Re: When Will GNU/Linux Be Ready for Joe User?

[Don Parris]

Simon wrote:

> I'm doing a survey.
>
> When do you think GNU/Linux will be ready for the average Joe?  What
> obstacles must it overcome first?
>  
My book, "Penguin in the Pew", discusses how religious and non-profit 
groups can deploy Linux in their organizations right now.  Some churches 
and NPOs could literally switch overnight.  Some would need to migrate 
more slowly.  But it's "ready for the average Joe" right now.  Our 
church's computer training ministry is largely Linux-based.  Students 
actually get cross-trained between MS and Linux OS/applications.  In 
other words, when they learn OpenOffice.org Writer, they also learn MS 
Word.  They learn to look for help from the on-line help system before 
running to the tech support batphone.

One school district, I've recently learned, is using Linux heavily.  
Health First, a Florida organization, is moving MS out the door.  I saw 
another post I can readily agree with - Linux should be ready about 
mid-2002.

The problem many people face is getting advice from people who have 
never used Linux.  Typically, organizations will ask the most computer 
literate person they have about Linux - when they hear about it.  The 
person they ask frequently has no experience with Linux, and often, very 
little admin experience with Windows.  These sages simply stick to what 
they know.  One deacon said he asked a Windows guy on his job about 
Linux.  He was told "Linux isn't quite there yet".  At the time, I had 
been using Mandrake Linux 8.0, and knew better than the deacon or his 
guru about Linux' capabilities.  Quite possibly, the "guru" had rread 
articles.  Most of the gurus on my day job know about Linux through 
reading magazines and web sites.  They have little real experience with it.

Incidentally, you can download "Penguin in the Pew" from   
http://matheteuo.org/
Assuming you're not a troll, you should find that quite helpful.