Marketing is the key term. Sure free software is free as in beer but the
marketing machine behind Microsoft is the key. This was well demonstrated
with the Mojave project and the new commercials with the 4 year old girl
sending a picture via Email. Linux does all this for free and in fact these
folks were handheld or shown a video of the actions they were not stuck in
front of a screen and told figure it out. So Could we do a Linux Mojave
project, absolutely I am sure you search youtube for Linux and cool and you
will see alot of cool stuff but without the marketing machine what does it
all equate too. We ride a fine line between promoters and elitest. There are
those who think everyone should and others who don't wanna see a bunch of
stupid n00bs taking from their coolness. I would imagine a Linix really
needs a blast of marketing from a big player in the neighborhood of what IBM
did. Something to give us the WOW factor.
On Mon, Feb 23, 2009 at 11:43 AM, Jason <
jasons@spatafore.net> wrote:
> On Mon, 2009-02-23 at 09:59 -0700, James Finstrom wrote:
> > Microsoft plans to boost the(ir) economy by offering free tech
> > training to 2 million people over the next 2 years via training
> > centers and WBT. They wish to train (indoctrinate) 2 million people to
> > bring up the "technical standings" in the US.
> > http://www.crn.com/it-channel/214502376
> >
> > What will be the Free Software response to this?
> >
>
> The free software response to this is that you don't have to pay a dime
> to learn how to use it. That is the very basis of the FOSS community.
> While MS will *teach* people, will they be providing all the necessary
> tools to teach with?
>
> For example, will MS give everybody a fully functional, non-expiring,
> full-featured application suite for every situation they will be
> teaching?
>
> Of is their goal to give the training (via CBT) for free while charging
> the people for the resources, at reduced pricing of course?
>
> Think of it this way...I am MS...I want to increase revenue. I already
> dumped my money into R&D...how do I recoup?
>
> I setup a training camp with tons of CBT's that I use internally for my
> people. Then I tell people I will give them those CBT's. However, in
> order to effectively use those CBT's, those people need to buy licenses.
>
> Now think of this...you want to setup Server 2008, Windows 7, Exchange,
> MSSQL...etc.
>
> Take total costs of licensing (let's say serious discount of
> $50/each)...that's $200.00.
>
> Multiply by 2,000,000 people...I just generated $400,000,000!
>
> Good marketing goes a long way.
>
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