Too much advocacy

On Tuesday 25 October 2005 19:05, zekolas stood up and spoke the following words to the mbuttes incomp.os.linux.advocacy...:

True, but sadly enough, that won't stop them. I generally try to warn people of whom I think they won't succeed. That is why I keep on stressing that GNU-Linux isn't Windows and never was intended as a replacement for Windows.

They need education, and if they can't be bothered, then we can only try advocating using FOSS alternatives for proprietary software, even if only because of better security or stability features.

People seem to accept that.

Uhuh...

Yes, see my first paragraph.

Again, see my first paragraph. One of the first advocacy posts I've made here was exactly about the technical differences between GNU-Linux and Windows.

I always make sure that I explain adequately to people that GNU-Linux is not an alternative to Windows, that it looks and feels quite differently and that it requires some technical insight.

If I see that this will be a problem, I will tell people to stick with Windows, and I will advise them Free & Open Source Software alternatives to existing Windows applications such as MS Office.

There are two aspects to it all: GNU-Linux as an operating system, and the concepts of Free & Open Source Software. The first is technical, the second is political.

I also point out the third aspect - which does matter to many people, especially those from the overpriced Windows-world - namely that most Free & Open Source Software is also gratis.

While the trolls will probably now throw the "you're a freeloader" in my face again, I am first of all speaking of the Windows users who need to be informed, and secondly, this *is* part of the phenomenon. To keep that out would be to conceal information.

I believe honesty about everything is still the best approach. This way, your conscience is clear and you allow (or force) other people to let their own conscience speak for itself.

-- With kind regards,

*Aragorn* (Registered GNU-Linux user #223157)