How could I propose to use Linux at work if I was unable to make it work at home?

This is being fixed with new distributions, and at least now people who already likes Linux, is able to actually use it.

That’s one step in the right direction.

- Computer Science Students (that does not mean geeks). How many of them use Linux at home? If they are in charge of a server, and have to chose what would they chose?
To attract these we need to improve usability and easy of use, not only developing and server activities.

- Public Services and administrations:
Some governments are forcing administrations to use open formats and that’s the way to go. But not also that, computers in the libraries, schools, and public computers (the only do browsing most of the time) have to begin to use Linux for them. They don’t allow installing applications most of the times and they are always full of virus, so it makes perfect sense.

- Developing countries:
Windows is expensive and requires a high end machine.

- Mobile devices (phones, PDAs, UMPC, …)
Windows is too heavy for these. Windows mobile is not good.

Once this is done, computer scientists will feel confident with Linux, knowing that they won’t have to spend hours to configure a device, they feel safe to propose install Linux in a server if they have the chance.

There has also to be room for commercial applications in Linux, any free application is going to be a professional replacement for autocad or photoshop.

Another class of home users, and possibly some small businesses, creative professionals, etc., might be those that depend on a friendly neighbourhood “geek” for their tech support. Geeks like me, who have gone wholeheartedly over to FLOSS, have lost all interest in supporting Windows and don’t want to waste time learning how to fix problems that people have with it. I don’t want to be responsible for maintaining Windows when there is the risk that I might have to buy a new license when it has gone wrong and can’t be re-installed and re-activated. The most I will do is provide a “backup and restore” service using Linux running in another partition or live CD to make a backup copy of the Windows C partition which can then be restored if Windows goes wrong. I will also provide the same for Windows running as a virtual machine on a Linux host. If anyone wants me to give more support than that then I say I can only do so if they use Linux because it is the system that I use and know.

As you know, “Marketing is a human activity directed at satisfy the needs and wants of a customer at a particular price at a particular place over a period of time”

A combination of all the above would make the adoption of Linux more in the years to come.