[ale] linux community need attitude adjustment?

[Transam]

On Sun, 21 Oct 2001, Jonathan Rickman <jonathan at xcorps.net> wrote:

> On Fri, 19 Oct 2001, Cade Thacker wrote:

> > They don't need a leatherman, they need a freakin screwdriver. When
> > OpenOffice(or whatever) is comparable to MS Office then I will then
> > seriously consider switching them, but even then some of their law
> > software is Windows specific! Will I replace their windows NT server
> > with a linux box? maybe one day, but if it ain't broke, i ain't

> The Star Office 6.0 beta seems to be every bit as good as MS Office. At
> least I haven't run into any compatability issues or missing features yet.
> I've been using it exclusively on my laptop (Slackware) and my desktop at
> work (Win2k) since it came out with no problems whatsoever. I just set the
> default "save-as" values to MS formats and go.

> > Does anybody else think that the linux community in general has a bad
> > attitude?

> Yes. Arrogance. ...

It is important when talking to our suffering Windoz friends to leave out
the arrogance.  Instead, I usually talk about suffering maybe three crashes
in 7 years of multiple Linux systems, that I didn't have to upgrade the
software on my main system for six years 'cause there were no serious
bugs causing me problems!

I do go out of my way to tell my Windows friends about how troublefree
my Linux systems are.

My brother, running an e-commerce side business in an NT system with IIS
got whacked by Code Red and finally decided to replace it with Linux and
Apache.

Two of my doctor friends want me to help them move their business computing
to Linux.  They've already analyzed their needs and determined that they
can do all they want on Linux.  A retired doctor friend who just uses a
browser and email said "Bob, if you convert my system over, I'll try Linux".

A client of mine that manages hundreds of desktop and laptop systems for his
employer is switching many of from Windows to Linux and wants to have
most new systems run Linux.  I'm installing two fault tolerant Linux Firewalls
with a VPN between them at their two locations in separate European
countries.

We CAN win the battle if we're smart and come across as matter-of-fact and
discuss the technical advantages without saying that Bill is more evil than
Satan.  The average person just wants to know what will get his job done
the easiest.

> Linux is just to much for the layman to deal with, although
> some task specific devices have made great strides in this area. Now I'm
> not saying that they're any better off with Win2k. But they will think
> they are...because they are in their "comfort zone" and feel like they're
> in control...

> Mousetrap analogy
> =================
> ...
> -- 
> Jonathan Rickman
> X Corps Security
> http://www.xcorps.net

Bob Toxen
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