[H-GEN] Scanner & Camera & USB Under Linux

[Paul Gearon]

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On Fri, 19 Apr 2002, Johann Kwiatkowski wrote:
> Frank Brand wrote:
> >  lots of ...My more than two cents worth What do you think, what
> > compelling reason is there for the 95% to change from MS?

While many people argue that having the source is invaluable (and it is)
and not being pushed around by MS is great (and it is), I willingly
concede that these issues don't matter mor almost everyone out there in
the real world.  Even the fact that there are some things that you just
can't do under Windows, but you can under Linux, isn't enough to sway most
people (after all, if they're not using Linux then they have probably
never needed to do those things).  As Frank pointed out, not even the
spectre of viruses is enough to make them move.

No, the only compelling reason that I see for most users is money.  I know
MS have been pushing their marketing hype about the total cost of
ownership for Linux, and the expensive employees needed to maintain it,
but this just doesn't come anywhere near the cost of running Windows in an
office environment.  The licence costs for every piece of software that
you're running, the upgrade costs, and the huge number of hours that
expensive MCSE employees spend trying to figure out why software doesn't
work, only to get it going on a reinstallation... these are all things
that make the cost of Linux pale into insignificance.  Look in the States
where councils who thought they were fully licensed found that they
couldn't produce the licences on demand, and ended up paying huge sums to
Microsoft.

> For myself, I cannot fully change over to linux until I can use adobe
> photoshop, illustrator and some other graphics apps under linux.
<snip>
> The way I see it, if you want people to change, you've got to offer
> something the other guy doesn't, and in the case of stuff like ms
> office, that carrot will have to be pretty big for the average user.
<snip>
> in summary it comes down to two things, applications and innovation. If
> there is the app there for people to use (eg ms office on a mac, I think
> it would have been bad for macs if office wasn't availalble for it),
> they'll use it, and if its a new can cool idea people will be tempted to
> try it
<snip>

I agree that people won't change unless there's a compelling reason to do
so.  Just saying that Linux "does all that" isn't good enough.  That's why
I figure you can sell them on price.  While you've got them listening, it
wouldn't hurt to convince them about the security of the system either,
but since most people don't know what security is then that's more of a
bonus than any real selling point.

However, if the applications aren't there, then it won't happen.  It's
that simple.  Whether it's the grammar checker in your word processor, or
the colour mapping in your graphics package, if you don't have it then the
users won't be interested.  I think Linux is there for a lot of people,
but I know that it doesn't do everything for everyone yet.  Macs are in a
similar position.  I know a few graphic designers who are dying to move
over to OSX, but won't until Adobe get their act into gear.

In the meantime, those whose needs are currently met by Linux (and I know
that's not everyone) have a good financial reason to move.

Regards,
Paul Gearon

Software Engineer                Telephone:   +61 7 3876 2188
Plugged In Software              Fax:         +61 7 3876 4899
http://www.PIsoftware.com        PGP Key available via finger

Catapultam habeo. Nisi pecuniam omnem mihi dabis, ad caput tuum saxum
immane mittam.
(Translation from latin: "I have a catapult. Give me all the money,
or I will fling an enormous rock at your head.")



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