[ubuntu-uk] Leaflets

Fri May 4 12:24:45 BST 2007

On 5/4/07, Jim Kissel <jlk at osml.eu> wrote:
>
>
>
> Mark Harrison wrote:
> > Ian Pascoe wrote:
> >> One question that's been missed off all of this valuable discussions
> is:
> >>
> >> "Why should I try this Linux thingy?"
> >>
> > PROLOGUE -  I'm going to be contentious.
> >
> > I ought to explain that TheVeech and I exchanged emails offlist last
> > night, in which we agreed that a bit of "violent discussion" would both
> > lead to a better result than any individual could come up with AND
> > hopefully spark contributions from people who have sat on the sidelines.
> >
> > BTW - if you want to carry on sitting on the sidelines and just reading,
> > that's absolutely fine with me. However, I do find that many more people
> > say nothing because they (wrongly) don't believe that they know enough
> > than say things when they they are actually misunderstanding the issues.
> > We generally get to better answers if more people join in.
> >
> > On that basis, if you all join in to tell me I'm wrong in what I'm
> > writing below - that's FANTASTIC - it's the kind of thing I can use to
> > improve my understanding and arguments in the future.
> >
> >
> >
> > MAIN ACT - I don't like "free" as a selling point unless I'm talking to
> > someone where I know I have a minimum of 5 minutes to run through the
> issue.
>
> Let's get the free as in gratis our of the way quickly. The cost of
> acquisition of OSS/FS software is near zero.  You can download it if you
> have sufficient bandwidth (which you pay for) or you can purchase an
> inexpensive CD/DVD, or you can buy a "boxed set" which may/may not come
> with a manual.  In all cases your cost of acquisition should be less
> than 100 GBP.
>
> Note: Some "Enterprise" versions cost much more, but you are purchasing
> multi-year support and that costs.  You want 7x24 support, you've got to
> pay for it.
>
> >
> > "Free" works very well in a longer format, like the recent BBC radio
> > programme mentioned on the list a week or so ago.
> >
> > However, in a "moment of truth", one of the hardest problems to overcome
> > is what happens to potential users when you mention the word "free", and
> > most people will make a "snap decision" inside a ludicrously short
> > period of time, rather than bothering to listen to the arguments.
> >
> > When most people hear the "free" word, they think "zero cost":
>
> Since we are pouring petrol on the fire, here is another take on what
> "most people" think when they here free.  Free == Crap  An attitude
> nurtured by PC World/PC Pro/PC Format.....'et al' and 25 years of
> floppy/CD/DVD cover disks of "free" useless crapware or at best
> crippleware.  An attitude reinforced by the crapware loaded on the hard
> disk by PC manufactures.
>
> >
> > So for people thinking about an existing PC, it's a non-issue. They
> > already have a copy of an O/S and continuing to use that is "free" in
> > the money sense. The "no money" issue only applies if people were
> > thinking of changing to Vista [1] or thinking of getting a new PC [2]
>
> It also applies to the existing installed base that "needs" to subscribe
> to an anti-virus application or two just to keep their system running on
> a day to day basis.  "Switch to OSS/FS and this type of problem
> disappears"
> >
> > Note 1: I suspect that another few months of horror stories about people
> > who try to upgrade from XP to Vista will stop people wanting to do that.
> > Note 2: Oh for a UK "household name" manufacturer who could ship Ubuntu.
> > See other thread(s) about why we need to keep the pressure on Dell to
> > offer this in the UK as well as the States AND why we need to make
> > D*&mned sure that the price of a PC with Ubuntu is less than the price
> > of a PC with Vista.
> >
> >
> > The problem with saying "free" and meaning "freedom" is that you then
> > have to explain the difference. There are two issues that arise with
> this:
> >
> > Firstly, some people get put off and think "that you're deliberately
> > misusing words", and all the other things that _I_ get accused of :-)
> >
> > Secondly, most people aren't programmers, and therefore don't understand
> > (short of a long conversation) why freedom to modify source code is
> > overall good for them EVEN IF THEY THEMSELVES NEVER DO IT.
> >
> > Most people think "I'm not a programmer, I'm never going to change the
> > code, so it's of no benefit to me" rather than "Because lots of
> > programmers can see what's really going on, the total community of
> > skilled people available to fix bugs and add new features is far bigger
> > than any single company, even one as big as Microsoft, could ever
> afford."
> >
> >
> > Personally, I always like tables that say "When should you use X, when
> > should you use Y" that deliberately come up with circumstances when
> > using a competitor's product is better - they come over as honest (even
> > if they are always self serving.)... and you also make the reasons to
> > use the competitor sound very niche.
> >
> >
> > Why Linux?
> >
> > - It's stable - most of the world's web servers and email servers run
> > Linux because it crashes much, much less.
>
> Good point, but not exactly germane to individuals/SOHO/SMBs
>
> >
> > - It's more secure - Linux was developed with a sophsticated security
> > model from the ground up, and Ubuntu applies a set of defaults that mean
> > that, even if a user clicks on a virus by mistake, they won't make it
> > infect the PC. (As an aside, most viruses are written to only work on
> > Windows - because it's a lot easier to write a virus that attacks
> Windows.)
>
> Don't just single out Ubuntu for praise. All *nix's share these
> attributes.
>
> >
> > - There are a huge number of applications specifically designed to work
> > together. In the Windows world it's very easy for a programmer to write
> > one program that accidently causes another program to stop working. On
> > Linux, because of the way that the code used to write programs is almost
> > always available, it's very, very hard for a program to have these
> > problems. Indeed, one of the things the Ubuntu community does is
> > specifically check that things won't interfere with each other before
> > they are included in a distribution.
>
> Consider:  "I can update all the applications installed on my PC with a
> couple of mouse clicks"  Try that with any MS product + third part s/w
>
> Consider: "My system unobtrusively informs me of software updates, every
> time I log in.  Updates are are made available when they are ready, not
> on 'Patch Tuesday'.  The same application can be used to upgrade (to a
> new release/version) my entire system."
>
> >
> >
> > Why Windows?
> >
> > - At the moment, more PC vendors ship machines with Windows
> > pre-installed than have Linux as an option. (However, many small local
> > manufacturers offer Linux - it tends to be the big US multinationals
> > that are pro-Microsoft, and Dell have recently started shipping Linux as
> > an option, though today that's only available in the US.)
> >
> > - Some applications are written to only work on Windows. In most cases
> > (email, web browsers, spreadsheet, word processing, audio editing, video
> > editing, blogging, web-site creation) there are either versions that run
> > on Linux, or Linux alternatives that work as well. However, quite a few
> acquistion
> > Games are only available for Windows, so if you're a hardcore gamer,
> > then you may be better buying an £800 Windows "gaming specification" PC
> > than a £300 Linux "work, homework and web browsing PC".
>
> Add my vote to that opinion.
>
> >
> > - If you use NTL cable broadband in some areas, then only Windows
> > software will be provided. It is possible to get this working with
> > Linux, but quite fiddly and you may need to find a local linux user to
> > help (there are Linux user groups in all parts of the UK.)
>
> Please educate me as to what software NTL/cable broadband supplies that
> is Windows only.  While I will agree, you need to be a little bit more
> independent/knowledgeable, I cannot envisage needing and ISP supplied
> software.
>
> >
> > - If you are on a company email system that uses the Microsoft
> > "Exchange" server, then this is designed to work with Windows only. If
> > you use email from the likes of Google, AOL, Hotmail, Virgin or the like
> > - these email servers actually run Linux (though they do work with
> > Windows machines.)
>
> There are more alternatives for e-mail than you mention and it is
> possible e-mail through an MS Exchange server with Linux based software.
> >
> >
> > Reasons why you could you use either?
>
> My totally non-scientific survey of computer usage shows the top tasks
> "most users" preform are:
> Surf the Web/Search the Internet
> Send/Receive E-mail
> Word Processing
> and sometimes use a spread sheet or create a presentation
> and very occasionally a personal database
>
> Additionally the "home" user want to edit/manage their photos, playback
> CD/DVD

Yes, you're  absolutely right and please  go on saying so.

Both groups mentioned Skype and Video Conferencing and  IM/IRC
>
> Where OSS/FS is weak. Games, "the Print industry" as they "need" a Mac
> and many/most graphic designers are Apple based.
>
> >
> > - Linux and Windows both run "OpenOffice.org" - an application that can
> > edit "Word, Excel and Powerpoint" files.
> >
> > - Both surf the web equally well. Indeed, the Firefox web-browser,
> > originally written for Linux, has now been made available for Windows.
> > This includes audio and video playback, as well as things like "Flash"
> > and "Ajax" that some websites use for more sophisticated effects.
> >
> > - Audio-editing, graphics and video-editing packages are available for
> > each. Generally, the Windows versions cost a few hundred quid and the
> > Linux versions are free.
> >
> >
> > Reasons why you should "pirate" a copy of Windows instead of using
> Linux?
> >
> > - Because you like breaking the law and being prosecuted.
> >
>
> --
> Simple effective migration to Open Source based computing
>
> Jim Kissel
> Open Source Migrations Limited
> w: http://www.osml.eu
> e: jim.kissel at osml.eu
> p: +44(0) 8703 301044
> m: +44(0) 7976 411 679
>
> --
> ubuntu-uk at lists.ubuntu.com
> https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-uk
> https://wiki.kubuntu.org/UKTeam/
>
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