[Sussex] July moot

[linux at oneandoneis2.org]

Quoting Nic James Ferrier <nferrier at tapsellferrier.co.uk>:

> For the life of me I can't see what is contoversial or wrong with the
> statement:
>
> Linux is perfect in absolutely all ways and you're daft not to
> switch [from Windows]
>
> because in comparison to Windows it is perfect /8->

Oh, you've had a go on Vista too? ;o)

> Also, that is not really the point about why you should switch. You
> should switch because software should be free. If we don't fight to
> make it free then our computers will become like our cars... closed
> systems that can have their behaviour changed without our consent and
> only do what the manufacturer has preconfigured them to do.

That's true. Perfectly true.

The trouble is, many people seem to prefer those closed systems. Take  
cars - they have Free Software equivalents: Kit cars.

There's huge advantages in buying a kit car: They're substantially  
cheaper to buy, cheaper to run, and more environmentally friendly.  
They're much less susceptible to corrosion than production cars, and  
you can even buy them pre-assembled for less money than a comparable  
production car - and yet they're still a niche market.

It appears people would rather spend more money on an inferior but  
familiar product than even find out if there *are* alternatives. An  
extreme example: most people buy a Ferrari supercar because they want  
a really fast car. It defies logic, when the fastest supercar in the  
world is the Ultima GTR - a kit car. Which can be had for £20,000 or  
so - try buying a new Ferrari for that!

(I'd like to build a kit myself, but living in a 2nd storey flat it's  
not really an option right now ;o)

Most people seem to prefer a car they have to return to the dealer to  
get fixed (for a fee!) when it breaks over a car they can repair  
themselves. Same often goes for computers: They don't care that they  
can't tinker with the software, because they wouldn't tinker with it  
even if they were given the opportunity.

Freedom can be a tough sell when people get institutionalised.

Hmmm... I seem to have rambled on rather more than I was intending to.  
Sorry about that.

The point I was trying to make is just that there are some people who  
are never going to be interested in switching to something new, even  
if it is demonstrably better in every single way.

Hopefully, in a few more years, ReactOS will be ready to take over  
these people's needs - at the current showing, it'll be ready before  
Vista is ;o)