RE: [OT] Debian advocacy for Smart but Scared People With Lives
Totally makes sense all you said.
I have continued to be a primary Windows user with little thought of
changing over to using a Unix workstation, even though I have had them
before and am familiar with a lot of the trappings and what can and can't be
done. I viewed my approach as pretty powerful since I was able to utilize
the strengths of both platforms and minimize weaknesses.
Only now, am I really considering migrating completely away from Windows.
This is for two main reasons.
A) Not just the security issues of a windows environment (any piece of
software is likely to have exploitable bugs) but MS's handlings of these
issues and the problems that occur when trying to patch your system.
B) There are more than enough tools available in the open source environment
that there are options for all of the critical apps that I use frequently
that are actually quality choices. The only time I should need to boot into
Windows is when working with a vendor or content provider that has not
bothered to make sure that their site or software works on all platforms.
I have made the decision to stop updating my XP system automatically. I am
very leary of SP2. I know, as a system administrator, that an unpatched
system is going to bite you big sooner or later. So, in my eyes, the option
of migrating over to Linux and getting acquainted with all new applications
and rebuilding the way I work is much more attactive and has more long term
viability than trying to maintain my various Windows machines.
These same issues really apply to everyone who uses Microsoft products. In
order to survive, Microsoft is going to have reduce the cost and worry
associated with keeping a windows box up to date and also provide the fixes
necessary to keep them up to date. Despite their announcements that
security was going to be on the forefront for them, their implementations
have been clumsy and heavy handed.
As the Linux workstation grows in popularity, which it will, people's
evaluation of the equation between cost of migration vs. hassle of dealing
with Microsoft will tip.
It will be a bit of a sales job to get people to see the dangers and hassles
associated with dealing with a platform that has a sort of 'damned if you
do, damned if you don't' feel to its update procedures. They may not have
enough knowledge to see how hampered they are and how much better a
computing experience could be. A lot of people won't see it and you may
have to let them flounder until they realize they deserve more.
I hope my little dissertation helps.
Joe
-----Original Message-----
From: William Ballard [mailto:nospam_40811@alltel.net]
Sent: Thursday, October 21, 2004 12:28 PM
To: debian-user@lists.debian.org
Subject: Re: [OT] Debian advocacy for Smart but Scared People With Lives
On Thu, Oct 21, 2004 at 12:16:21PM -0700, Gilbert, Joseph wrote:
> session and found that KDE had autodetected my sound card.
You may want to
> have them give Sarge a try. It may be a lot easier than even
you suspect...
> keep in mind, that is a may. :-)
This isn't a technical thing, so much as a motivation thing. I
actually
remember the 3-4 years I was aware of things like "apt-get" and
"Debian"
and "Microsoft Security bugs" and just couldn't be bothered to switch.
I remember exactly what went through my mind: (1) I already know how to
do cool things, it's scary to stop doing the cool things I already know
how to do; (2) even if it's cool, why should I work so hard when I'm
already cool and know how to run things like CygWin?; (3) why
don't them
wierd Linux people just get a job like me and get an MSDN subscription;
I've got all the stuff I need for free; why do I care?
And I spent a month getting all Debian's eyecandy and hardware
acceleration working. And mutt was ridiculous at first compared to
Outlook. Now of course, I see the world very differently, but I just
don't know how to make someone else motivated to make this leap of
faith.
Of course they'll like it -- but they just need to be nudged. And I
don't want to piss them off by making them do something they don't want
to do.
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