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Re: [LUG] today's meets and some observations etc.
john wrote:
Nice rant. :)
Just a few points - I wasn't there but I know what geek-meets are like
and this probably isn't a good cross-section not only of computer users,
but of linux users. I do actually know some people using linux who
aren't geeks. Yeah, I know - I was shocked too.
Anyway: One problem facing Linux is that it is still geek-led and
probably will be for some time. The really good salesmen are the ones
being paid real money to peddle commercial software like Windows. MS has
the best marketing division of any computer related company ever. Why?
Because it can afford it... Redhat has a nice little niche and they are
probably the main ones to lead linux forward. Knoppix is great too, but
they have a much smaller budget.
running microkernel linux on a usb watch or replacing the dektop with a
browser or fscking around in the shell isn't adapting, it isn't aiding
change, and it isn't ever going to be anything other than a deep minority
interest thing,
Nope, but it never has been and who's to say that isn't a valid
pasttime? It's not *my* cup of tea, but I respect anothers' choice of hobby.
of linux, nope, sorry, never happen, not when opportunities to help people to
actually convert their product, which already has a large installed base of
LAWYERS (the IDEAL people to expose to linux) are passed over.
Hmm? Who are these lawyers, and why are they ideal? (The largest legal
firm in Devon uses Windows for its desktops, btw)
users <> hackers
users don't wanna be hackers
employers don't want employees to be hackers
Nope, it's not constructive - which is your point. But then, many
employers and managers who have the say as to what product gets bought
are those very people targeted by the commercial market's salesmen. They
don't understand the product, but that's never stopped a manager yet!
There is also a deep-seated suspicion of "free" that anyone who has
dealt with the PHB will recognise. "If it's expensive, it must be good!"
And people get used to things. Even a desktop that crashes several times
a day, or if they've got to retype a document that got eaten. Most
"users" don't understand computers so don't know it could be any different.
in the real world hackers are like victorian sewer workers, everyone needs em
but nobody wants to see them, meet them, talk about them or worst of all have
to deal with them to get something done. (shades of master blaster from the
mad max movie)
But then, to be fair, most geeks don't want to meet real people either. :)
if Bill was at today's meeting the two crediton guys would have walked out
with a microsoft answer to their problem, even if it was a MS meets Open
Anyone fancy burning a bootable cd and sending it to them? (I wasn't
there so don't know the story, but if it's an opportunity is it too late
to chase?)
We need to convert people, and that means SHOWING them that there is a better
way, TODAY, to the challenges that they are facing now, which is giving users
what they want, not what we think is leet.
Then geeks aren't the ones to do it. Salesmen are. (Just my opinion, and
I don't really like salesmen...)
--
Simon Avery
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