ubuntu-advertising team mailing list archive

[Barry Drake <b.drake@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Danté	Good to see you back.

On Sun, 2010-12-19 at 18:01 +0000, danteashton@xxxxxxxxx wrote:

> Now, there are multiple problems with Ubuntu we'll need to find a way
> around. As I've just had to do an essay on the level of knowledge
> required for Ubuntu vs. Windows vs. OS-X, I think I've got a good idea
> of some of the major problems.

I've heard of most of these problems.  I'm sure I remember getting
Internet Explorer up and running under Wine.  I just tried IE7; it
installed OK but would not find the internet connection.  It could have
been an earlier version I tried before, or maybe I'd not remembered
correctly.  Personally, I haven't found problems like those you
describe.  Some years ago, my ISP (Virgin) were very anti-Linux.  When I
put Ubuntu on my sister's PC a few weeks ago, they had altered
completely and even sent her a new modem at no cost as her old one was
an unsupported device.  I think more and more people are coming around
to it, but it wants pressure from the entire Ubuntu community to make it
happen.

You are in a better position than I am to find ways of getting the
message out.  We need to have standard letters, e-mail addresses for
targeted firms (you mention British Gas) we need a list of all
anti-linux firms and see that they are appropriately approached by many
many Ubuntu users.  Now you've told me about British Gas, I might
threaten to use a competitor!  I might even mean it!

I think there are workarounds for most file-format problems.  You
mention Publisher.  Publisher files are notorious for giving
incompatibility with different versions of the Publisher app.  They have
to be saved in another format (like PDF).  The same is true of Autocad.

The thing is, we have to be very honest and upfront in describing
situations where 'Ubuntu is NOT for you'.  There are a multitude of
'comparisons' on You-Tube; some of them explain really well what
problems there are.  I saw on from someone who loves Linux, but is
unable to use it because he must work with certain apps.  We need some
subtle compatibility pointers in plain view by simply pushing an obvious
button on the website homepage.  (PDF fully compatible.  MS word largely
compatible, but some macros will not be allowed ...  etc etc).

Again, we need a mass-lobbying of firms such as Adobe.  They are not
anti Linux as such, but only made their stuff available for the MacOS
after persistent lobbying from the Mac enthusiasts.  We need to generate
the same.

I believe the majority of users will not have compatibility problems,
and if they like Ubuntu, their annoyances will not be with Ubuntu, but
with the firms that are anti-Linux.  Certainly the five or so folk I
have installed it for recently have had NO complaints at all.  And they
are not very computer literate.  All, (except perhaps my daughter) are
very much non-geeks, and except for my daughter, none of them are young.

Regards,		Barry Drake

-- 
What do you see when you use your Computer? Same old thing?
...There IS a Better Way!  Ubuntu!