Comment Easiest way to convert users (Score 1) 618
When my neighbor's XP machine software screwed up (Internet stopped working) and they didn't have a recovery disk or an operating system CD, I gave them an Ubuntu live CD and showed them how it worked. The Internet happened to function under Unbuntu. The computer they have is rather modest, and admittedly the live CD ran as slow as molasses. I explained to the that it's running very slow because this is a special evaluation mode that doesn't save to your hard drive or erase Windows and that it will be super fast if you install it (replace Windows). I told them to give it a try for a while, and that their options were to 1) continue using the live CD in slow mode, 2) replace Windows by installing Ubuntu permanently, 3) spend a hundred dollars on a new XP CD, or 4) stop using the computer.
They got sick of slow mode and wanted to try it out at full speed. I installed it, set up some user accounts for the kids (which they loved the thought of), demonstrated the basic programs, e.g., OpenOffice and "the Internet" (Firefox). The amount of time I spent was setting up, etc. was substantial I believe - but the kids or the parents haven't managed to fck it up (yet)!
They're using Linux and they basically don't know the difference.
To summarize, here's what Linux advocates need to do:
1) Wait for neighbor's computer to screw up
2) Explain that they need to pay more money to get an XP CD (because their disk is damaged or whatever - it's okay to lie) and that there is a free alternative (they will be cheap, especially if they have kids)
3) Let them try out the Live CD
4) When they can't take it anymore, erase Windows from the face of their hard drive and laugh evilly.
I suppose the next step would be to go and spend some time teaching her kids the basics of shell programming and get them started writing programs. As our new generation of hackers grows under the auspices of Linux, we will achieve world domination.
Get down or lay down!
They got sick of slow mode and wanted to try it out at full speed. I installed it, set up some user accounts for the kids (which they loved the thought of), demonstrated the basic programs, e.g., OpenOffice and "the Internet" (Firefox). The amount of time I spent was setting up, etc. was substantial I believe - but the kids or the parents haven't managed to fck it up (yet)!
They're using Linux and they basically don't know the difference.
To summarize, here's what Linux advocates need to do:
1) Wait for neighbor's computer to screw up
2) Explain that they need to pay more money to get an XP CD (because their disk is damaged or whatever - it's okay to lie) and that there is a free alternative (they will be cheap, especially if they have kids)
3) Let them try out the Live CD
4) When they can't take it anymore, erase Windows from the face of their hard drive and laugh evilly.
I suppose the next step would be to go and spend some time teaching her kids the basics of shell programming and get them started writing programs. As our new generation of hackers grows under the auspices of Linux, we will achieve world domination.
Get down or lay down!
