I was reading this thread today and it got me thinking about the issue of computer technicians 'converting' customers to Linux.
Just wondering what people think of this idea. On the surface it seems appealing because of the low cost of the os (nil), its inherent resistance to malware, and its ability to run quickly on low-end hardware.
It seems to me there's more complexity though; despite its appeal to technically-minded people, it has some limitations that could present a lot of difficulty for end-users with a low geek-quotient.
We are in an industry thats basically a solutions-game. Our success (or failure) is generally measured by how effectively we solve problems presented by customers (and whether the solution itself creates new problems). There are no doubt situations where a recommendation of Linux is appropriate, but is there sometimes an element of evangelical zeal in the practice of 'conversion' by computer repair technicians which creates more problems than it solves?
There seems to be increasing enthusiasm for supporting people to change to open-source OS's. Perhaps its an opportune time to pros and cons. Personally, Id be very interested to hear experiences from those who have been down this road.
Has anyone made a Linux recommendation, and found it to be a workable solution for a customer? or not?
Just wondering what people think of this idea. On the surface it seems appealing because of the low cost of the os (nil), its inherent resistance to malware, and its ability to run quickly on low-end hardware.
It seems to me there's more complexity though; despite its appeal to technically-minded people, it has some limitations that could present a lot of difficulty for end-users with a low geek-quotient.
We are in an industry thats basically a solutions-game. Our success (or failure) is generally measured by how effectively we solve problems presented by customers (and whether the solution itself creates new problems). There are no doubt situations where a recommendation of Linux is appropriate, but is there sometimes an element of evangelical zeal in the practice of 'conversion' by computer repair technicians which creates more problems than it solves?
There seems to be increasing enthusiasm for supporting people to change to open-source OS's. Perhaps its an opportune time to pros and cons. Personally, Id be very interested to hear experiences from those who have been down this road.
Has anyone made a Linux recommendation, and found it to be a workable solution for a customer? or not?
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