[CS-FSLUG] The Moral Foundation of Free Software

[Aaron Patrick Lehmann]

On Sun, Jan 02, 2005 at 11:42:41PM -0500, Fred A. Miller wrote:
> On Sun January 2 2005 8:53 pm, Don Parris wrote:
> 
> [snip]
> 
> > I think this sort of thinking is fairly flawed.  Having seen Fred's
> > comments about the need for retraining being mostly non-sense, and
> > know that users typically require no more than 2 weeks to a month to
> > adjust to OpenOffice.org, I can see no compelling argument to continue
> > forking out $400 for an office suite, when a FOSS alternative requires
> > little transition and is free to download.  Even if you choose to stay
> > with MS Windows as your OS, there are FOSS alternatives that can save
> > churches serious money.
> 
> Sure can!!
> 
> > If the church pays the same in retraining expenses that it would pay
> > for proprietary license fees, it has still come out better off in the
> > long run.  What's more, a church can do a gradual migration, enabling
> > staff to have time to adjust.  That doesn't cost a thing.
> 
> Quite right!
> 
> > Notwithstanding, I think it is nothing short of appalling to suggest
> > that retraining is all that necessary.  The only things users _might_
> > need to adjust to is the virtual desktop concept, and KDE functions
> > almost exactly like the Windows desktop.  The biggest difference users
> > will see is that it includes software in prearranged submenus.  O.k.,
> > KDE offers a "Run" item on the desktop context menu.  The Start button
> > is usually rendered as a logo of some kind.
> 
> I've taught more users to use OpenOffice, Gimp, and other software than 
> probably anyone here. The LONGEST time it has taken any user to be 
> comfortable is 5 days, and MOST a few hours to a couple of days. This with 
> VERY MINIMAL instruction on my part.......hands on learn it by the users. 
> Anyone who makes a big deal of retraining is a MickySoft apologist, IMHO. 

I'm a pragmatist, Fred.  If it costs me five hours of my life to learn to do
what I already knew, just so some guy in a penguin suit calling himself Saint
Ignuicus can feel self-righteous, I consider those five hours wasted.  My time
is valuable.  I'm not the only person who feels that way.  There is a reason
that everyone isn't using FOSS exclusively.  It's not just ignorance, and its
not just good Microsoft hype.  For many people, it isn't worth the time.

Aaron Lehmann
-- 
Why do the Democrats complain about Nader losing them Presidential elections?
Republicans don't complain about Libertarians.