I currently work in a business where there are a bunch of, shall I say "Computer Dummies." They know it, I know it, everyone knows this. The problem with these people is that they make up 80% or better of the workforce that deals with computer on a daily basis. The one thing I have learned not only from my dad, but these persistent people is that efficiency is key. Without efficiency, productivity would drop and sales would go down causing everyone to lose money. Some do enjoy the luxuries of messing around on a computer and being able to do "neat" things, but when it comes right down to it, if you don't have a software program that's going to work the exact same as their old one but run quicker, they aren't going to like you coming into their room. If I come into an office unannounced (meaning they didn't alright have a question for me that might be wrong with their computer), I can literally feel the room turn cold. Not that they don't like me or anything, but simply because they know that I have something to say computer-related and they just don't have time for it. They don't want to learn something new, they want to stick with the same programs but just make them faster.
For example: I just went into an office yesterday and the guy was pretty much "oh *censored*, now what." I smile and showed him some Memory sticks and he looked even more alarmed! I assured him that I was going to make is computer run about 4x faster than it currently is and suddenly he's like "Well get your *censored* over here!" and he was happy!!
My point is, it is a business fact that once a standard is set, there is really no going back unless something else happens. For example: a better keyboard (i can't remember much about it, all I know is it was truly better), was created in like the 1950s, about 60 or more years later than our current QWERTY keyboard. Does anyone even know of it now? It was designed to help people in the long run but businesses were already using typewriters and could not sacrifice the learning time that it took, so the idea was quickly dissolved. I'm sure you can look it up on google and find something about it.
So unless we can find a way to convince the typical business person that it's very simple to learn Linux and get help on it, then there is no way you'll pull them away from a Windows machine. Likewise, even if you could get them to believe that (and I don't know because I haven't used openoffice much) Openoffice was exactly the same but free and you could get your current office files transferred, good luck... Because they're going to say "Well, my letters are in Microsoft Word. How am I supposed to move them from microsoft word to this other *censored* thing you're trying to get me to use. Ya know what, I'll stick with what I know" and that will be that.
By all means, PLEASE tell me how I could at least switch people over to openoffice. Why? Because, now would be the perfect time for this company I work for as we are not only upgrading office versions soon, but buying more licenses.. ouch.. more money.
Anyway, that's my two cents... sorry for the intrusion but I think I like this community and plan on sticking around for a bit!
--Mike
