Re: [tlug] What's with this anti-Apple tirade? [was: 2014-05-10 Linux Quiz]

[Raymond Wan <rwan.kyoto@example.com>]

On Mon, May 12, 2014 at 3:44 PM, nigel barker <nigel@example.com> wrote:
> On 12 May 2014 16:07, Raymond Wan <rwan.kyoto@example.com> wrote:
>> Considering I had friends who thought that a computer and Microsoft
>> Windows was inseparable, I guess both Linux and iOS (Apple) are good
>> at showing everyone they have a choice.
>
>
> What a poor choice they have though. I have a colleague looking for a
> new laptop right now and she thinks the choice is Mac or WIndows, and
> people aren't happy with windows 8, so she has to buy Mac. Even though
> my school has been using Debian on all student computers for about 10
> years, she still didn't understand what I meant when I said you can
> choose a computer you like and install Linux.
> I would hate to be stuck in that situation, but that's the reality for
> most people. Its so liberating to be able to install the OS you want.
> Why hasn't it caught on?


I think we have to give credit to Microsoft.  Not for their
technology, but for their marketing.  For partnering up with vendors
long before iOS and Linux existed and continually trying to stay ahead
of the marketing game.

While Linux gives us the freedom to change it, the vast majority of
people aren't able to.  Even though I have some programming skills, I
don't have the time to tweak my system.  I can buy a Windows machine
and the web cam and DVD drive will just work.  That's something that
iOS got right but it's playing catch up with Microsoft in terms of
marketing.

As for Linux (all of this IMHO, of course), it is unfortunate us Linux
users argue about Debian, Mint, Fedora, ... is better.  Or even unity
versus gnome versus KDE...  I think it divides us whereas we should
all band together against our common foe...Microsoft.  :-)

Ray