Talk to the GNUWin II Team

imevil writes "GNUWin II is a collection of Free Software for Windows, and it also includes articles about Free Software and explanation pages. It is multilingual (it was born as a Swiss product). You can browse the CD online or download the ISO from one of our mirrors. The GNUWin II team is ready to answer to your questions, about GNUWin II, and also about GNU Generation, the student association at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology of Lausanne who gave birth to the GNUWin project."

Comments

Re:Why Bother?

[kirkjobsluder]

Windows already runs more software then linux.

People who use windows often pirate copies of commercial software so they don't need or want open source software.

Believe it or not, there are people who prefer to use open source software on windows. Some of these people consider piracy to be ethically problematic.

The biggest point about open source software is not price, but freedom. Even though I get Microsoft products legally for $5 a CD (one perk of university life), I still don't like the closed security model, the license restrictions and the understanding that using the software after I leave the university will require shelling out $400.

The fact that I use (and pay for) some closed source software on windows, does not mean that I should not benefit from open source software when available.

Re:Why Bother?

[JordoCrouse]

That way you actually encourage people switching to linux.

Lemme stick some numbers out there for you. Of all the people currently using Windows, I would only say that about 10% feel comfortable in a Unix environment. And lets say that another 5% are beginners, but are willing to try. And of that 15% who might switch, at least half will switch right back again. So really, you only have roughly 7% of all personal computer users that would end up choosing Linux (and feeling comfortable with it).

Given these numbers, why would you even want to keep open source programs like Mozilla, Apache and the GIMP away from 93% of your possible user base? Why not expose as many people as possible to the chewy goodness of open source? Why cut them out because they are unwilling or unable to use anything except a operating system from Redmond, WA?

Free as in speech, indeed.