Checking In with An Ubuntu "Switcher"
About a year ago, I installed Ubuntu on the laptop owned by a friend of mine who lives back east. Here’s her Ubuntu story … back in 2007, and today.
Last year she was sick of Windows XP, and Vista seemed even worse to her. So, after making sure her hardware would work well with Ubuntu, we got into a lengthy conversation about the pros and cons of switching and ways she could do self help while making the transition.
After I felt like my due diligence was complete, she decided to take the plunge and asked me to switch her machine to Ubuntu. I was concerned that recovering from trouble might be problematic since she lives so far away, but she said she had a colleague who was “into Ubuntu” who she was sure she ask for more local help if it came up.
She soon returned home, and I quickly forgot that I had switched her. Today, I had reason to drop her an email so I took the opportunity to ask if she was still on Ubuntu and how she was liking it. Her response:
“I am still using Ubuntu. I like it. I couldn’t play encoded DVDs at first. I was going to call you or talk to our computer guy at school, but decided to research the issue myself on the community help site. I got it figured out and upgraded to the newest version at the same time. It was really very simple to work through. I’m very happy with it and I absolutely hate going to windows machines now, they suck.”
Keep in mind that while she is a very intelligent and independent woman, she is by no means “a computer person”, and prior to her conversion had only very limited exposure to Linux.
This just goes to show that with appropriate prep and help through the initial hurdles, non-techies can happily and successfully use Linux. In this case, the only active support she received is the same support that Windows and OSX users take for granted; having their OS installed and configured for them when they take the machine out of the box.
Sounds a lot like my experience with people I’ve “converted.” Thanks for writing this, it reminds me that I should check up on a few new users.
Well written. It’s good to hear that people are enjoying their experience with Ubuntu.
That’s funny. I switched the other way around from Ubuntu to Vista after reading The Truth about Linux.
betty you do know that is a satirical website, yeah?
*dear god i hope so*
Don’t worry, it’s a new league of trolls that advertise that website in an innocent manner. So yes, they do know.
Well, I’ve looked at some of the comments on the page and many people are very angry and don’t think that site is a joke. So I don’t know.
Yes, you do, troll. By the way, do you also use the name ‘jeni’ or is that another guy?
betty you are exactly the type of user Microsoft likes to use.
“she is a very intelligent and independent woman”
Intelligent/independent does not describe most people. A good number of people are lazy and/or mentally challenged, don’t want to learn anything new and are afraid of change. Of course, Microsoft has been helping the cause with Vista. I’ve noticed a lot of people who normally wouldn’t have considered Linux are now at least curious about it, especially after using Vista (or being forced to upgrade to Vista).
quote: This just goes to show that with appropriate prep and help through the initial hurdles, non-techies can happily and successfully use Linux. In this case, the only active support she received is the same support that Windows and OSX users take for granted; having their OS installed and configured for them when they take the machine out of the box.
This is exactly what I do with Mandriva Linux, I give new Linux users – the same type of user as your friend – exactly the same experience as they get when they buy a computer pre installed with the other operating systems.
I usually install the CODECs as I go, as well, so they can immediately play the encoded DVDs etc.
I usually give them some orientation, and remain available until they are confident. I charge a nominal fee for service, and had originally intended to make money from training, but this never eventuated, most people don’t have a problem, Linux is for them quite easy to use, and most people comment on how stable it seems to be.