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List:       kde-promo
Subject:    Re: Licensing (Was: [kde-promo] What's the community up to?)
From:       Tom Chance <lists () tomchance ! org ! uk>
Date:       2004-12-09 10:49:35
Message-ID: 200412091049.36217.lists () tomchance ! org ! uk
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On Thursday 09 Dec 2004 03:21, Alex Nordstrom wrote:
> Ordinary users panic when confronted with new programs, but they do get
> used to them. Confront them with a full set of new applications, an
> entire new desktop environment, and a different underlying operating
> system and they *will* hit a wall. Smooth migration is a must for
> mortals. (And I include myself in that. Firefox, Thunderbird, Gimp, and
> Open Office helped me switch to Linux. I now run KMail and a lot of
> other KDE programs, but I'm happy that I could choose not to make that
> adjustment as well at the same time.)

But the point is: who will switch to a different OS once they have Firefox, \
 Thunderbird, The GIMP, Open Office, maybe VNC and Zinf?

Why will people switch from Windows to a Free operating system? Either \
because  they're technically minded and appreciate all the various benefits \
(perceived  security, price, freedom for techies, etc.), OR because a \
friend or family  member switched them, OR because they bought the computer \
with that OS on.

I don't know very many people who would let me switch their copy of Windows \
 for, say, GNU/Linux once they have Firefox, Thunderbird and VNC installed. \
 What will they gain? They already have enough security in their net apps, \
and  the features they need. Now imagine if you bring the whole application \
suite  over... why would they bother? Bear in mind that I have very few \
techie  friends; the majority of my friends find it amazing that web sites \
are hosted  on real computers somewhere ;-)

Conversely the only thing that keeps my parents and brother happy with \
having  made the switch, given that some little semi-replaceable \
proprietary apps  don't work, is that they have Digikam, amarok and (since \
I switched them  before I was around to put it onto Windows) Firefox! They \
didn't need the  convenience of app continuity because they only had to \
move from IE->Firefox  and MS Office->OpenOffice. Maybe a _little_ \
continuity would help in a big  office with lots of apps, but let's not \
fall under the illusion that it's  necessary.

Aaron is absolutely right: if you remove the application advantage, you \
remove  all the big reasons to switch, unless you're technically minded.

IMO we are better off working on, and promoting, technologies that really \
will  help us migrate people from Windows. I'm talking about things like \
Exchange  connectivity, proprietary format compatability, letting \
development shops use  Qt+MinGW to develop Windows apps under GNU/Linux, \
and so on.

Obviously we shouldn't stop people from developing Windows ports. But I \
think  it would be a massive mistake for resources, especially from \
kde-promo, to go  into a porting effort. It would completely undermine us.

Regards,
Tom
 
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