[UUG/MLUG] getting Linux to the "million idiots"

[Mike Miller <EMAIL:PROTECTED>]

On Fri, 10 Dec 1999, Jason McIntosh wrote:

[snip]
> I'm not complaining that Linux is getting all this attention, but I
> think that in reality, as of right now there is this huge focus on it,
> but people need to realize that it is still early in the phase of
> development for a general, million idiot user release, imho that is.
[snip]


That's what everyone is saying, and there's plenty of truth to it.  It
seems to me though that the million idiots don't really know how to use
Win NT/95/98 OSs either.  One member of this list put Linux to the "mom
test" (or something like that) -- a test to see if his computer-illiterate
mom could run Linux instead of Win, and it turned out that she could, and
it was easier for him because it didn't crash so often.  The so-called
"million idiots" depend on other people (usually people like us) to tell
them what to buy and to make things work for them.  This is very
important.  If the more sophisticated users move to Linux, others will be
forced to follow.  You can point and click just as well in Linux as in
Win.

Another big plus:  Linux and related programs are usually free.  So users
don't have to pay for the software and they can afford to pay someone to
make it work.  Linux afficionados are often deeply committed to promoting
Linux, so they will do what it takes to get their friends using it.

There are still many issues to deal with.  New software on CD will not
always be available for Linux.  Users who want to use a lot of fancy
devices with their computers might not be able to get those things working
under Linux.  But many things are just as easy in Linux as in Win.

So I do think Linux or similar OS will eventually dominate.  Sure it's
just starting, but the pace of acceleration is huge.  I'm very upbeat
about Linux.  Remember the book "Internet Snakeoil" from about 1995?  
What a joke!  Why did the author believe the internet wasn't going
anywhere?  Because he liked the feel of the wooden card catalogues in the
local library.  This got him on NPR and in all the newspapers.  This
proves that someone will always take the losing side in any debate!

Regards,

Mike

-- 
Michael B. Miller
University of Missouri--Columbia
http://taxa.psyc.missouri.edu/~mbmiller/