[KLUG Members] Re: Calling all Linux novices: -- the solution that will _never_ exist ...

[Bryan J. Smith]

Quoting John Bridleman <john@bridleman.org>:
> Me: Gee boss, you should look at this neat new free software. It's an
> office suite. We won't have to buy MS ever again!

BUZZZ!!!  Wrong!!!

98% of the "problem" with selling Open Source is that people sell it as "free."
 Just ask Mexico, Brazil, China and many other nations, Microsoft just turns
around and gives it back to them free.

You have to sell them _not_ on "free," _not_ on "not Microsoft," but on "hey,
you'll be able to read this in 5 years with 0 issues."

If your boss isn't interested in that, then he's doomed anyway.  Too many people
think short-term, and not long-term.  They deserve what they get if they don't
bother to understand why they have the same issues.

> Boss: Great. Let's see. Can it open this spreadsheet I get weekly from
> Ameritrade?

Okay, _now_ we're no longer talking just file formats, but _proliferation_ by
usage.  Again, another common ignorance.

*USERS* _not_ developers need to demand other formats from companies! 
OpenOffice 1.0.1 is XML registered with OASIS.  There is _no_excuse_ why you,
among others, don't complain for support from _your_ vendor!  Only users can
change the world!  This is _not_ a developer issue!

Although sometimes you still can't win when you do.  E.g., over 2 million
registered users Intuit users have asked Intuit for a Linux port, enough to be
very profitable doing so.  But Microsoft has basically stated that they second
Intuit creates a Linux port, they will become the next Corel (among others), by
leveraging their monopoly to force people to use MS Money.  So Intuit won't
release a Linux port out of the need for their own survival.

> Me: Well, ummm... no. But gee it's technically superior in every way and
> it's FREE!!!

When did I say "it's technically superior"???  I've talked about the
_technical_reasons_ why people run into problems with MS.  _That's_ when you
turn them on to something, when they have it.

If companies are willing to pay for upgrades and deal with the naggies, then
that's their choice.  There is 0% converting them.

I think you miss the point.  Most people only move when it costs them
_immediately_ not to.  Do it then.  Otherwise, most aren't going to listen.  And
why should they?

"True" Linux advocates pick their battles, and focus on _needs_ of people, not
"wants."  How do you think Linux itself (among other OSS) was developed?  *NEEDS*!

> Boss: Get this crap out of my way. We need to be able to use all this
> data that we've been using and be able to use documents and spreadsheets
> that vendors and customers are sending us.

Correct.  And when did I advocate introducing it then?

> Case closed.
> I'll give you the last word on this if you want.

Not closed.  You still haven't answered _my_ question (which I implied) ...

    How do you expect the community to reverse engineer Microsoft
    formats 10x faster than they do now (without breaking the law)???

They cannot.  They simply cannot.  You fail to realize that the "solution" you
hope for is _not_ possible.  As such you, like many others, just sit and wait
for the solution that will _never_ come to be.

One of the reasons why Corel is so good is because they license from Microsoft.
 Same deal with a lot of other commercial applications (including some that run
on Linux -- unfortunately, Corel doesn't release for Linux anymore, per their
2001 contract with Microsoft).


-- 
Bryan J. Smith, E.I. (BSECE)       Contact Info:  http://thebs.org
[ http://thebs.org/files/resume/BryanJonSmith_certifications.pdf ]
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Microsoft states Linux's GPL is "viral" so I guess all the authors
in the US who require you to pay royalties to print their books
must be the digital "black plague."  Copyright is copyright and
the GPL prevents commercial use without a license from the holder.