Quoting norman <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>: > >> Interesting thoughts, I don't agree, but then again, I think that he >> may be a fan of MS to the point where he will not change. It is my >> belief that people who hold the same beliefs as Peter are not the >> people we should be targeting and trying to convert, it's the ones who >> have doubts about MS and it's functionality. > > Excuse me for butting in but since when has it been our purpose to > convert people. Help, yes; encourage, yes; but convert sounds a bit too > much like the inquisition for me.
OK, may be "convert" was a bit strong, maybe I should have used the words "open the eyes" instead... ;o) >> >> Go for the easy win and quietly build up the client base, then attack >> with the statistics that x number of users are more at home and more >> productive with Ubuntu that Vista... > > We get no brownie points for introducing folk to Ubuntu so why the need > for attack and win, why the belligerency? I enjoy Ubuntu, I enjoy the > cut and thrust on this group but the rest I am prepared to leave to > Canonical. Fair enough. Personally, I feel that Linux is something that we should be helping promote. I may not get so called "brownie points" for introducing people to Ubuntu, but I do get a lot out of helping people discover open-source: 1) The feeling that you've helped someone resolve an issue without costing them money 2) The ability to take part in such an active community and learn huge amounts about people's viewpoints on why they use this software. 3) The opportunity to meet new people and possible business contacts 4) The chance to spend some of the little free time that I have giving something back to the community that has helped me so much over the last seven years. I could probably list a few more things if I thought about it, however my main aim with open-source is not to "preach to the choir" as it were, but rather help those who need computers to give themselves and their families/friends a better start in the digital age where all essays and papers from primary-school to doctorates need to be typed up. Linux and Open Source is not, in my view, about whether to use KDE/GNOME/Vi/Emacs/Windows/Linux/etc. but about enabling people to be more productive at a lesser financial cost. That is why I support the Linux movement and intend to continue to contribute for many years to come. Regards, Matt. -- Matthew Macdonald-Wallace Group Co-Ordinator Thanet Linux User Group http://www.thanet.lug.org.uk/ [EMAIL PROTECTED] GPG KEY: http://pgp.mit.edu:11371/pks/lookup?op=get&search=0xFEA1BC16 -- ubuntu-uk@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-uk https://wiki.kubuntu.org/UKTeam/