On 12/11/2011 05:37 PM, Hans Witvliet wrote:
On Sun, 2011-12-11 at 22:02 +0100, karl-heinz_tm wrote:
From my experience with colleagues and family who all use / have used Linux to various degrees, there are a few very simple reasons why most (at least partly) cling to Microsoft:
1) Windows is free of charge to them because it is preinstalled on every consumer-grade PC, so there is no value to them in Linux being free. I have even had people discounting building their own PC and rather take 2nd-best and buy from the store because they would have to buy (and install) Windows separately on the DIY box.
2) Windows is preinstalled while Linux requires a separate installation (with a risk of destroying whatever they have on Windows). This is a close to unsurmountable hurdle to average computer users who not only do not know the Linux terminology which is often different to what they know from Windows, but more often than not they don't even know what a partition is so can't even make choices from the very simplest installer.
3) Everybody has Windows, and they don't want to miss out on the coolest or hottest download out there that their buddies tell them about. They do not (want to) understand the concept of SW repositories, and don't mind downloading and installing crap from even the most untrusted websites (which is quite different from the way SW is installed in Linux). If that ruins their Windows installation, there is always a friend who is a "Windows expert" and fixes their problem / reinstalls Windows for them.
4) They use software for which they believe there is no equivalent in Linux. Most of the time, it is sufficient for them to maintain that believe that they do not see a Linux version of their SW (but unfortunately in some cases they may be right).
5) There is a perception of Linux being complicated, and the only "big" distribution that I know that helps them getting started with Linux based on their computer skills and Windows background is Ubuntu. Most other distros are made by Linuxers for Linuxers, and will only leave our Windows folks frustrated, with their Linux preconceptions being confirmed.
6) Given that everyone uses Windows and noone uses Linux, it must be true that Windows is better and Linux is - at best - something for geeks.
There may be more but that's my main experience. One thing is for sure,however: many people would be prepared to try Linux if they had to purchase Windows at extra cost, but as has been said in other posts, that is prevented by M$'s illegal practice of enforcing bundling of new computers with Windows.
Indeed, as i stated before, windows-free new computers aren't available for the general public.
For every PC sold, it should be an add-on options, with a price tag.
Also, MS's exploits go back to the DOS days, before Windows ever got popular. In the beginning, how 'Windows' got started. Despite the efforts of the PC makers to stay with DOS, Microsoft pressured them to install Windows. In some reports, Microsoft would even put 'agreements' on the makers that they would have to pay for each copy of the windows operating system, whether or not they actually install it. AND, Most of you may have heard of IBM's OS/2. After Microsoft broke away from IBM on the project, IBM kept going with it and had plans to make it a very aggressive competitor against Windows. After gaining major ground and becoming a serious threat to Microsoft, they put a plan in place to stifle development on the platform. They forced software developers to sign agreements that if they wrote software for the Windows platform, they could not write (or port) the same software to any other platform. So after the OS/2 software market not gaining any ground, IBM decided to throw in the towel and starting to drop support of the product. Keeping a history of MS's tactics since 1994: http://www.hechlerpianoandorgan.com/other/microsoft.html Duaine -- Duaine Hechler Piano, Player Piano, Pump Organ Tuning, Servicing& Rebuilding Reed Organ Society Member Florissant, MO 63034 (314) 838-5587 dahechler@att.net www.hechlerpianoandorgan.com -- Home& Business user of Linux - 11 years -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org To contact the owner, e-mail: opensuse+owner@opensuse.org