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Improving (And/Or Recreating) Linux's Reputation
Recently, a Free Software Foundation Magazine article discussed the bad reputation that Linux seems to have collected. The author recounts his experience talking with a Linux user who, almost unknowingly, credited Windows with working better with peripherals. The author suggests that we help newbie Linux users through problems, rather than just doing it for them or pointing them to a guide. This might help, and there is something better we can do.
Take Ubuntu, for example. There are really two brand name options that can be used:
- Linux – Most users have either never heard of it or think of it as a geek’s toy or a server OS.
- Ubuntu – Most users have never heard of it or have heard about it being “Linux for human beings” and that Dell sells it on some computers.
Furthermore, think about these two explanations from the perspective of a new users:
- Ubuntu is a free, easy to use operating system I think you should try. It is based on some generic code called Linux that forms the base system.
- I think you should try a free operating system called Linux. In order to install Linux, you need to install something called Ubuntu, which is a distribution of Linux, just like a bunch of other distributions.
It should be obvious that it is better to introduce new users to Ubuntu than to Linux, yet this is not normally what happens.
The truth is, Linux is a geek’s toy and Ubuntu is a free operating system that can be installed as easily as any other Windows application. Because of this, we should change how we introduce Ubuntu, so that we can start from nothing and build up the reputation, rather than trying to undo a bad reputation. Plus, this new way makes more sense and is easier to explain. It just makes more sense to a new user.
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I have converted lots of people into Linux. The mail reason or advantage I say to these guys is
1. There is no need for Antivirus / spyware / Anti adware
2. No piracy
3. System would be fast and zero maintenance.
4. It has all the required softwares
Most of the people I have converted is elderly who are using old computers with 1.2 Ghz pro / 256 memory .. like that and they are very happy and no problems at all. But I have converted one of my best freind who is a basic user and bought a new laptop with Vista basic. I gave him my reasoning and installed it in his laptop and he is more then happy with it. Not even booting to Vista once in the last two months.
Most users of PCs in the world use XP.
A user of XP will know about malware, crashes/BSODS/popups and will know that Vista sucks.
Suggesting to a user/potential user of PCs that he/she might be interested in a system that does not use XP or Vista and has none of those problems will work whether the motivation is for new hardware, speed, reliability or lower costs.
The hottest market today is the netbook. They are cute, easy to carry, boot quickly, and about half of them run GNU/Linux and work out of the box. The product is attractive, particularly to kids and women because it is a better size/price and they do not need to know anything about GNU/Linux or that other OS to use it. These and thin clients are the wave of the future and they work better with GNU/Linux than with that other OS. Little selling is needed. Show it to them and you have a winner.
The toughest part is motivating people to try Linux. Other than curiosity, why should they? It seems to me that if we really want Linux to become big time mainstream (and that is a whole different debate), the right way to do it is through schools. Educators need to be shown that open source is just as good as anything when it comes to ‘teaching computers’, but WAY cheaper, and usually way more stable. Kids could be encouraged to experiment more, in the knowledge that ‘breaking it’ was not going to cost a fortune to fix for instance. They already are exposed to Win/Mac outside of school, and surely the job of schools is to enlighten?
I’d say your sample explanations are pretty bad.
“* Ubuntu is a free, easy to use operating system I think you should try [OK. Why should I?]. It is based on some generic code called Linux that forms the base system.[Huh? Code? Great reason... I don't care about code.]”
Furthermore, not a lot of people heard about Linux – and most of those that did, heard pretty bad things. I’d say it’s easier to introduce Ubuntu first and then point out that it’s a Linux-based OS.
totally