Just because the free software is available for Windows doesn't mean people will attempt to use said software. For example, my church is looking to start a new congregation, and was purchasing software to run the church with (Quark, Powerpoint, etc.). I recommended using OpenOffice. Even though there was a free Windows version available for download, they purchased the several thousand dollar liscenses to use the "professional" software suites.
The reasoning behind the purchase was that (direct quote) "free software can't be all that good, or it wouldn't be free."
In another long conversation I held with a friend, he couldn't understand how something like Linux could be made for free. He kept wanting to assign some kind of ulterior motive to a "free software". After explaining how CVS and bug forums work, he wanted to know if maybe people were using the guise of "free software" to place viruses on people's computers.
This friend is a philosopher, in the honors class at the college I attend, and is by no means stupid. But he just couldn't understand how free software works, even though I'd gotten him hooked on Phoenix a few months earlier.
I think too many people see free software as something like RealPlayer, where the company makes money off of selling the Real authoring tools, selling Pro versions of their software, and (in addition) putting ads in their software for more services. People just don't understand how something can be offered totally free.
Funny... our 40 gb Maxtor failed just two days ago. Inaccessible sector and the whole bit (pun unintended). Guess I shouldn't have bought from Cyberpower... appears the hard drives are only affected after being exposed to third-world country conditions... (try calling their tech support and talking to the immigrant on the other end, you'll see what I mean. not to slander mexicans, but at least get someone that speaks english)
Slashdot Mirror
Yeah, but it took a good 7 minutes or so... Slashdot's getting lax.
yep... that didn't take long at all... Any news on the torrent?
Wow... we haven't killed it yet...
Just because the free software is available for Windows doesn't mean people will attempt to use said software. For example, my church is looking to start a new congregation, and was purchasing software to run the church with (Quark, Powerpoint, etc.). I recommended using OpenOffice. Even though there was a free Windows version available for download, they purchased the several thousand dollar liscenses to use the "professional" software suites. The reasoning behind the purchase was that (direct quote) "free software can't be all that good, or it wouldn't be free." In another long conversation I held with a friend, he couldn't understand how something like Linux could be made for free. He kept wanting to assign some kind of ulterior motive to a "free software". After explaining how CVS and bug forums work, he wanted to know if maybe people were using the guise of "free software" to place viruses on people's computers. This friend is a philosopher, in the honors class at the college I attend, and is by no means stupid. But he just couldn't understand how free software works, even though I'd gotten him hooked on Phoenix a few months earlier. I think too many people see free software as something like RealPlayer, where the company makes money off of selling the Real authoring tools, selling Pro versions of their software, and (in addition) putting ads in their software for more services. People just don't understand how something can be offered totally free.
Funny... our 40 gb Maxtor failed just two days ago. Inaccessible sector and the whole bit (pun unintended). Guess I shouldn't have bought from Cyberpower... appears the hard drives are only affected after being exposed to third-world country conditions... (try calling their tech support and talking to the immigrant on the other end, you'll see what I mean. not to slander mexicans, but at least get someone that speaks english)
Does the URU fulfill American privacy laws? (not that it matters much anymore after the USA PATRIOT Act...)