Well when the Chicas/hynas that had my computer to pretty much their sole use at the time called COMCAST to get Internet service the service tech that came acted as if Linux was something created by alien reptilians and wouldn't even touch it. They called me "to make it work" by the time I arrived the "I just turned 13...the age of net majority you know;)" had figured out to just try the browser and type "Google" at it and poof it started working and she was happily socially networking away. She still occassionallly uses GIMP when the Myspace Gizmos don't do what she wants. As far as people hanging onto old hardware you have to remember that there are some computer users who have used something for awhile and consider it old and trusty. I have met quite a few writers and librarians like that. Also to mention something that will rattle the Neal Stephenson fan's of the "they did the right thing at the right time and got rich in the wwonderful commercial world from which all good stuff flows. Uh people who have not been so lucky and are of more limited means get stuck with a PC and find that Linux does most things pretty well and doesn't have to have 111 virus malware fixes. Whereas my friendly Windows guru old housemate who fell in love and moved away has reinstalled his Windows Box many times even with latest and greatest anti-virus software.

A friend of mine teaches and just in case her students send her something that is Windows only she keeps a windows box. I still haven't gone dual-boot although once I borrowed my ex-housemates computer because I wanted to use the Pleading (as in legal) features that one could get in Windows and I did not have time to write my own open source version at the time. Nor am I now, I'd rather stick to hacking climate modeling and that still works best on Linux. Note my friend's kids use my computer which runs Linux to do all those kid and teen thiongs like simpler games and MySpace etc. and they have adapted to Linux very well, the only thing they really miss is Itunes. They like and have learned it and are now teaching their friends how to do things and so I get slightly fewer of the questions like "Steve: How do I do ".... Have Fun, Sends Steve

I would tend to agree; they are the one who are spy camera crazy;they seem to have diluted their legal tradition farther than the US or Canada in being actually invasive; although the Law Lords actually did really take a bash at various terrorism laws; they also more completely reverse things when they blow it; whereas the US courts often act they can't say "Oh we made a mistake"