"Your honor, here I was, drinking my beverage in a Cafe, when someone dropped 4,000 pages on my head. I enter my hospital records of the concussion as Exhibit C."
"I am talking about breathtakingly rude complainers who hold those who write software in their free time accountable for missing features, etc., as though they were paid to do it. They're not."
So how about enlisting "Filterers" who don't have your coding skills, but are good at processing language?
Except for the roughest of trolls who aren't actually upset with the software but are looking for attention, "rude users" simply don't have the vocabulary to express their frustration.
These folks could translate rude comments into bug reports.
"Ted is the patron saint of shark jumping. Chances are that if Ted is anywhere near your cast, consider the show on the downward spiral. That's not to take away from Ted's fine acting skills. Consensus here enjoys Ted more on the big screen (Revenge of the Nerds) than on our sets. Then again, we wouldn't have a patron saint...thanks Ted!"
I agree. The Goodwill realized in the sale is merely the final monetary valuation to the growing intangible value created.
FOSS defines the value of the software itself as zero. But the organizational structure connected with a particular project becomes a joined part of the holistic endeavor. When a successful FOSS project acquires money while changing hands, it is through the built up intangible value.
I have never heard of VLC, and as remarked in a post farther below, I too had the question "does it do X"?
For me, the killer feature is the ability to play Tracker files. Undiscovered glitches aside, I am pleased to note that VLC does play tracker files. It now joins DeliPlayer as a music player.
WinMedia11 thrashed how my machines handle my army of 3rd party music players. Their whole point is that they double as flash drives that can handle a few tunes as well. WMP11 locked them down in some weird way. When I uninstalled it, the players returned to normal.
Later I will examine VLC to see if it can also adequately serve me for video playback. If so, then this is one more successful FOSS conversion.
I submit that the best supporters are impassioned users.
Suppose you call me a Linux Supporter... I'm all for the philosophy. That's why there's a nice little Drake sitting next to me.
But a supporter has to be knowledgeable and fluent to succeed in presenting a new idea different from the status quo.
By now I'm passably fluent with Firefox, and I can at least get what I need out of Open Office. But I still haven't learned enough Linux to be able to *present* anything.
As for "people who don't care"... all people will begin to budge by microscopic degrees simply upon hearing that a true choice exists. They may decline for all the usual spectacular reasons, but they can't completly forget.
Anyone I have ever had to present something to asks one question. "Does it do X?" If not, *or if you flub the presentation*, they settle back into their safety zone again. The decision zone to keep them interested is about seven seconds. If you can get past the "does it do X" question, they tend to open up for at least a few more minutes, and really spend a little effort starting to think about the brave new world.
I think promotion is necessary, but promotion is far from used-car salespitches.
It was only through the general purpose promotion efforts that I learned JUST how sludgy of a stunt MS pulled with IE.
Microsoft has also paid for reams of high profile dis-information, so the user is actually not making a neutral, free, informed choice. Once you return them to a level playing field, then you can leave them to their choice.
This is a multi year endeavor. Someone could watch over your shoulder for a year or two before they hit their own flashpoint and decide to try something brave.
We ended up getting Office on our machines anyway, but only after carefully discussing software unity and advanced feature issues. To win the day, there had to be a reason to usie it when placed opposite the zero cost Open Office I am happily using on my personal machine.
With Microsoft's new version of Office, my coworker is... NOT getting her job done, because MS moved everything.
Then when it came time to buy a new computer fleet, that hit for MS Office suddenly racked up. We went with it anyway, but the price tag earned a Frown.
Frowns at price tags are the seeds of FOSS conversion.
The only sales barrier I run into is that it's "okay" for people to be erratic on Windows, but it's "not okay" to show the efforts of learning Linux. That's why I'm reserving my initial Thundering NewBirdy questions for the slightly-more-forgiving environment here before I take a stab at rolling it out at work.
"they basically won't even notice the difference with switching to Linux and KDE."
I respectfully disagree.
You might mean that "once they use all these apps, making the final leap to Linux is far less burdensome". But it definitely is noticeable.
However incomplete, by now all Windows users have learned certain basic concepts at a visceral gut level they don't have the language to describe. They "just do this and that".
I have a nice friendly little Dapper Drake to my right. He's only seeing 10% usage right now, because I keep discovering these little unnerving differences. It feels like a visit to Britain where everyone drives on the left.
My newest discovery is that apps apparently don't put shortcuts onto the desktop (at least in Gnome). So where do I find the new programs I just downloaded? (The package menu didn't clearly indicate where it went.)
Elsewhere, we determined that certain OldSchool types would say "Gee, the software is 'Free', so I'm confused".
The answer is, "That's right. The professional companies make the living with customized personal support."
Having thought about this for a few minutes, our User comes up with "So, what are *you* going to charge me?"
"Nothing. My time today is a gift so you can get started like a demo. If you want me to manage your company's switchover, we can talk about a contract."
In Business Terms:
The accounting term is called "goodwill". That's what the single user-demos are building. Let the new user get started, and dig him out of a stray problem or two. The message slowly spreads that if the newcomer tried a little research, asks an intelligent question nicely, he/she'll get an answer. Then when he gets his project Out The Door, there's time to sit back and think deeply.
Tin foil is cheap, and I am a former origami hobbyist. By staring at the nice little hat you've got, suppose I see that you started with an 8x11" sheet instead of the traditional square, and you added a nice little flair to the corners.
Oh wait.
Do I have your permission first to model your hat?
My offhand discussions with the youth that cross my path show that many youth do enjoy the "thrill" of getting ahold of something that their parents would have had to pay for, but when pressed into being specific, they realize that somewhere down the chain the artist isn't making his/her/their dinner money.
I heard a rumor once that Gentoo was not for the faint of heart incoming Linux converts. If Parent Poster's remark is on target, I think I just found out why.
I sortof understand Debian's philosophy as the Ultra-Scrubbed distro which includes things like Icy Cats instead of Firey Foxes, because the animals don't all play nice together on a branding level. (Will someone ever port Icecat to Windows, or is that a contridiction in terms?)
What exactly is Gentoo's theme? Other than being super-componentized, is this kind of administrative fallout systemic to the distro?
"The customers took down the Central Lawsuit Server, so they went distributed. Now you have no idea how many fragments of the former RIAA there are, and you can never be sure you've got them all."
You're expressing frustration, but don't paint "the other sources" as the way to go. Of course it takes effort to get the bands signed to a download store... this is what we all cheer for, "sticking it to the Big Label".
What you're describing is a market opportunity for labor. As I understand your post, once the majority of small labels are signed, you'll be content. This becomes a When-Not-If scenario. My projection is three years if a dedicated negotiating force buckles down with no more white noise interference.
Then there will always be the bleeding edge bands who formed last week, and it will be the thing to do to get them signed as a favor, in return for comped cd's *for services performed*.
Family finances are really more flexible than that.
The "Poor" get EIC credits, which they turn around to spend on things. Not all of them spend every last cent on the cheapest Price-per-pound bread, rice, & celery.
The "Middle Class" can often "afford" to budget more than "one week's pay per 3/4 years". This group is susceptible to the "Coffee Fallacy". If you get them in an emotional mood, they'll say "I can't afford to spend Five hundred dollars on a computer...". Then they go buy a coffee and go back to work.
I would rephrase this as "I don't like the value received if I spend my money on a computer. I prefer weekly amenities instead".
From the People's Law Dictionary by Gerald and Kathleen Hill:
theft n. the generic term for all crimes in which a person intentionally and fraudulently takes personal property of another without permission or consent and with the intent to convert it to the taker's use (including potential sale).
RIAA's music (under contract from artist.) Person downloads without permission with intent to convert to downloader's use.
take v. to gain or obtain possession. This includes downloading copies.
Copying vs. obtaining an original object does not affect these definitions.
Could MS sneak a trick in whereupon when it loads Windows it sabotages something that the Linux boot needs, so when someone runs them back to back, the Linux install tanks?
In the seven seconds of space when a nasty salesman is spreading FUD about the Linux half, even a Linux expert might not find the poison pill in time for the emotional hysterics to win the day.
Maybe this would be a use for stray batches of Vista code.
Then "Management reviews the current marketplace spread and re-evaluates the sales potential of the formats". Any company can do whatever it likes at any time.
Slashdot Mirror
"Your honor, here I was, drinking my beverage in a Cafe, when someone dropped 4,000 pages on my head. I enter my hospital records of the concussion as Exhibit C."
"I am talking about breathtakingly rude complainers who hold those who write software in their free time accountable for missing features, etc., as though they were paid to do it. They're not."
So how about enlisting "Filterers" who don't have your coding skills, but are good at processing language?
Except for the roughest of trolls who aren't actually upset with the software but are looking for attention, "rude users" simply don't have the vocabulary to express their frustration.
These folks could translate rude comments into bug reports.
Ask Ted McGinley.
http://www.jumptheshark.com/forum/Ted-Mcginley/22
"Ted is the patron saint of shark jumping. Chances are that if Ted is anywhere near your cast, consider the show on the downward spiral. That's not to take away from Ted's fine acting skills. Consensus here enjoys Ted more on the big screen (Revenge of the Nerds) than on our sets. Then again, we wouldn't have a patron saint...thanks Ted!"
Wayne Gould & Pappocom.
"A retired Hong Kong judge who spent several years programming a puzzle he couldn't live without".
He waltzed into a newspaper office with just his laptop, and being at the right place at the right time, single handedly boosted Sudoku.
I agree. The Goodwill realized in the sale is merely the final monetary valuation to the growing intangible value created.
FOSS defines the value of the software itself as zero. But the organizational structure connected with a particular project becomes a joined part of the holistic endeavor. When a successful FOSS project acquires money while changing hands, it is through the built up intangible value.
It's all about education.
I have never heard of VLC, and as remarked in a post farther below, I too had the question "does it do X"?
For me, the killer feature is the ability to play Tracker files. Undiscovered glitches aside, I am pleased to note that VLC does play tracker files. It now joins DeliPlayer as a music player.
WinMedia11 thrashed how my machines handle my army of 3rd party music players. Their whole point is that they double as flash drives that can handle a few tunes as well. WMP11 locked them down in some weird way. When I uninstalled it, the players returned to normal.
Later I will examine VLC to see if it can also adequately serve me for video playback. If so, then this is one more successful FOSS conversion.
I submit that the best supporters are impassioned users.
Suppose you call me a Linux Supporter... I'm all for the philosophy. That's why there's a nice little Drake sitting next to me.
But a supporter has to be knowledgeable and fluent to succeed in presenting a new idea different from the status quo.
By now I'm passably fluent with Firefox, and I can at least get what I need out of Open Office. But I still haven't learned enough Linux to be able to *present* anything.
As for "people who don't care"... all people will begin to budge by microscopic degrees simply upon hearing that a true choice exists. They may decline for all the usual spectacular reasons, but they can't completly forget.
Anyone I have ever had to present something to asks one question. "Does it do X?" If not, *or if you flub the presentation*, they settle back into their safety zone again. The decision zone to keep them interested is about seven seconds. If you can get past the "does it do X" question, they tend to open up for at least a few more minutes, and really spend a little effort starting to think about the brave new world.
I think promotion is necessary, but promotion is far from used-car salespitches.
It was only through the general purpose promotion efforts that I learned JUST how sludgy of a stunt MS pulled with IE.
Microsoft has also paid for reams of high profile dis-information, so the user is actually not making a neutral, free, informed choice. Once you return them to a level playing field, then you can leave them to their choice.
This is a multi year endeavor. Someone could watch over your shoulder for a year or two before they hit their own flashpoint and decide to try something brave.
Not anymore.
We ended up getting Office on our machines anyway, but only after carefully discussing software unity and advanced feature issues. To win the day, there had to be a reason to usie it when placed opposite the zero cost Open Office I am happily using on my personal machine.
With Microsoft's new version of Office, my coworker is
Then when it came time to buy a new computer fleet, that hit for MS Office suddenly racked up. We went with it anyway, but the price tag earned a Frown.
Frowns at price tags are the seeds of FOSS conversion.
The only sales barrier I run into is that it's "okay" for people to be erratic on Windows, but it's "not okay" to show the efforts of learning Linux. That's why I'm reserving my initial Thundering NewBirdy questions for the slightly-more-forgiving environment here before I take a stab at rolling it out at work.
"they basically won't even notice the difference with switching to Linux and KDE."
I respectfully disagree.
You might mean that "once they use all these apps, making the final leap to Linux is far less burdensome". But it definitely is noticeable.
However incomplete, by now all Windows users have learned certain basic concepts at a visceral gut level they don't have the language to describe. They "just do this and that".
I have a nice friendly little Dapper Drake to my right. He's only seeing 10% usage right now, because I keep discovering these little unnerving differences. It feels like a visit to Britain where everyone drives on the left.
My newest discovery is that apps apparently don't put shortcuts onto the desktop (at least in Gnome). So where do I find the new programs I just downloaded? (The package menu didn't clearly indicate where it went.)
I'll join this one.
Elsewhere, we determined that certain OldSchool types would say "Gee, the software is 'Free', so I'm confused".
The answer is, "That's right. The professional companies make the living with customized personal support."
Having thought about this for a few minutes, our User comes up with "So, what are *you* going to charge me?"
"Nothing. My time today is a gift so you can get started like a demo. If you want me to manage your company's switchover, we can talk about a contract."
In Business Terms:
The accounting term is called "goodwill". That's what the single user-demos are building. Let the new user get started, and dig him out of a stray problem or two. The message slowly spreads that if the newcomer tried a little research, asks an intelligent question nicely, he/she'll get an answer. Then when he gets his project Out The Door, there's time to sit back and think deeply.
I like your Tin Foil Hat.
Tin foil is cheap, and I am a former origami hobbyist. By staring at the nice little hat you've got, suppose I see that you started with an 8x11" sheet instead of the traditional square, and you added a nice little flair to the corners.
Oh wait.
Do I have your permission first to model your hat?
It's not quite this sharp just yet.
My offhand discussions with the youth that cross my path show that many youth do enjoy the "thrill" of getting ahold of something that their parents would have had to pay for, but when pressed into being specific, they realize that somewhere down the chain the artist isn't making his/her/their dinner money.
I heard a rumor once that Gentoo was not for the faint of heart incoming Linux converts. If Parent Poster's remark is on target, I think I just found out why.
I sortof understand Debian's philosophy as the Ultra-Scrubbed distro which includes things like Icy Cats instead of Firey Foxes, because the animals don't all play nice together on a branding level. (Will someone ever port Icecat to Windows, or is that a contridiction in terms?)
What exactly is Gentoo's theme? Other than being super-componentized, is this kind of administrative fallout systemic to the distro?
Like Napster?
"The customers took down the Central Lawsuit Server, so they went distributed. Now you have no idea how many fragments of the former RIAA there are, and you can never be sure you've got them all."
We could power a Car Analogy off the engine of First Post angry replies to other comments.
You're expressing frustration, but don't paint "the other sources" as the way to go. Of course it takes effort to get the bands signed to a download store... this is what we all cheer for, "sticking it to the Big Label".
What you're describing is a market opportunity for labor. As I understand your post, once the majority of small labels are signed, you'll be content. This becomes a When-Not-If scenario. My projection is three years if a dedicated negotiating force buckles down with no more white noise interference.
Then there will always be the bleeding edge bands who formed last week, and it will be the thing to do to get them signed as a favor, in return for comped cd's *for services performed*.
... Negroponte didn't see this coming apparently.
Is that the gap between the user's experience on Slashdot and his subsequent disillusionment?
Family finances are really more flexible than that.
The "Poor" get EIC credits, which they turn around to spend on things. Not all of them spend every last cent on the cheapest Price-per-pound bread, rice, & celery.
The "Middle Class" can often "afford" to budget more than "one week's pay per 3/4 years". This group is susceptible to the "Coffee Fallacy". If you get them in an emotional mood, they'll say "I can't afford to spend Five hundred dollars on a computer...". Then they go buy a coffee and go back to work.
I would rephrase this as "I don't like the value received if I spend my money on a computer. I prefer weekly amenities instead".
From the People's Law Dictionary by Gerald and Kathleen Hill:
theft
n. the generic term for all crimes in which a person intentionally and fraudulently takes personal property of another without permission or consent and with the intent to convert it to the taker's use (including potential sale).
RIAA's music (under contract from artist.) Person downloads without permission with intent to convert to downloader's use.
take
v. to gain or obtain possession. This includes downloading copies.
Copying vs. obtaining an original object does not affect these definitions.
Could MS sneak a trick in whereupon when it loads Windows it sabotages something that the Linux boot needs, so when someone runs them back to back, the Linux install tanks?
In the seven seconds of space when a nasty salesman is spreading FUD about the Linux half, even a Linux expert might not find the poison pill in time for the emotional hysterics to win the day.
Maybe this would be a use for stray batches of Vista code.
Holy Mack, Star Trek was right.
"I have a 3-d industrial form pattern-molder and 7,000 pounds of steel. Now all I have to do is download the pattern..."
leads to
"Materials Economics don't work that way anymore - that's what Replicators are for."
This is the age of Announcements, invented by MS.
Warner "pretends" to go with BluRay.
Enter installed base, etc.
Then "Management reviews the current marketplace spread and re-evaluates the sales potential of the formats". Any company can do whatever it likes at any time.