Linux Conversion Techniques

[crabbypup]

i have converted quite a few. in fact, i make money doing it.
i usually install mint because it looks more friendly than ubuntu and i find it easier to work with. not to mention it plays mp3's out of the box.
i usually convert customers after their pc has become infected with viruses or they become frustrated that their pc is really slow and that nothing makes it better.
i copy all their documents onto a spare drive for temporary storage, boot the pc into the live disk and let them try it out for a bit. when they are happy with the operation, i install it for them, installing any useful packages and putting all their data back on. hand the pc back to the user and do a follow up; basically giving them a tour of their new pc and showing them how to do certain things. finally, make sure that you answer any questions they have and then let them go.
in a few days, talk to them again and ask them how it is going. if they have problems they will usually tell you. make sure they have a way to contact you and be ready for any phone calls that may come through in the following weeks. make sure that if they need you that you are there to lend assistance and walk them through the first few months of usership.

I have converted 4 users and influenced 2 of my teachers to use linux in this way. I have been using linux as my primary OS for a bit over a year now, but i have been using linux on and off for about 4 years on various architectures and varying ages/spec of machines from a power mac G3 @ 450mhz to my current athlon dual core laptop. I know I have a lot to learn still, but i use my pc in ways that force me to learn faster just because I need to learn in order to fix my system, on which i use quite a bit of 'alpha' and 'daily build' software, which sometimes cause it to break.

[sotolf]

I converted my grandparents to Linux after their identity had been stolen (we had caught viri on their system before). Haven't converted anyone else.

viruses
^ A Dictionary of Modern English Usage (1950) H. W. Fowler, Oxford University Press

and shouldn't it be virii if it was latin?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plural_for ... ing_in_-us
interesting discussion though

[notriddle]

I converted my grandparents to Linux after their identity had been stolen (we had caught viri on their system before). Haven't converted anyone else.

viruses
^ A Dictionary of Modern English Usage (1950) H. W. Fowler, Oxford University Press

and shouldn't it be virii if it was latin?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plural_for ... ing_in_-us
interesting discussion though

Thanks.

[windigo]

I converted my grandparents to Linux after their identity had been stolen (we had caught viri on their system before). Haven't converted anyone else.

viruses
^ A Dictionary of Modern English Usage (1950) H. W. Fowler, Oxford University Press

and shouldn't it be virii if it was latin?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plural_for ... ing_in_-us
interesting discussion though

Thanks.

I think it's fascinating that the grammar police are a self-regulating organization.

But indeed, I will hopefully be converting Mom for the same reasons; no identity theft yet, but I'd like to keep it that way.

If only I could get my rotten little brothers to move out, and to take their itunes with them - that's the only thing blocking the process.

[notriddle]

If only I could get my rotten little brothers to move out, and to take their itunes with them - that's the only thing blocking the process.

Have they ever downloaded "free" content and had it vanish on them? I've seen movie trailers do that (it's what got MY mom to move from OSX).

[windigo]

If only I could get my rotten little brothers to move out, and to take their itunes with them - that's the only thing blocking the process.

Have they ever downloaded "free" content and had it vanish on them? I've seen movie trailers do that (it's what got MY mom to move from OSX).

Not yet... but I'll keep that in mind. Even if it doesn't happen on it's own, I'm sure something can be... arranged...

[windigo]

I usually wait until the inevitable "...but why do they give it away for free?" before I give my easy-to-digest Free software explanation.

Good grief, man, spill the beans! Easy to digest?! What? I need these words of yours!

I try to keep it short, relevant, and to the point. Something along the lines of "Free software, like freedom-free, means that the code that makes your programs work is available for everybody. We can make sure those programs are safe, fix problems, and make improvements."

If I'm talking to somebody who's afraid of computers, I usually switch the "available for everybody" to "available to geeks like me" so they don't think they have to pour through computer code themselves to use it.

[B1ackcr0w]

I have no evidence to support this, but I think it's a pretty good theory. If you are going to pitch Linux (whether informally to a mate, or on a bigger scale at work), Sell it on it's own merit. In other words, I think it's a mistake to try and sell it against Windows.

My theory is based upon the thought that it's going to be a kick in the spuds for a windows user to point out to them that they've paid for something inferior. Pointing out somebody's mistakes can't be the best way of selling something to them.

Aside from that, I tend to demonstrate Synaptic and let the implications of the packaging and repository system dawn on them

[mjjzf]

People are always frustrated and looking for other ideas. Live CDs are an extremely powerful tool for showing people what is possible - even if they are not interested at first, they will remember the more elegant solutions.
Also, any way you slice it, the Linux distributions are still the best medicine against hardware getting obsolete - I have done no end of Linux installs on machines saying "look, if you are going to retire it anyway, why not see if it will run something fun?"

As for the support-is-less-free-than-the-product, I usually compare it to cell phones - how the product is almost free because the service is the source of revenue. People get that completely.

[windigo]

I have no evidence to support this, but I think it's a pretty good theory. If you are going to pitch Linux (whether informally to a mate, or on a bigger scale at work), Sell it on it's own merit. In other words, I think it's a mistake to try and sell it against Windows.

My theory is based upon the thought that it's going to be a kick in the spuds for a windows user to point out to them that they've paid for something inferior. Pointing out somebody's mistakes can't be the best way of selling something to them.

Aside from that, I tend to demonstrate Synaptic and let the implications of the packaging and repository system dawn on them

I think that's a very important point - people are much more receptive if you're being positive about Linux than if you're trying to tear down what they use. Besides, like B1ackcr0w said; Linux can stand on it's own.