freebsd-advocacy Digest, Vol 124, Issue 3

[ac]

Joshua Tinnin wrote:

>On Thu 3 Nov 05 21:03, ac <ac at miensk.com> wrote:
>  
>
>>But IMO this funny red ball _r_e_a_l_l_y_ looks more attractive for
>>newbies. At least, my co-workers (average PC users) have found it
>>"friendly" and "intriguing", even "sexy".
>>    
>>
>
>I always figured those people would be better off getting a Mac. 
>
Mac would be nice for every dummy if not to think about money. Let me 
explain how it looks in my country (Belarus, Eastern Europe). The latest 
report on average salary in my country says it is near $220. A 
proposition to get stylish, but very expensive Mac sounds scoffing here, 
as in many other parts of the world. "Oh, you don't like Ford? Buy 
Lamborghini instead!"

Most of people use PCs with pirated Windows - 5 bucks for a CD. If you 
either think that pirated software is not good, or simply get tired of  
its unreliabilty you have to chose between demons and penguins. 
Considering these alternatives neophits are choosing Linux, because of 
its positive image. It is not because they're all stupid lamers, it is 
natural behaviour, when you don't know where to start.

>Not 
>that there's anything wrong with Macs or attracting new users, but not 
>sure the target demographic should be "average PC users." Can you 
>picture them using FreeBSD?
>
Yes. In fact, my co-workers, which I mentioned previously, use 
FreeBSD+KDE. They unable to install or administer it (as well as any 
other OS probably), but they don't need to - I am paid my salary for 
that. It works well.

>[snip]
>of such systems aren't going to be interested in marketing, though the 
>executive team might be (and they probably have more to say about 
>platform decisions in the end), but I don't know that FreeBSD should 
>attract the "average PC user."
>
Well, if you don't like those annoying average PC users :) Let's say - 
broader circles of people, who want to leave Windows in the past, but 
don't ready to pay for Mac. Some of them will be developers, some will 
donate... That's why we need them.