[sf-lug] Linux install on Older Laptop (Ubuntu??)

[Kristian Erik Hermansen]

On 9/27/07, Christian Einfeldt <einfeldt at gmail.com> wrote:
> enjoyable for you to support him / her.  That is key.  The secret to
> successful FOSS migration, IMHO, is not a technical issue, it is a social
> issue!!!!  It's all about relationships!

I think you hit the nail right on the head.  I didn't actually start
learning anything about Linux until I started socially interacting
with Linux users all over the world.  Before that, it was just me in
my parent's basement against the world.  But even knowing this,
realize that you personally probably have no care in the world about
many other issues.

For instance, I don't really care at all about cars!  I am told by
many of my friends that I will have more power, torque, horsepower,
and an overall better car if I broke down and bought a BMW.  They also
tell me I should have a manual transmission, for that extra edge, like
when I'm competing against other highway drivers (!!!).  To tell you
the truth, I am horrible at driving a stick, but I do realize that I
could do some really cool things if I had a manual transmission.  I
choose not to, because it is more important to me to drink a coffee,
read a book, and talk on the phone while driving :-)  I don't care if
my car gets me from point A to B 15 seconds faster and in a "better"
way, which is all subjective anyways.  For other people, it may be
that they do not care too much about managing their finances.  Sure,
they could probably earn more on their investments if they invested
many hours each week researching the markets, but they don't care!
Maybe they would rather spend time with their family instead of making
a few extra bucks.  It is the same with Linux.  For most people, the
computer is a vehicle for interaction with the Internet and composing
word documents.  A majority of the complaints for Windows users only
come when their computer is too slow, or they have lost access to the
Internet!  Everything else they don't care about.

So, in order to sell Linux to end-users who run Windows mainly and
don't care, you have to just make it be the standard and/or pitch it
in a way that will give them time to spend on things that they
actually do care about!!!  Remember that people are not really lazy,
but just choose to focus their time in certain areas, which may or may
not be related to using a computer :-P  Maybe I am way off base
here...
-- 
Kristian Erik Hermansen