[BadVista Advocate] My blog

Wed Apr 25 11:18:49 EDT 2007

I won't attack anyone because of anonymity in the futeure, thank you all for
your support

On 4/25/07, Jacob Maynard <indymaynard at maynard.homelinux.com> wrote:
>
> This was a lot to think about and respond to, but we have several things
> that we could bring to the benefit of the open source community. Already,
> Dell is working to decide which distribution to install for users. It
> needs to be something simple with KDE or GNOME already set as default so
> as not to confuse the "I've only used Windows so I don't know anything
> else and don't want to take the time to learn something else" users. It
> needs to have all of your basics for productivity and entertainment. Then,
> we also have to cater to the gamers, who are in a very large number.
>
> One thing I'm sad to say is that Linux does not have the same multimedia
> support that Windows has, and I say this in the sense of codecs. It is too
> complicated to set it up for a normal Windows user. This is why the
> choosing of the distribution is of the utmost importance for the "word of
> mouth" type of publicity. Linux doesn't have the income to support
> television or radio or newspaper advertisements to get the word out there
> that there is an alternative.
>
> I am only 24 years old and I own 5 computers. I do this as a hobby, not a
> job. I have one computer set up as a server (overloaded, I might add, but
> still operating fantastically!) with Fedora Core 5, one as a backup
> server/mess around with computer running SuSE 10. One computer is a 1996
> Toshiba Satellite which runs Slackware for my "have to have only command
> prompt days." The last one is my Windows XP Alienware that was purchased
> for gaming. This is another things about Linux that upsets me; the gaming
> situation.
>
> My point with that last paragraph was actually to say that we have
> different viewpoints because of generational opinions on the "troll"
> situatiton. It needs to be handled delicately. You may stop reading when
> debate becomes heated, but for the new generation of "I love soap opera
> drama" information seekers, they thrive on it. The trick is to make it
> seem like an argument that is not an argument. That way, yes, the
> sidelined, knowledge thirsty individuals reaching for answers or
> alternatives can see. If we lose the battle to the "troll", our cause is
> viewed as weak. If we win because we said, "I'm right and you're wrong"
> more times, our cause is not taken seriously and people go back to surfing
> the rest of the internet.
>
> Our goal should be to win with facts that other people, not necessarily
> the "troll", can ponder and mull over. If we lose the "troll", we've only
> lost one. If our facts persuade anybody who stumbles on or watches this
> site, then we've gained that many. Our chances are greater to sway people
> when we keep our cool.
>
> That's what I had to say in a nutshell. And my wife is beating me to come
> to dinner, but I will write more on this topic as the situations come up,
> or if I can think of anything else.
>
> Thanks for your time and well thought-out responses.
>
> Jacob
>
> >
> > An interesting take on things. A view I had not considered - at least
> not
> > for
> > a very long time.
> >
> > Lets see if I have this right, or at least passably close.
> >
> > I suspect you view it as being a sort of competition - almost a sporting
> > event, for the spectators on the sidelines, as it were.
> >
> > It's not about the troll (if such he be), but rather to show other
> readers
> > that he is wrong, so they will not go away feeling that the trolls
> > questions
> > were not answered, and by association feeling that all us "geeky, nerd,
> > coder
> > types" are not very helpful, and GNU/Linux is not for them.
> >
> > Mostly because the spectator may not know about trolls and such, and
> > therefore
> > needs to be clear about the points you are making about Free Software.
> >
> > Did I get that about right?
> >
> > Now please believe me, I am not trolling here. The thing is that I'm
> > almost 70
> > years old, and while I grew up with this industry, or more accurately
> this
> > industry grew up with me --in truth I helped build some of it. I also am
> > well
> > aware that the future does not belong to me.
> >
> > This just means that I also may have a considerable different take on
> some
> > things - not necessarily the 'right' or 'only' take, just one that goes
> > with
> > my personal experiences.
> >
> > So this is a very serious question --I'm just trying to see if I
> > understand
> > your point.
> >
> > If I have got it right, then it is an interesting way to look at it, and
> I
> > will want to think about that method.
> >
> > Off the top I think it is probably very accurate and applicable to
> today's
> > users. But it would be unlikely to sway me much (as one of the
> > 'spectators').
> >
> > That's what I meant about patience. For me, after the third or fourth
> > "Asked
> > and Answered", with each side becoming more heated, I lose all interest
> in
> > what ever the subject was. And just read no further.
> >
> > Which means that from that point on, anything anyone posts is lost to me
> > anyway, because I'm long gone (me, or any 'spectator' that feels the way
> I
> > do).
> >
> > But I think that I can (dimly) remember a time that I might not have
> felt
> > that
> > way --I would probably have been in there trying to make my point that
> way
> > also.
> >
> > Now I just do it differently, and it works quite well for me. But I
> > suspect...
> > well I know, that I deal with a considerably different set of
> prospective
> > new
> > to GNU/Linux converts, or potential converts, then most of you do.
> >
> > I know this because while I still build and install computer systems,
> > retirement has the advantage of allowing me to only do 100% GNU/Linux
> > systems. I just refuse to work on, install, or fix, anything else.
> >
> > So far --this year-- I've installed 14 GNU/Linux systems for people, the
> > youngest of which was 59 years old, the oldest is 83 (the person, not
> the
> > system ;).
> >
> > These are all GNU/Linux only users, no dual boot, or second computers
> > running
> > Windows. Some had an old Windows box first, and some are brand new to
> all
> > this computer/Internet stuff.
> >
> > I'm positive not one of them even knows what a blog is (they may learn -
> > or
> > not, hard to say). But they would all recognize and ignore a troll, even
> > if
> > they would not use the term 'troll' to describe such a person. So my
> > approach
> > is different.
> >
> > Not better, just different.
> >
> > And there is one other little thing my 'old' users do, that I think has
> > value.
> > They tend to be the people that buy the computers for grand-kids, etc.
> and
> > you know what system they will expect to be on the grand-kids box.
> >
> > Yep, the system they understand --which won't be Windows.
> >
> > I've been doing this for enough years now to have some of my 'people'
> from
> > years past starting to taste the anger, when they find out they can't
> > simply
> > buy a box with GNU/Linux pre-installed for a son, or daughter, or one of
> > the
> > grand-kids.
> >
> > For them the taste is bitter, for me their anger has the sweet taste of
> > success at achieving my underlying goal.
> >
> > And twice as sweet because this is beginning to change, soon finding a
> > GNU/Linux pre-installed system may be as easy as phoning Dell (or
> whatever
> > major player that is smart enough to get on the GNU/Linux bandwagon).
> >
> > While it may not (yet) be pure GNU/Linux, it will be a big step towards
> > that
> > goal.
> >
> > We will 'win' this war, as long as we all work at it as best we can.
> >
> > So keep workin' at it, any way you can. That's what I plan to do for as
> > long
> > as I can.
> >
> > D. Hensley
> > --
> > GNU/Linux is the future.
> > Join the FSF: http://www.fsf.org/register_form?referrer=4458
> > Get the Real Facts: http://BadVista.org
> >  *******************************************
> >  On Tuesday 24 April 2007 01:26 pm, Jacob Maynard wrote:
> > Even though I didn't take the comment that way, it's something we have
> to
> > watch for. If we don't we sound like the little kids in the back seat on
> a
> > long road trip. I just think that since we are trying to convince the
> > general public to switch to open source, I think that we need to
> maintain
> > our maturity and beware not to let it fall to that level. The trolls
> will
> > say their things, but we can't let questions go unanswered. Does that
> make
> > sense? I don't want there to be a question from someone who is obviously
> > baiting, and have it be the question of someone who is legitimately
> > looking for answers, then not have it answered.
> >
> > So once you beat them with proof, they will resort to the little kid in
> > the back seat. As long as our answers are legitimate, people will know
> > that the "trolls" lost.
> >
> > If we get two or three trolls actively throwing stuff out like that, and
> > we have even 8 of us actively countering with proof, we still will have
> > enough people and brainpower to thwart them. This is what the general
> > public will see. Publicity is just politics. If you play it right,
> people
> > will go with you. Then they will learn that it is better for them in the
> > long run.
> >
> > Jacob
> >
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
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> >
>
>
>
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