[sclug] Promoting linux

[John Barron]

On Tuesday 16 August 2005 08:40, alan c wrote:
> 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...........

That is the reason why I have not put that in as yet - not unless I can find a 
neat, succinct, and understandable way to express it to the target audience.

For a similar reason I am minded to revert back to bluntly stating that Linux 
is not affected by viruses, rather than trying to be too clever about it, as 
I currently have it. That, I see, is what the Ubuntu folks have done on the 
case the free CD's come in - they just simply say "... free of viruses ...".

-- 
John Barron