On Wed, 13 Jun 2001 E L Tonkin wrote:
> You have a good point there ;-)
>
> Everybody /can/ use LaTeX... take a Debian install
> disk and do the honourable thing.
>
But then most users don't maintain their own cars either.
The average guy doesn't love his computer, and needs someone else to sort it out for him.
Can we make a list of :
1/hardware retailers who offer machines with freesoftware ready installed
2/IT support companies who will install and maintain freesfotware for businesses an private individuals.
The list should go on our web site, and be advertised on the poster.
The list should be searchable, and say what geographic regions
and languages are covered by each company.
Could we perhaps make a display of the available free office packages on the same section of the site,
(Gnome Office, Open Office and KDE Office). We should also display GNU Enterprise with them.
> Plus, bear in mind that a lot of businesses' IT departments constrain
> themselves to the sort of options I described below. In short, installing
> and teaching anything radically new to over a thousand users is not an
> option....
>
Hopefully the free office packages available today will not trigger
the xenophobia that LaTex suffered from.
The ideal time at which to convert a lay user be it a bussiness or private individual
is hardware upgrade. When you are installing new equipment anyway its easier to change
software and methodology at the same time.
The thing is to make peolpe aware of the importance of the Four Freedoms of FreeSoftware,
and then show them how to go about freeing themselves.
Nick Hockings.