Yes, my comment about "vested interest" was also in irony. :-) On Wed, 2007-01-03 at 18:32 -0500, Michael Wiktowy wrote: > On 1/3/07, Robert F. Chapman <robert_chapman@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > > I have encountered these same road-blocks, as well as, the support > > "card". I would have to agree with the masses though, as where most > > other consumer OS / applications are geared toward Multi-Media, and > > Linux distributions / applications are still a bit behind in this area. > > Out of the box, most Linux distros don't support Mpeg/MP3/Dvix etc... > > I have heard this argument before but I have yet to install a Windows > system that does much "out of the box". Maybe the Media Editions of > Windows has extra codecs pre-loaded but the standard install is bare > bones ... a braindead word processor, media player and image editor. > Admittedly, all the bells and whistles can be easily found for Windows > (mostly for a price) but they can also be found for Linux (mostly for > free). Also, the standard Linux install comes with many many apps that > typically get installed with no user intervention other than saying > they want a Desktop type install. So this argument doesn't hold much > water with me. > > > If a vested interest is the issue, charge the user $300.00 for the > > distro and put the money back into projects / marketing / support to > > improve Linux. Redhat already does this, but it's market is directed > > toward SERVERS and not consumers. > > I am not sure that this is the ideal solution as Linux being free (as > in cost) is one of its many selling features. I was just pointing out > the irony that it is also a liability in some situations. > > > The best way to sway the end-user is to show them the goods. Set-up a > > system and show them what it can do. > > Yup ... a very good plan. I keep a LiveCD with me always. It is from a > competing distro but to co-opt a phrase: "a rising tide lifts all > boats". Even so, it is a quantum leap between showing something > working nicely on your system and having them allow you to do it to > theirs due to the psychological factors I mentioned before. > > *shrug* I don't have a good solution. Maybe MS will shoot itself in > the foot with Vista causing people to be more open to alternatives > when the are migrating from XP. I am seeing a huge flood to OSX due to > Apple marketing though. Maybe some talented Linux advocates can make > up some viral ads. > > In any case, I feel that the solution is getting less and less > technical and more and more political/social/psychological ... you > know ... the typical geek strongholds. ;] > > /Mike >
