New article in the Economist criticizing Linux usability

[charles chris]

Well I am going to do my part to help deploy Linux.  However, I need the
help of others.

I envision weekly deployments onto 2 dozen machines. That's 1, 248
deployments annually.  If all local groups could match this pace then 1
million Linux deployments is possible annually nationally or throughout
North America.

I believe weekly 10am - 10pm, 12 hour shifts should produce 24 Linux
deployments onto computers brought in by the general public.
These Linux deployments would be offered as free computer repairs.

That's 1 million new Linux users each year!

So far I have deployed Linux onto 4 computers (1 mac and 3 PCs) belonging
to 4 different paying customers.  Feedback so far has been positive!

Remember my image of Linux is barely 30 days old!

Another high growth usage market would be Africa, the Caribbean, China,
India, etc.

On Thu, Apr 5, 2012 at 1:30 PM, D. Hugh Redelmeier <hugh-pmF8o41NoarQT0dZR+AlfA at public.gmane.org> wrote:

> | From: charles chris <cccharlz-Re5JQEeQqe8AvxtiuMwx3w at public.gmane.org>
>
> | The usage of Linux can be greatly increased by providing an easy
> | deployment method to computer stores, recyclers and non profits like
> | Free Geek Toronto and Computers for schools in Mississauga.
>
> This is the second message where you seem to be saying:
>
> 1) "what Linux needs is X"
>
> 2) as if that were the answer to the problems listed in the Economist
>   column
>
> 3) where X is already the case
>
> Perhaps you need to phrase your answers in the form of a question
> "Does Linux have X?".
>
> As I understand it, Free Geek does deploy Linux on their used
> computers.
>
> | Many computer stores do NOT load Windows on used computers because
> | they cannot afford the license fees.
>
> I don't know.  Used computers aren't that common in stores -- new
> computers are so inexpensive now and old computers are usually weaker
> / obsolete.
>
> There are a few places that sell off-lease computers.  They don't load
> OSes because it is labour intensive (off lease computers that I've
> bought usually have stickers with Windows licenses).
>
> |  Recyclers and non profit
> | organizations like Computers for Schools in Mississauga and Reboot
> | Canada should deploy Linux onto the computers they donate or sell.
>
> I think that they do.  It scares Microsoft enough that they have a
> program for cheap or free licenses for some operations like this just
> to crowd out Linux.
>
> | Also, good support is needed to help people with Linux boxes install
> | peripherals.
>
> Labour intensive!
>
> These days, skilled labour to deal with that kind of random minutae
> would seriously increase the cost of a used computer.
>
> The arithmetic of recycling most things is like this.  When producing
> a computer in the first place, the runs are 10k to a million (pure
> guess), resulting in economies of scale.  With recycling computers, you are
> lucky if you get any run at all.  Think of Walmart vs Value Village --
> the run lengths have drastic effects.
>
> The hardest computers to deal with are the most worthless: the oldest.
> Although I use computers that are a dozen years old, it makes no
> practical sense to redeploy a machine older than perhaps four years
> old.  As a hobby, the rules are different (my oldest hobby computer is
> approaching 40 years old; older if you count my sliderules).
>
> There are stores that sell used Macs.  I think that this is viable because
>
> 1) the Mac world has much less diversity than the PC world
>
> 2) Macs retain their value much more than PCs
>
> 3) the stores selling used computers gain an edge selling new ones
>   since they can offer to take the old ones in trade.
>
> | I believe my method of deploying operating systems onto standalone
> | computers is most efficient.  See http://drpcdr.ca/LMLXDE.pdf
>
> A pretty strong claim.  Since you haven't even enumerated let alone
> discussed other methods, I find that hard to credit.
>
> Do you know the other methods?  Heard of Kickstart?  PXE booting?  Live
> Fedora or Ubuntu CDs?  And there are plenty more.
> --
> The Toronto Linux Users Group.      Meetings: http://gtalug.org/
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>



-- 
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