[clug] Linux and City News Canberra

[Ian Bardsley]

On 08/04/14 20:40, bryan at netspeed.com.au wrote:
>  Ian:
>> However, from within the CLUG community there would be more that 
>> enough expertise to provide basic guidance in making the transition 
>> if there were sufficient will to make it happen.
> The "sufficient will" represents a cost. And that is a hurdle to be 
> overcome.
>> After all how different is Linux Mint with the Cinnamon Desktop box 
>> from a Windows XP box from the Desktop Computer users perspective for 
>> example.
> There is an argument that "best" means "everybody does it".
> So for example:
>       * eating McDonald's;
>       * driving Ford; and
>       * praying Catholic.
> To the conventionally-minded then, adopting Linux would seem as 
> unconventional as voting for Bob Katter's party!
>> I don't attend CLUG Meetings because they are too technical for me 
>> and therefore of no real interest.
> I know of a technical club that denies public access yet complains of 
> inadequate participation!
>>   Stick a tutorial in how to better secure a LAMP server on the 
>> agenda however and I would be there in a heart beat.
> My experience in tertiary education was that the introductory courses 
> had the biggest enrollment!
>> The second shot would be to put together an "Install Fest" type event 
>> supported by a help line facility which could readily be communicated 
>> via the same media that suggested the transition in the first place.
> That would involve significant cost. Whereas this club minimises cost. 
> In my opinion, taking on responsibilities ends up generating 
> bureaucratic hassle!
>>   Mr and Mrs Public might just take notice and make the transition.
> I once divided the total campaign advertising spend of the parties by 
> the number of electable politicians. This demonstrated for an ACT 
> election, that on average electing a candidate cost the same as a house!
>> Having spent some 6 hours a couple of days ago ridding my daughters 
>> laptop of the "PC Tools Virus" which had woven it's evil tendrils 
>> throughout the windows registry I am at a loss to understand why any 
>> one uses this MS rubbish but of course they do because they don't 
>> realise there is an alternative. 
> Suppose that north and south Korea were to merge, as east and west 
> Germany did. The cost of adjusting social institutions and retraining 
> a populace--would exceed the cost of building factories!
>> Only Linux users can reverse that perception.
> That's saying it won't happen.


Yup.... about sums it up.  Isn't that why MS and to a lesser extent 
Apple make megabucks from selling flawed product and then ask their 
customers to pay again to upgrade to their latest flawed product? Linux 
makes no real claim to be a good product but a large number of smart 
people work co-operatively on what is really a Kaizan project the 
outcome of which is a pretty solid operating system.  Imagine harnessing 
that commercially.

Ian B