Guys: you're missing the point. The point is not about the original article, the point is that the media leveraged the first reddit/slashdot/whatever to do a follow-on: a spectacle article on Linux users who took the bait and flamed some girl. The fact that it's a girl is absolutely paramount. They caught geeks in a trap, a trap the geeks knew was there and they were happy to jump into.
Geeks need to figure out how to reach out to people and be nice.
Somebody could make a ton of money with a start-up for geeks to help non-geeks. Get a little client app, a splash screen for every distro who will take it: GetGeek@boot. Like people who volunteer to burn free live-cds, but instead, volunteer help. Encourage geeks to volunteer their favorite communication methods through a website, sync it to free time on their calendars, especially phone, then let people call in to a central number and route the calls to available geeks. Collaborate with online communities to give contributing geeks extra karma. 10 points for taking the call, 50 points for positive review by the non-geek. -10,000 points to any geek who calls in and asks for help with a server. :-)
That would be one way to get people to try Linux.
Meanwhile, Dell is probably wondering whether to pull the whole product line. Who knows, maybe the whole thing was a Microsoft stunt.
Maybe it was an Ubuntu stunt to test Dell's loyalty. Who knows.
I do kind of like the GetGeek@Boot idea, though. It would also motivate geeks to increase the accuracy of their schedules.
I agree. This was an opportunity for the true believers to be astonishingly helpful. Perhaps the girl was not ready for college, but that's not the point. The point is that people in a tough situation shouldn't be attacked for things that have nothing to do with them--namely, being PR for the Linux community.
I'm a long-time Linux user and use Ubuntu and only Ubuntu on my home computer. I feel like I need to say this so I don't get slapped for dissing the almighty Linux. The article is right: Ubuntu is not ready to replace Windows for people who don't have the time or the inclination to deal with unlearning Windows. And there are a lot of those. And, that does not in any way downplay how much the rest of us love and appreciate Ubuntu.
"I'm a long-time Linux user and use Ubuntu and only Ubuntu on my home computer. I feel like I need to say this so I don't get slapped for dissing the almighty Linux."
And, seriously, isn't that another facet of the same problem? "No, wait, seriously guys. Please let me say something critical about Linux, I'm one of you. Really!"
GetGeek@Boot is a compelling idea and I like it. However, I'm inclined to feel that this would fail for two reasons:
1. There is simply a cultural boundary between the geeks and the non-geek population that would cause such an idea to fail. I suppose there is a self-selection process involved such that geeks who are willing to help will have a greater natural ability to communicate to non-geeks than those who aren't. Then again, the non-geeks who are most likely to give Linux a try and call in may have higher-than-average technical skill and therefore the gap would not be so large.
2. If the gap were large (given that these are Linux geeks volunteering, above all), how would we incentivize geek retention? This would be a challenging, time-consuming job that demands a high amount of patience--much more than CD burning--for no reward besides karma and the satisfaction of a small handful of potentially new Linux users.
I am fan of Canonical and what they have accomplished with Ubuntu. They could spearhead such an idea, if they haven't already. Obviously, they would be inclined to support Ubuntu, but any Linux distro beyond that is probably too much for non-techies. A real financial backing could make a significant difference.
Not trying to bash your idea; like I said, I like it. Rather, trying to provide some criticism to evolve it. Anybody else?
I am somewhat inclined to disagree. I think a lot of geeks desperately want to be help, to be appreciated by the non-geeks. Why else would they starve themselves in garages trying hack to start-ups that so universally strive to do not just valuable, but helpful, socially-centric things? The odds of money just aren't there.
Your belief is incorrect from my point of view. Sure, we want to help in some occasions- and of course there are bad apples in every bunch irrespective of your profession. But we don't do it because we want the "approval" of non-geeks, that's sad in my opinion, unless they have a sound reason for it. Why we do it is evidently not clear to you- which, simply put, is for the pure passion of it. If we sought to be appreciated(at least the geeks I know), or sought approval, we wouldn't be geeks. -Surely, correct me if you think I'm wrong, but unless you have experience in specifically enjoying what you do and you're not in it for the money and "starving in your garage", then don't respond. Of course there are geeks that do seek approval, - but you said "a lot" which can imply "most" and personally I don't empirically witness that. I believe Paul Graham and/or RandsInRepose has an article on this subject of why we do what we do, but the links are escaping me at the moment.
Geeks need to figure out how to reach out to people and be nice.
Somebody could make a ton of money with a start-up for geeks to help non-geeks. Get a little client app, a splash screen for every distro who will take it: GetGeek@boot. Like people who volunteer to burn free live-cds, but instead, volunteer help. Encourage geeks to volunteer their favorite communication methods through a website, sync it to free time on their calendars, especially phone, then let people call in to a central number and route the calls to available geeks. Collaborate with online communities to give contributing geeks extra karma. 10 points for taking the call, 50 points for positive review by the non-geek. -10,000 points to any geek who calls in and asks for help with a server. :-)
That would be one way to get people to try Linux.
Meanwhile, Dell is probably wondering whether to pull the whole product line. Who knows, maybe the whole thing was a Microsoft stunt.
Maybe it was an Ubuntu stunt to test Dell's loyalty. Who knows.
I do kind of like the GetGeek@Boot idea, though. It would also motivate geeks to increase the accuracy of their schedules.