Uno's Chicago Pizza and Bar also uses linux on thier POS system..
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----- Original Message -----
From: "Charlie Bullen" <
mandrake@mindspring.com>
To: <
plug-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us>
Sent: Tuesday, January 20, 2004 1:59 PM
Subject: Linux in business
> Hello, I would like to comment on 2 recent expieriences.
>
> 1. Pros and Cons of Linux at the Chandler Chanber of Commerce. January
> 15, 2004.
>
> The general concept of this presentation as I see it was to present the
> "Pros and Cons of Linux" to a non technical business audience.
> Unfortunatley, most of the attendees are already linux stalwarts, people
> such as myself, whose day to day desktop OS is linux and who also makes
> extensive use of linux for server applications in my working life, Hans,
> about whom no more needs to be said and Thurman, who teaches linux/unix
> at Scottsdale community college.
>
> Personally, I attended, not to learn the Pros and Cons, but to see what
> general business peopole think of linux and if they have any interest at
> all. The only person there that would remotely fall into the general
> business catagory was the representitive of the Chandler Chamber who had
> organizaed the event. So I really wasn't able to achieve my objective.
>
> To sum up this expierience, it was typical of many linux events that I
> have attended, long on people who are already sold and short on
> potential new converts.
>
> In thinking of a potential solution to this "preaching to the choir"
> situation, I feel as if I personally could have and should have invited
> some of my business and personal friends that either are not using linux
> at all or are and don't really even know it. In other words forget about
> linux stalwarts, they can take care of themselves, lets bring in some
> new blood.
>
> 2. Nation Wide Vision.
>
> I stopped in to see what I had read about on plug recently and sure
> enough they are running some linux variant, using the Gnome desktop. The
> desk top was cleared of all icons except 1 for a proprietary program
> that they use. That is the only program they use. I asked the employee
> who I talked to to click on the foot and the full compliment of programs
> and utilities showed up.
>
> He told me that the emplyees are specifically prohibited from using any
> programs other than the one they have the icon form. He reported that
> they system itself is real stable, although he said they do have some
> problems with their propietary application.
>
> He showed me the computers that they use , which were plain white boxes
> whith no visable floppy or cd drives. He also reported that the
> computers in front don't work unless one of the computers in back is
> running which leads me to believe that they are running a linux terminal
> server.
>
> The employee didn't realize that he was running linux and in fact had no
> idea what linux was. He asked if it was some kind of old operating
> system. He reported satisfaction with the overall system.
>
> I draw the following conclusions from these expieriences.
>
> 1. We as linux users love our Linux in particular and computing in
> general. Most people could care less.
> 2. We need to come up with a plan to attract people to Linux who could
> care less what operating system they use.
> 3. People in general are not aware of Linux.
> 4. The vast majority of computer users will never install an operating
> system of any kind. The ease or difficulty of installation is of no
> consequence to them at all.
> 5. Most users just want to sit down and do whatever they need to do with
> a minimum of concern for their equipment.
>
> Enough ranting for 1 day
>
> Charlie BUllen
>
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