors. I tend to argue back that those "leech" consultants and others keep money moving and that moving money can be used to pursue activities to increase the eco-system.
I am not saying that Open Source could never develop a rich eco-system (examples of eco-systems being setup are PERL, PHP, etc). But notice that those Open Source environments allow closed source implementations AND they are NOT specific to LINUX. If LINUX wants to succeed then there need to be many more footing the bill of developing since there is not that much financial incentive. BTW I am not referring to simple domination, I am talking about survival. PERL and PHP will survive without LINUX, but can LINUX survive without PERL and PHP?
Re:What to do? (Score:5, Interesting)
I agreee with your spirit and admire your goals, but I have to disagree a bit on that point. Microsoft knows that when the software fails, the user tends to take the blame. When programmers fail, they tend to take the blame. Bad software tends to make people feel stupid - among the programmers reading this, who *hasn't* had the feeling that they are behind the curve because they haven't learned Java yet and aren't quite clear as to what dot-net exactly is or why one should care what it is?
Microsoft knows this and has known it for a long time. (Read "Dynamics of Software Development. By Jim McCarthy. Microsoft Press, 1995. ISBN 1556158238.") McCarthy makes numerous references to this dynamic and how it plays upon one's psyche.
By empowering developers and holding their hands through the baby steps (setting up a basic app in VC++ using wizards) MS let developers feel a bit less stupid. Probably that alone secured the future of VC++ for what, the next ten years?
I do a bit of help desk at my job. I get people calling me and telling me that they 'broke' the network or that they 'screwed up' MS Word. They say it with the same shame that they would feel if they got their elbow stuck while putting on their sweater. They take the blame. They feel stupud. They muck around and make things worse before calling me.
Yet I have one user who I've set up with a linux account. She's not technical by nature, yet she's competent. She answers customer email that comes in from the web site, so she tends to get 80% of the viral attachments that come to the whole company. Rather than fight the viruses for this one account, I have her log in to a server using Putty/SSH and start a VNC session and use sylpheed to check that account. Once she got the hang of that, she really likes it - I call her 'hacker chick' since she's the only other one who uses Linux in the company. She likes it. It doesn't crash, it doesn't screw up, it doesn't make her feel stupid. She doesn't have to worry, since I told her that there is no way she can screw up the server with hwr level of permissions.
If the company mandates a Windows-only environment, (impending possibility...) I am sure she would miss it - not because it's free in any sense, but because Linux empowered her and made her more productive. (Didn't make her feel stupid.)
That has got to be the focus - letting people *do stuff*, not issuing LARTs and RTFMs and the usual elitist things that *nix gurus tend to do. If you want to get Linux into the hands of the people, build Linux systems that work. Build systems that work better.
Educate people on a 'want to know' basis only. Now that may sound counter-productive, but if you are like most advocates, you will drown people in philosophy and jargon. Avoid that at all costs if you want to be a true advocate - nothing will turn people off quicker. (If they want to know more, they will ask you or fire up Google, or join a LUG...)
I have a couple of friends who are both Windows programmers. Nice guys, but they really didn't care about Linux. They share an apartment and a DSL connection and had gotten quite sick of using Winproxy, so they finally caved in and grabbed an old box to let me set up an IPCop firewall. Actually, one of them did it while I talked him through it on the phone. It works beautifully. They love it. They installed it themselves. They are both now considering dual-boot setups on their machines, since this little router distro setup worked so well. ("What else can you do with this Linux stuff?")
Linux has made the transition in their minds from something that is "complicated" to something that "just works".
I just got done writing a proposal for another friend's office to set up a small network - basically a apache/samba/webmin/backup server and another ipcop router. It's a very simple, reasonable setup that will require very little maintenance, yet give them the functionality of $10,000 worth of MS software and state-of-the-art hardware for $400 in used hardware and a couple of ISO downloads.
All they will see is how easy it is to use. After a year, I doubt they would be able to find the
For me right now, *that's* advocacy.
As you said: "I coulda/shoulda/woulda been a preacher but that whole God thing really got it the way."
Good point. We should probably take a look at their methods - maybe rent a big tent and travel around the south having all night Linux revivals...
Cheers,
Jim in Tokyo
(Go ahead, mod me 'overrated' - I no longer care...)
He's right and wrong (Score:2, Insightful)
But I'm not sure if TUX tee-shirts and "advocacy" for the sake of advocacy is going to do much. Linux advocates plod on, and continue to successfully. The distributions get better, the application support better. The whole team is advancing the cause of Linux from all fronts, ok yes advocacy included. It's the whole team which will bring Linux to the forefront, not just burning ourselves out on "advocacy".
Duff Dufff Duff (Score:4, Funny)
Me: G'day gorgeous can I buy u a drink? ... um.. there.
Her: I'd love one. Whats that on ur shirt?
Me: It's Tux from this cool new OS called linux.
Her: Um... i gotta go stand over
Me: Damn that stupid article.
The secret to Linux Soccess (Score:2, Insightful)
So I propose that we pool our cahs and hire a celecrity pop icon, like scantily-clad Brittan Spears or something to do a Linux PSA with a catchy dance rythm.
He has one good point. (Score:3, Insightful)
"Windows for Dummies" is one of the best selling dummies books for a good reason. Even windows doesn't always work the way people want it to.
If the Linux crowd wants to move the Linux OS into the mainstream, they are going to have to make it as easy and simple as possible. More so then windows perhaps. Add more help boxes, give a better manual then windows (There are companies in Japan with excellent manuals,) make it easy to install and remove software/hardware.
When these objectives are reached, I can guarantee you that more people will use Linux.
As well, provide an easy way for device drivers to be distributed for linux boxes. A big problem I have found with some of my friends that have switched to Linux is how difficult it is to find good drivers for some of their old peripherals.
What... Again? (Score:2, Funny)
Me? Cynical? (Score:3, Informative)
Maybe I'm just tired, but after reading the peice I came away thinking this guy must be a displaced Amiga user. It reads just like what an old Amgia fan (like me) would have been saying ten years ago about the Amiga.
I'm of the mind that most people just don't care. Their Wal-Mart-sourced HP Pavillion is good enough for them, and it came with Windows, or they believe it when some pimply-faced kid sneaking out with daddy's car explains why Dell is so much easier than facing a store salesman. It's kinda like beer: some people like German or Canadian(tm) beers, while for others Bud or even Milwaukee's Best is good enough. Some people appreciate the handling of a sports car, others are okay with a Pinto or a Matador.
I guess I'm just tired of casting my pearls before swine and getting no response. I can't even get my tech-savvy inlaws to try a dual boot. My wife, who doesn't do anything besides web and email won't try it. It doesn't matter that I can do just about anything that they can do with their Windows boxes. It doesn't matter that I have GUIs that are just as fancy and easy as theirs.
If people want what Linux, or any other contrarian OS has to offer, they'll find it.
Not nearly aggressive enough (Score:2, Insightful)
After hearing the news of Palladium, I begun to ponder on ways to dramatically increase the Linux base. The best way I have found so far is to approach educational institutions. My university, for example, has a huge people-to-computer ratio, and I suspect that the reason we don't have more computers is that the average users knows only Windows. Since windows machine are a pain to operate ($$$) and the license (more $$$) go into the university budget (more teachers or more machines?) and the fact that computers are inexpensive, they try to push off the responsability of fair education on the student side.
Ironically, there are rooms filled with x11 terminals to unix system, which are nearly empty. The users who want to get into the system have to personally request access, instead of this being standard, or going with a guest account.
So when I get back, I hope to push the student assosciation into making real noise about this lack of access problem. At the same time, approach the Linux base we have, and get them involved to teach the newbies that the switch is not nearly so painfull.
Universities are really worth our time: they have huge visibility, the people coming out of there are the future leaders of ours societies, and are a few thousand strong of smart individuals, capable of installing Linux and using it.
If there are any people reading this that are from the University of Montréal, write to me or something. It's time to push. As we say in french, Pousse, mais pousse égal.
WTF, 75% was feel-good fluff. (Score:2)
Two sides of the same coin? (Score:3, Insightful)
First, if the defining goal of Linux is to "take over the world," Linux is dead. There may be something called Linux, but it won't be what we know. Linux's core "values" of stability, openness, quality, and expandability will be lost. Linux users and developers need to stick with what makes Linux great - that's how it survives.
At the same time, I agree that Linux must expand. It's a hostile, deceptive, FUD-o-ramic market out there. I have no illusions that Microsoft wants to take out Linux as best it can, or marginalize it if possible. For Linux to survive and build on its best traits, it must expand, if only now because its in the crosshairs. More ideally, it also needs to expand as Linux's quality is fueled by openness and involvement.
So that's where Linux is to me. It needs to grow and expand in order to preserve its existance and what makes it so good. It must avoid losing what makes it important. It must define itself NOT by opposition to Microsoft or anyone else, but by what it offers independent of competition - yet not forgetting that there is indeed competition that's quite ruthless.
Not an easy job. But a worthwhile one.
That's my 2% of a dollar, though perhaps it's more like 3%.
Windows advocates, where are they? (Score:2)
Ok people, its not my intention to start a war here, my point is that advocates existing everywhere, for everything, what makes then diferent is their arguments. Sometimes windows users anoys us with their "linux sux" way of seeing things, sometimes linux users anoys us with their "linux rox" way... i mean, let us all stop fighting and live in peace!
Blah-dee-Blah-dee-Blah (Score:2)
When Linus first developed this OS the geeks flocked on Usenet to support him. We must support him or this will never survive! He'll quit it! Long live Linus!
When each distro formed, the drums called the masses to the parade. C'mon, man...use it and advocate it or they'll stop making it! Go Slack/RedHat/Debian/etc!
When Linux first made an approach into the mainstream industry, supporting servers and mission-critical applications, the magazines and newspapers threw the mud in the face of Linux. Linux? Won't last. Can't last. Buncha geeks supporting it. HA! And the wave of fear once again traveled among the masses, To arms! To arms! We'll lose the day if we don't advocate! Convert your grandmother! Quiltix!
And so now, from a guy who is an NT network sysadmin and cites doomsday evidence of the revolution we hear the cry to war again.
Listen, folks: The war isn't over, nor is this a critical junction in the life of Linux.
The war has always been there...why wouldn't it? The brainchild of a geeky programmer is now running the huge servers of major industries. You can't tell me that the war hasn't been fought already and will still be fought on every line. It's not a single assault, folks, it's a never-ending push towards an ideal that we've conceived (or have been given) and we now advocate.
Advocate Linux.....*snort* What do you think we've been doing all this time?
Disruptive Tech: Disruptive cognitive experience (Score:2)
Especially with people who are incapable of thinking analytically about software. Inertia is a powerful force, but standing friction is powerful too. Occasionally you have to kick something hard to get it moving in the right direction.
Actions speak louder than words (Score:2, Interesting)
I am a communications engineer working at a company that operates a satellite mobile data network. When I started working for them in 1998, my first task was to get on top of their network statistics and figure out how to monitor the performance of their network.
I started assembling a data analysis and display system using linux by piecing together the fantastic open source software packages available like tcpdump, ethereal, R, vnc, apache, bash, and many others. The continued development of this system has become my full time job and my employers and I couldn't be happier with each other.
Internally we are still a windows shop but linux is slowly taking over more and more functions because it solves our problems better.
Linux Advocacy? (Score:2, Interesting)
I convinced somebody to try Linux. So he download and installed Mandrake 8.2 (a newbie distribution). He doesn't know how big the swap should be so he made it 3 GB.
We must be able to communicate, so he needed an M$N client. I told him to download KMerlin, and told him to extract kmerlin-0.something.tar.gz, go to the extracted folder, click Tools->Open Terminal, type
I think it took 1 hour for him to install KMerlin...
He even asked me how to *start* KMerlin.
He wants KaZaA. At the time I didn't know how to run KaZaA in Wine so I gave him the URL to LimeWire. He also needed JRE so I pointed to java.sun.com. He couldn't find out how to start the installer, so I told him to open a console, and type "sh
He couldn't find out how to start LimeWire installer, so I told him to open a console and type "sh LimeWire.bin". That didn't work. And several minutes later I found out that Kaffe was in the way (because of all kinds of errors from
Total time to install LimeWire: 3 or 4 hours (no kidding!).
I'll skip the details about installing MPlayer (I first wanted him to use Xine but somehow Xine freezes at startup). It took a *very* long time (2 days or something). Partially because of this GCC 2.96 mess, and partially because he had to edit ~/.mplayer/conf to make things work correctly.
A few days later he removed Linux (he even said Linux sucks because you can't access Linux partitions from Windows!) and concluded that the reason companies don't use Linux is because it's too unuserfriendly.
I tried to help him, but this man will hate Linux forever.
So... is it really a good thing to continue with this advocacy thing?
Does a guy running NT a good linux advocate make? (Score:2, Interesting)
First of a little bit about me:
I consider myself a hacker. Not because I am a good coder, I am not can just make a living in PHP, or a whizkid who makes computers out of egg cartons. I consider myself a hacker cause I love messing about with computers. I am right now working on wooden case with water cooling so I can have a really really quit PC. There is a lot of stuff to read and find out about for that but that's what I enjoy. Soon I will start the building and I enjoy that to. The testing will come hopefully after that and yes even that I do enjoy.
The same goes for making websites. I like figuring out how to make things happen and weird config files, obscure documentation are just part of the challenge. I don't use a single GUI or shell for any of my configuration needs cause I don't need them, want them, like them, thrust them etc etc.
Now the point
Over the years I have worked as a developer in both regular back-office IT and web development. I have worked there with brilliant and hopeless co-workers. Sometimes you can rely on them and sometimes it is just easier to do it youreselve. One thing I have however learned is NEVER EVER try to convert anyone. Worst mistake you can ever make is to try to learn anyone to code that is not already doing so. There is a reason they are not doing it. THEY DON'T LIKE IT!
Call it the difference between people who code cause they like or because they see it as a career move.
Same really with linux. Those that are using it or are picking it up of their own free will deserve our help, and considering my own experience get it. Those that don't shouldn't be dragged in kicking and screaming. Take a very close look at apple. All attempts to increase its market share have fallen flat but so have all attempts to drive it out of the market. What is wrong with being a niche enviroment? Personally I would prefer if all these zealots would focus on BSD instead and leave linux alone. Linux for people who want linux, Windows for people who want windows, and mac for people who want mac, oh and pen and paper for everyone else.
Yo Hemos (Score:2)
Hemos: I really wish you'd refrain from telling us how you feel about the article on the front page. If you have something to say, why not post a comment?
Wise words from Ghandi ... (Score:2)
First they ignore you.
Then they laugh at you.
Then they fight you.
Then you win.
3 out of 4 so far...
Linux users aren't cheap (Score:2)
Linux users still spend money, but usually it's on other stuff - stuff they wouldn't buy if they had to drop $100 every time Microsoft released a new version of its OS (and much more if you want to run a server). I'm not saying we shouldn't occasionally donate $50 to SuSE or whoever and get a shiny box with prettier discs (unless you're a big fan of Sharpie Art). But more industries benefit from Linux users than the software industry.
Re:Linux will not die (Score:2, Insightful)
Perhaps so, but it may very well end up in the sad bastards Geek Ghetto, with all the people who bang on about the Amiga not dying...
Re:Tux's Witnesses? (Score:2, Funny)