Re: Linux distro chooser

[Jean Louis]

* Paul Sutton <paulsutton@disroot.org> [2021-10-25 11:09]:
> I do see the point being made here, however wasn't the idea behind freedom
> ladder to perhaps take people on a journey that will end with them using
> free software.

I think it is exactly what it does, it drives people to non-free
software and to get into doubts, in order to have their system run
properly. 

> So to begin with people will perhaps need to use non-free to get
> something working, but the eventual aim is to eliminate the need for
> non-free anything.

It's not true. For years I don't use proprietary software apart from
BIOS in some computers. Fully free FSF approved operating system
distributions are listed here:

https://www.gnu.org/distros/free-distros.html

Of course not every driver for every device will work, that is why I
choose hardware that will work with software that is free. Not the
other way around.

> With freedom ladder, if you start off with Windows and MS office then a
> first step could be to start to use say Libreoffice so when you do switch to
> Linux then you are familiar with the tools available,  perhaps switch to
> nextcloud for storage etc.

Nextcloud is anyway remote, majority of users don't know if it is free
software or not.

Back in 1999, I have been using proprietary system and I was surprised
that I had 3 questions of support, the fourth one had a cost of 800
German marks at the time. There were secret codes that I had to obtain
to run software on my computer PS/2. Otherwise it would not run. Those
secret codes spent already my 3 questions of support. OS was
constantly blocking my business, and I have spent so much Internet in
few days that the bill left unpaid until today. Company forgot about
me. I had to re-start the program over and over again and each time
after 10-15 hours it froze the computer.

When I changed to GNU/Linux I have written list of applications and
found replacements in free software, learned it and deleted the
abusive and useless non-multitasking Windoze.

At that time point I have stopped using Warez, and found Perl and CPAN
and other software and programming languages. Suddenly I could do so
much more than what I could do with Windoze, at least so was the
feeling. 

Out of disgruntled situation I have played the game xBill
extensively. These days it is xBill and xLenart.

Summary is that it is quite easy to switch to fully free operating
system.

I have converted many people's computers with little or no complaints.

For employees I don't even tell them it is GNU/Linux, I just say, open
up GNU Emacs, start TUTORIAL, and other few things like email, and
they are doing well. Employees are also good to operate Mutt email
client. 

> We need to encourage people on that transitional journey, but take in to
> account their usage needs.

When I am about to swim, I jump straight in the water. And I don't
feel any transitional temperature adjustments that way. It is straight
and easy. 

> Could the fsf not perhaps adapt the tool to work alongside freedom
> ladder?

FSF does have such projects, like https://www.fsf.org/windows/


-- 
Jean

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