[Tfug] Waste-Not Warehouse - was(Computer Recycling)

[Harry McGregor]

On Wed, 2003-11-05 at 08:22, Tyler wrote:
> The point that always gets missed in these arguments is the audience.
> 
> In this case, by "audience," I mean the intended recipient of the machine.  In
> this case, we are discussing someone that would receive a computer from
> a charity organization.  This person isn't going to have an opinion on the
> "evil" Microsoft corporation.  He or she may have little or no computer 
> experience.
> He or she may have been turned down for a job or promotion based on the lack
> of those skills.  He or she needs those skills to enter/re-enter the work 
> force.

I can understand the work force argument, as these systems are being
used for "vocational" education.

> Let's face it, even a modern X-based GUI is cumbersome for most neophytes.

I do not agree with this.  Many users I have dealt with have done better
with KDE and GNOME than with windows, as far as using the system goes.

This includes every one from a large group of K-5 students, all the way
to teachers at a national educational computing convention.

K12ltps.org sponsored the only fully functional email garden in the
place, as both Apple and Gateway tried to do everything with wireless,
and with over 30 different SSIDs on the show floor, it did not work
well.

> Then there is the issue of software.  Being able to use Star Office and X 
> doesn't
> translate well to the poor person receiving the machine who will need to 
> develop
> skills in Microsoft Word under Windows to find that job or get promoted.

The donation listed was for Microsoft Operating Systems.  I did not see
any mention of MS Office.

Abilities and concepts learned with OpenOffice.org or Sun StarOffice do
translate to Microsoft Office quite well.

> I think all us UNIX and UNIX-Like OS fans need to be realistic about
> the level of technical ability in the population as well as the level of
> sophistication required in an OS to support that population.

I have never been an advocate for GNU/Linux on the home desktop for this
reason.  Most people can't support windows in any way shape or form. 
Just look at the issues that have come up once the "home" market was
moved to a real network aware OS base (NT based XP-home), you have worms
such as blaster attacking the home user that just does not need it.

My current recommendation for a "home" computer is Apple and MacOS-X.

GNU/Linux is ready for the managed desktop, but not the unmanaged.  It's
perfect in a large scale educational or corporate environment, if the
applications permit.

> I proselytize UNIX over Windows on most days in the world of servers, so
> what I say is born of customer-related technology experience and not
> some sort of pro-Microsoft propaganda.  I think there's definitely a reason 
> that Red Hat is going commercial, and it's not all greed.
> 
> The home UNIX product line is, quite simply, not ready for the masses.

Correct, it's not ready for the home desktop, with the exception of what
Apple has done.

Unix is ready for the desktop, and I don't like what RedHat is doing,
mostly because it will hurt their name recognition.  Instead of hacking
with RedHat Linux at home, and then wanting to use RedHat ES at work,
these users will end up using Fedora or Debian at home, and probably not
associate it with RedHat and the expanded CYA abilities of the ES
product (the it's not my fault possibilities).

Of course, since I don't touch RedHat I probably should not be
talking...

			Harry 

> ---
> # Tyler Kilian, CCNP, SCSA
> # Technology Director, Dakota Communications
> # TKilian at DakotaCom.NET | 520.745.3900 x 100
> 
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--
Harry McGregor, CEO, Co-Founder
Hmcgregor at osef.org, (520) 661-7875 (CELL)
Open Source Education Foundation, http://www.osef.org
A non-profit tax exempt charitable organization