[wplug] Selling Linux (WAS: Why I choose Linux)

[Elwin Green]

 --- On Wed 02/12,  < wplug-request at wplug.org > wrote:
-----Original Message-----
From: Coutch, Robert [mailto:Robert.Coutch at tvratings.com]
Sent: Wednesday, February 12, 2003 1:03 AM
To: WPLUG
Subject: [wplug] Why I choose Linux
<snip>
>You can not run Windows programs on Linux (except in certain cases)

...if you're advocating with Windows users, those certain cases could be decisive. From what I understand (I haven't used it)you CAN run the MS Office suite on Linux with Codeweaver's Crossover Office. Has anyone here tried it?

> but
>Linux has an equivalent for almost everything Windows has - except
>it's FREE!

...Linux still does NOT have equivalents for some things which define many people's computer use: e.g., AOL (see below), Quicken/TurboTax (personally, if Intuit were to produce Quicken for Linux I'd BUY it in a heartbeat. Same with TurboTax.)

>Compare the cost of a Linux desktop machine vs. Windows.

>1 - Windows XP home UPGRADE costs $100, the non-upgrade costs $200 
>but you
>won't come close to Linux
>    unless you buy XP Pro which costs $200 FOR THE UPGRADE and $300 >for the
>non-upgrade version.

>     Red Hat 8.0 and other distributions can be downloaded for FREE >or you
>can pay ~$40 for the box and book.

I'm not sure how important this is to the average Windows user, for the simple reason that that the OS comes with the computer (and therefore SEEMS to be free). I think the average Windows user is more likely to buy a new machine (with the newest Windows included "free") than to upgrade the OS.

However, even if said user does decide to upgrade OSes, downloading redhat, or any other major distro, is hugely impractical for the large number of people who still use dialup. Buying the $40 box would likely make more sense....if he can find it. The same thing is true for large apps like openoffice.

>2 - You'll need to browse the internet and "do" email, play media 
>files and
>view images. Both OS's have free tools.

Maybe, but if your ISP doesn't do Linux, that doesn't matter. And, love it or hate it, AOL is still the most widely-used ISP. More importantly, they're the most well-known. I would guess the runners-up, in order, would be msn, earthlink, and netzero/juno. Do any of them do Linux? If you're advocating with Windows users, they'll need a way to get to the internet before they can use those free tools.

In short, as much as I like the idea of Linux, and as much as I believe in its still-untapped potential, I think we need to recognize that its being "free" isn't really a great selling point. First, because most people EXPECT to pay for something of value (how much to pay is a different issue); second, because there are costs that can't be measured with $ - namely, the inherent pain of change (ANY change), and the time/effort required to learn to do things as well in Linux as they do them in Windows (never mind learning to do them better).

Just my .02

Elwin G.



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