Re: [PLUG] Advocacy

[ziggy@panix.com]

> He thinks Linux has some merit.  He'd like to learn Linux.  He won't,
> though.  Why?  Because he can't stand the Linux community.  He sees the
> Linux community as a bunch of zealots that treat Linux as a religion.

The same thing has been said of MS-DOS zealots in the early 80's that
would rather spend the weekend tweaking CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT
instead of taking a walk in the sunshine.

The same thing has been said about Macintosh users who will tell you
that they won't give up their PowerBook until you pry it from their
cold, dead fingers.

The same thing has been said about Windows because Microsoft makes
crap software that is buggy, crashes, and cares more about their bottom
line than your computing needs.  (Especially compared with other 
vendors in the industry.)

Rabid evangelism is a regrettable part of the landscape.  There is no
monopoly of zealotry when it comes to Linux/Anyone-but-Microsoft.

> My boss thinks Linux has technical merit, but won't go anywhere near it.
> Why?  The community.
> 
> Yes, those are two people.  Do you think that they're the only two?

I find fault with your sampling techniques, Mike.  Proof by induction
doesn't work when you're trying to do statistical analysis.  (Find 
one sample that proves your hypothesis; assume n samples can be made;
prove that the n+1st sample proves your hypothesis a few times; ergo 
*EVERYBODY* feels this way, with a standard 2%-5% margin of error.)

There are many people who can be described as prophets of the Anti-Bill.

There are many people who can be described as prophets of Bill.

It's not news that there are people out there who respect Microsoft
products (no matter how grudgingly) who will avoid Linux because
of zealotry.  Looks no different to me than the Macintosh zealotry
of the late 80's/early 90's.

There will always be people who avoid the latest platform because
of the zealotry of the early adopters/evangelists/advocates.  It is
not our job to convince them to use our platform.  Once the community
around Linux is large enough[*] to dwarf the zealots, those people will
start to use Linux/Not-Windows.  

It is not our job to quiet the sounds of evangelism to a level acceptable
to the boardrooms of America.  Zealotry will continue to exist, no matter
how regrettable or seemingly counterproductive to conservative minds.

> Those who loudly proclaim that Microsoft is Evil.  Those who denounce
> anyone who puts forth anything but Linux as poor, deluded fools.  The
> vocal majority of the Linux community.  They don't help promote Linux;
> they drive people away from it.

Again, the Linux faithful are not the only rabid evangelists in the
world.  I've met plenty of people who would sign over their estates
to Chairman Bill out of love and devotion to Microsoft.

I've never heard anyone say "promote windows more quitely" to those folks.

> Let me put in practical terms.  Which do you think is more motivational to
> someone who asks why you use Linux:
> 
> 1) Because it provides me with a stable OS to use on my older PC.  Plus, 
> it makes for an good development platform.

I'd remove "older".  I've ordered top-of-the-line hardware with the
express purpose of running Linux.  On multiple occasions.


Z.


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