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Re: December 2001 Convergence
by James Crouchet on Friday June 22, 2001 @ 11:15 AM
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| I deal with enough "average users" to know that the big difference between them and most of us techies is that we get a kick out of change and they dread it. There are lots of exceptions and degrees but the single biggest complaint I hear about systems and software is that they have been changed. I suspect a lot of people would still happy using their character based WordStar in DOS if their computer had not been involuntarily upgraded 15 years ago.
My point is this: what would most speed a transition to the Linux desktop for the average user would be for the look and control of it to work exactly like that to which he is accustomed. New features would be ok so long as they were off to the side where he did not have to notice them unless he got curious. All he realy wants is a stable (i.e. unchanging) environment in which to do his tasks.
This type of thinking is anathema to those of us who develop software and systems and I believe that is what makes it so hard for many Linux advocates to grasp. Still, it is fundamental to understanding Joe Public.
I think KDE has done a good job of creating an environment that is similar enough to Windoze to allow the slightly motivated user to make the transition while still introducing a lot of UNIX type functionality. But even so, movement to Linux will continue to be a slow bleed, not a revolutionary switch (at least until we hold about 30%-40% of the market).
I think the things you mentioned will be a great help in making and keeping that bleed happen but I expect the transition to remain gradual for some time.
BTW, let me add to your list. While I very much want to reformat the fat32 partition I keep on my dual boot system and be rid of Windows for good, here are the things I can't yet replace with an Linux equivalent:
Quicken. I have GnuCash and I have tried to convert to it but my primary purpose for putting all that info into a computer is to allow me to predict my finances and for that I need support for budgeting, amortization and recurring payments.
TurboTax. And Linux or not, I suspect tax software will never be viable as anything but a commercial product. GnuCash says otherwise but I'll believe that when I see it.
Pegasus Mail. Ok, I actually have abandoned Pegasus and I do work my e-mail on Linux but not a day goes by that I don't wish for the ease of handling mail that was mine under Pegasus. I've tried lots of Linux e-mail programs and none I have found make dealing with my e-mail load as easy as Pegasus. Of course, I am a power user with e-mail lists to administer and hundreds of e-mails to process. Joe Public probably does not give a hoot about Pegasus and just wants his Outlook clone (hey, we could name it "Look Out!").
JC
-- Inertia: The property which causes a brain at rest to remain at rest while a brain in motion tends to remain in motion. |
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