Re: [ox-en] E-Mexico favours Windows over Linux
- From: Raju Mathur <raju linux-delhi.org>
- Date: Sat, 15 Jun 2002 08:43:01 +0530
"Russ" == Russell McOrmond <russell flora.ca> writes:
Russ> On Fri, 14 Jun 2002, Graham Seaman wrote:
>> 'reputation and resource' == ability to bribe? ;-(
Russ> This lack of TCO analysis is quite common. There is this
Russ> weird idea that if a "donation" of software is made - even
Russ> in the unusual case where it brings the initial license cost
Russ> to zero, that this represents some "savings" over what Free
Russ> Software can offer. I've never understood the funky-math
Russ> required to come to those conclusions.
Russ> I don't know that it is really a matter of corruption -
Russ> but an inability to do math. I've run into this in
Russ> situations with many NGO's, one of which receives money from
Russ> the "Bill and Melinda Gates foundation" where more money
Russ> than the donation is wasted in Microsoft licenses, and yet
Russ> they are extremely thankful to the foundation. Had they
Russ> just dropped Microsoft products and accepted the foundation
Russ> money anyway, they would be so much further ahead
Maybe I'm acting as the Devil's Advocate here, but there is also a
possibility that MS products have greater (perceived) value to the
user than Linux or other free software technologies. For example, if
I find Linux too difficult to setup and Open Office too clunky to use
I too would be grateful if someone donated me a free copy of Windows
and MS Office.
Not saying that this is necessarily true, but it's a possibility that
we cannot close our minds to by just saying `free software is better'.
Until the putative man in the street believes that Linux is at least
as good as MS in any given application area we will have to keep
battling the higher perceived value of free MS software as compared
with free Linux.
Russ> [snip]
>> If it is true, then people have definitely learnt from that
>> experience (eg http://www.linex.org/ , the Extremadura schools
>> project), and Microsoft have lost that particular leverage. But
>> if it isn't, than it's hard to know exactly what leverage MS
>> have got, apart from money?
Russ> Microsoft is a very successful marketing and government
Russ> lobbying company. Don't underestimate their marketing power
Russ> to push brand-names over substance. Do take note of the
Russ> "government of Vicente Fox shortly after the ex-The
Russ> Coca-Cola Co. executive took over the presidency in December
Russ> of 2000" reference to help understand the politics of the
Russ> situation.
Russ> Anyone trying to take this on has to have done their
Russ> homework, and it was quite obvious that the past Mexican
Russ> attempts didn't have any of the required background to deal
Russ> with the lobbying efforts of Microsoft.
Here in Delhi we're trying to make a small step towards popularising
Linux in education, starting with schools. The project is called LEAP
(Linux in Education Awareness Programme) and currently has one mailing
list (school-request linux-delhi.org?subject=subscribe),
archives at http://www.mail-archive.com/school%40linux-delhi.org/ .
We appreciate the social aspect of promoting Linux -- one of the items
on the agenda is to ensure that presentations to schools include a
healthy dose of the philosophy behind free software along with
pragmatic (technical and commercial) reasons for switching to Linux.
We are currently in the process of making a presentation kit which
volunteers can use to popularise the idea in schools they have close
associations with (e.g. alma maters, childrens' school, etc). The kit
will contain presentation materials, booklets on Linux, posters and
Linux CD's based on Red Hat customised for school use.
The biggest question facing us right now is whether or not to involve
commercial organisations in this project, and, if the answer is yes,
how to determine the parameters of the engagement. We are hoping to
be able to make the first step (at least) without requiring outside
resources.
If you have experience in similar endeavours I'd be glad if you joined
the list. The task list is still small, but we need all the help that
we can get.
Regards,
-- Raju
--
Raju Mathur raju kandalaya.org http://kandalaya.org/
It is the mind that moves
_______________________
http://www.oekonux.org/