[Fsfe-uk] Explaining GPL to a Windows user

[Paul]

Hi,

I've just come of the phone to my big sis who seemed to think that
people who write software for Linux must be making a mint, especially
after I showed her Scribus (which is up for a Linux User prize this
year).

She was flabergasted when I said that the OS and most of the tools and
software are completely free. Let's just say that after 20 minutes she
finally accepted that there is a different mentality between Windows and
Linux. She was even more suprised at the TCO argument (support is free
under Linux - despite what M$ say and given a lot of programs aim to
clone functionality and other such things, retraining is not an issue
any more).

Now, this has started me thinking. Have we been aiming the argument too
high? Windows machines invaded schools (and killed Acorn in the process)
down to governors using Windows boxes at home and wanting their kids to
use the same at school (and obviously, have the same advantages such as
proliferation of macro viruses as well). School governors are not
exactly renowned for their grasp on either reality or technology (sorry
if anyone is a Parent/Govenor on here, but from what I've seen, this is
indeed the case).

What we should be doing is aiming lower. 

Convince the smaller computer companies to give two prices for their
machines - the real price and then the price after adding on the 80 or
so quid for Windows and possibly sell the machines with Debian 3 or
Mandrake 9.1 on (I wouldn't sell something with SuSE on and RedHat are
being bloody silly IMO, though a copy of PinkCap from Linux Emporium
would be an ideal candidate) pre-installed if the customer decides that
500 quid for a new machine is okay, but why the hell should they be
ripped at 600 just for Windows. There is no point trying to get PC-Worm
to do this as they're already crap scared of M$ (and besides, I wouldn't
want Linux to get a bad press due to PC-Worm trying to offer their
unique brand of "support" to the OS), but smaller companies (especially
ones who build their own) are a possibility.

I don't believe install festivals do much good. The last one I attended
was very poorly attended by the general public.

Getting some effective advertising in the PC specialist mags is
important. Preaching to our own side in Linux User (et al) is like
giving yourself a blow job - very nice, but doesn't let anyone else have
the pleasure ;-p Adverts from the linux companies need to go in Computer
Shopper and other computer mags. Sure, Ximian, RedHat, SuSE etc don't
have the cash to compete with MS, but no advertising in newpapers or
news-stands gets us nowhere.

Until the school licences with M$ are recinded or at least, made fair,
then aiming at schools may not be that good an idea. Sure it's free,
hard to break, robust and able to stand whatever a kid throws at it
(hold on, these are exactly what Windows isn't!), but teachers are not
computer savvy and in all probability, have not used anything other than
Windows. There are exceptions of course.

Hopefully, I'll be sending a local school a whole pile of P3-450s (and
through a local company, will be able to shove 10Gb HDs, floppys, CDs,
netcards and monitors for about 170 quid a throw [unless Ian can come up
with a better price, needs 10base net cards and 15" monitors]) all of
them will have a linux distro on and the Linux Education CD on there as
well (and OpenOffice and Evolution). Dunno how long it will be before
they move then to Windows though. I may decide to bung Wine on - but
then, that means they need a M$ licence for the dll's, which kind of
defeats the object.

A target needs to be identified, not just a general "aim for", but a
specific target.

TTFN

Paul
-- 
The world is throwing away oppressive regimes
Which don't allow people to choose.
Wars are fought to topple these people.
Yet the folks who do this, still use Windows.
Double standards or not understanding why they did it?