Community: Barriers to Linux Newcomers are Real

By Dennis Fullalove

I read with interest the responses on slashdot.org to John
Terpstra’s article series, “Stopping Linux
Desktop Adoption Sabotage.” You see, I am the “Dennis” who John
refers to in part one of that series. Some of the people responding
said the article contained exaggeration and half-truths, some
agreed with John, and some were absolutely insulting. I can confirm
that nothing that was said was a half-truth or exaggeration.

The responses from the stores were exactly as reported and, in
some cases, the response was arrogant and condescending. I found
many of the responses to the article similarly arrogant and
condescending. Joe and Dennis were portrayed by some of the
respondents as stupid and lazy. They said we got what we deserved
because we didn’t do our homework. Well, that
isn’t true. The problem is an all-too-familiar one: if you are not
part of the cabal, then you a part of the ignorant, unwashed
masses.

The Linux community is no different today than all of the
exclusive groups of the past. Yes, I said exclusive. The attitude
in many of the responses is that Linux is not difficult, it is a
problem with the person trying to use it. They
haven’t paid their dues as I have. This is
elitism, which is nothing new under the sun. The community, like so
many others, wants to show they are radical, not moving with the
herd.

The Linux community has a better way, it is said, not controlled
by the “corporation” or by “government.” Thus, to “belong” you must
learn our secret language and know our secret rituals to become one
of the “high priests” who truly know the secrets and can guide the
ignorant masses into the light. If you haven’t
struggled with configuring a distro than you are not worthy of our
help.

We did search for information but the information is disjointed
and difficult, at best, to find. Where was the encouragement for
Joe and Dennis trying to use Linux, which I do believe to be a
superior solution?

I do agree with John Terpstra that the commercial IT retail
market has no desire to provide real consumer choice and that there
are forces at work in the IT industry that cause retailers to
choose not to participate in being more profitable. For example,
you have manufacturers who use Linux in their networking equipment,
but they won’t support Linux by writing drivers
for their equipment. But, as I believe John was also saying, the
Linux community relishes in being isolated. The Slashdot responses
also talked about getting the kids involved in Linux early in
school and having to deal with “inertia,” the problem of people
just using what they are used to using and not wanting to change.
Lots of talk but no action.

I should tell you a little about myself and my background. While
I have worked in accounting and financial management for many
years, my background and training is a little more esoteric. I have
a minor in information science. I didn’t just study number
crunching, I studied and worked with languages like Lisp, Prolog,
Smalltalk, etc. I have helped to develop management information
systems for businesses both large and small.

I am a techie at heart, building my own systems and enjoying how
far I can push a system or tool to do what I need it to do. But as
a financial manager, I want a solution that is not going to be a
problem rather than a solution.

When I spoke with some of you at the last LinuxWorld, I said
there were no true solutions in the Linux world for accounting and
financial management. Some of you were quick to point out that
there are accounting packages and data bases and myriad other
tools. I didn’t disagree, but finding those
tools and integrating them into my business is difficult at best.
The ability to easily integrate my clients information with my
accounting and financial systems using Linux
isn’t readily available. I don’t see the Linux
community out in the real world.

Many articles are written within the trade journals for the
Linux community and events such as LinuxWorld are held expecting
the unwashed masses to come to the Linux altar. But instead, why
not, as Linux advocates, participate in the meetings and seminars
of CPAs, Enrolled Agents (the taxpayer’s tax professional),
teachers, lawyers and other professions? Why not write Linux
articles in the trade journals of these professions as well?
Articles that help the person to utilize Linux as a real tool to
solve real problems that each faces everyday. You speak about the
need to have children using Linux from an early age. Why not use
your expertise to help schools to install the networks and train
the teachers and staff in how to use the tools to help them teach
our children and young people?

I participated in the West Coast Computer Fairs. I enjoyed
watching the people go by on their roller skates and debating the
merits of the latest hardware and software improvements. It was a
great show for techies. But the solutions needed to be brought into
the world.

At the time there was a group called FOLLK (Friends of Lisp,
LOGO and Kids) who tried to work with teachers training them in the
philosophy and use of the LOGO language. They were idealists who
believed in the power of the tool. They failed due to lack of
structure, but they wanted to see the tool, the solution,
implemented in the real world. I worked with a computer retailer
many years ago. The sales reps were in the schools with Apple
computers and did well because it was a tool that helped the
student to accomplish something meaningful in their studies. My
business partner did not see any value in a network. All he saw was
trouble, both in time and money, especially if I was not available.
I convinced him to invest in a Linux network. Our Linux network
running Samba has never given us any trouble. It is reliable and
serves us well. Are you serving your customers and clients by
giving them the best solution or are you “playing” with Linux
personally but giving an inferior solution to your clients?

Where are the Guy Kawasakis in the Linux community today? People
who are so moved by the better solution they possess, that they use
their talents to seek out the people with their problems and help
them to find solutions?

Guy was at meetings of all kinds trying to get people excited
about the Macintosh and using it to be more productive. Marketing
hype? Maybe. But he and others, I believe, were trying to find real
solutions for people. I hear responses that are saying that FOSS is
the better solution, but in the world I hear silence. Service is
the answer. I do not believe it is ever about the product or its
features but what can it do to help me solve my particular
problems.

Use the vast talent in the Linux community to continue to
improve the better solution. Get out and promote it to and through
your clients. That is service; that is what the Linux community
should be offering.