On 03/16/2010 09:06 PM, Danny Piccirillo wrote: > On Mon, Mar 15, 2010 at 13:56, Kevin Cole <kjc...@ubuntu.com> wrote: >> On 03/11/2010 04:33 PM, Danny Piccirillo wrote: >>> For me, the main challenge in explaining FOSS is that you also have to >>> explain what software is, and how it is created. >>> >>> >>> This is exactly what i'm talking about >> >> When explaining this to people I use the analogy of a car: Many people >> drive but do not care to fine-tune their own car. Often they will know >> both the professional mechanic, and the enthusiast who can make anything >> with four wheels do something marvelous. Then I ask "What if both the >> professional and the 'hobbyist' had no permission to look under the hood? >> What if they could look -- if they paid a fee -- but could not improve upon >> the original model. What if they could not explain what they learned to >> others?" >> >> I then often throw in a bit about some of the proprietary diagnostic >> software that mechanics pay for. But, I don't have a car, don't drive and >> can only carry the analogy so far. >> >> Still, for many people a light in the brain seems to flicker in response, >> and we begin to have the glimmerings of understanding. > > I think we should aim for more than the beginning glimmerings of > understanding. Isn't there a list of promises we can make?
All well and good, but I was addressing the question "What do you do when people don't know what 'software' is?" I think the promises make sense if you're talking to a more savvy audience. -- Kevin Cole | Key ID: 0xE6F332C7 (GPG/PGP) Ubuntu Linux DC LoCo Team | WWW: http://dc.ubuntu-us.org/ Washington, D.C. (USA) | Phone: +1.202.234.0213 "Using vi is not a sin. It's a penance." -- St. IGNUcious, Church of Emacs ". ! 1 |" -- Rene Magritte's computer
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