[Wylug-discuss] Wylug-discuss Digest, Vol 66, Issue 4

[Simon Whiteley]

After reading the comments so far I see a lot of presumtion about computer 
users not being able to make choices or not wanting to make choices.  To many 
people the discovery that they do indeed have a choice is an epiphany and they 
look at their computer with a new appreciation that there are alternatives to 
Microsoft, not just that there are free software alternatives but that other 
pay to use software is available.

I also would like to add that at no point did I say that ONLY GNU/Linux 
software should be promoted or that only free open sourced software should be 
listed.  I do believe in a completely 'open market', but this 'open market' 
should not preclude free software just because it has no price.

As for saying that the average user doesn't want to compile software, this 
just doesn't wash, the average Microsoft user that I have experience of simply 
clicks OK until something happens, be it good or bad.  The average linux user 
usually understands that they may need to use the software installer for their 
distribution to enable the functionallity.  Other software users I know will 
simply deny themselves of this source of information by refusing to install 
anything from any source.  I personally use the tools that KDE supply with 
their desktop and these are already entirely usable 'out of the box' with no 
'you need to install this to look at this' step necessary..

All the best,

Simon Whiteley.