[sclug] Promoting linux

[alan c]

John Barron wrote:
>  On Sunday 14 August 2005 13:19, Adam Trickett wrote:
> > The Hants-LUG have some nice FAQ content to use, see:
> >
> > http://www.hants.lug.org.uk/cgi-bin/wiki.pl?InfoPoints/LinuxInfoFlyer

[...]

>  One criticism that I have had is that there isn't anything in my
>  flyer at present that expresses the element of choice and freedom
>  that Linux allows, whether for what window manager you use, or
>  anything else that can be customized to your particular needs or
>  desire.

I think this would be a mixed blessing. My own experience of fairly 
recently coming to linux from 'doze is that the different window 
managers are a sheer confusion initially. In fact I thought they were 
notactually working properly! Oh well, I thought, this must be a 
unfinished'.
The one obvious linux selling point is the primary element of choice and 
freedom - a different os etc., many apps etc. Even alternative distros 
can be offered as examples of choice.

Window managers, gui's etc are very significant to more experienced 
users, but to an off-street punter who is just getting interested in a 
different os from 'doze, is likely to see wm choice as uneccesary 
trouble and complication. It also feeds into some points against linux 
raised by $bill - 'linux has no defined base' (my quotes).

I believe that total newbies will be more comfortable with mention of 
only one wm (kde?) - for a few months...........
-- 
alan cocks