[tlug] Adoption of Linux

[steven smith <sjs@example.com>]

This is really a response to the Free/Supporting Linux
threads.  I'm probably stating the obvious below, but...

I've been watching my family around computer use for a while
now.  I'm one of the oldest cousins with about 60 first,
second and third cousins and (once upon a time) 14 aunts and
uncles.  The trend I've been seeing is away from XP and
Vista and over to Apple, but no one has been moving to
Linux.  Actually (with a few exceptions) most don't even
know what an operating system is, but one aunt and uncle,
most of the first cousins and all the younger cousins are
functional with computers.

The cost of Windows/Mac OSX is irellevent to them -- they're
not buying an operating system with a computer -- they're
buying a box that allows them to IM their friends, buy music
from iTunes, email, BLOG, Chat, do their homework, etc.

Most of my cousins wouldn't even think of installing another
OS over their current operating system.  It does what they
want it to do and they're happy.  They're moving away from
Microsoft because windows is kluge and they know it.  And
they're moving to Apple because Apple makes better use of
the resources on the computer, not 'cause they hate
Microsoft.  Also, the Mac interface has lots of eye-candy.
It's a cool interface.  But with the exception of geeks like
us, they're moving away from old boxes to new ones.

Until people can walk into a store and pick up a box with
the functionality they want and a box that their friends
also use and like and that happens to run Linux, Linux won't
be used by most people.

I was so excited about the $150 Linux laptop because
something like that is what it will take to get the masses
to adopt Linux.

What is interesting to me is that now days, Linux has name
recognition -- all my cousins know about it.  It's just too
complicated and you have to install it yourself.  It's --
you know -- geeky :)

Steve S.