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ZDNET key takeaways
- If you’ve failed to convince people to switch to Linux, try this.
- This tactic may sound overly simplistic, but it works.
- You’ll win more people over to Linux faster than you think.
For some, an operating system is a tool that is used to get things done in an efficient and personalized way. For others, it’s this nebulous thing they don’t understand but know is necessary to use a PC. To some, it’s an art; to others, it’s an abstract.
The operating system is actually all of those things. It’s a necessary abstraction that makes it possible for users to interact with hardware so they can get things done, all while allowing some to treat the creation and usage of it as a form of expression.
Over the years, operating systems have been more than just a way of doing things; they’ve also been a way of thinking about things, thinking open and thinking free, and thinking of better ways of doing things than how the developer intended.
I’ve used Linux for 30 years and there are specific reasons why I’ll never switch to MacOS or Windows. No, Linux is not perfect, but no piece of technology is. Even so, for me, the only operating system that fits my needs and style is Linux.
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But for most of the world, that is not the case.
The majority of computer users work with Windows, and the simple reason for that is “It’s what they get when they buy a PC.” Most people don’t know there are better options available because most people don’t feel the need to know such things.
But what if they did know? What if they understood that there was an alternative that would strip away the everyday frustrations placed before them by proprietary operating systems? They’d probably switch, right? One would hope.
The problem is that getting those users to make the switch has been a problematic proposition for those of us who’ve been touting the benefits of Linux for decades. And no matter how many times we extoll Linux as the superior and even fun operating system, the masses don’t listen. That’s not to condemn them for not automatically accepting Linux as their digital savior.
No. Believe it or not, I get it. Humans want the path of least resistance with much of their lives. But is using something that often breaks or balks truly the path of least resistance? I say, nay nay.
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To that end, if you want to convince a Windows user to switch to Linux, I have found one particular route to be far more effective than the others.
The typical way
When you think of convincing users to make the switch from Windows to Linux, more than likely, you immediately go to the old standards: You tell them how superior Linux is to Windows. You give them the usual talking points of cost, security, reliability, flexibility, blah, blah, blah, blah. It never works.
Why? Because most users have grown accustomed to the Windows way of things. They know Windows requires tools to help with the constant fight against viruses and malware; they know Windows can lock up, crash, or fail during updates; and they have no idea how inflexible Windows is, so it’s not even an issue.
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Trust me, I’ve gone down this path thousands of times over the years, and it always ends with, “Windows is what I know.”
Yeah, well, the NBA was all I knew about basketball until I started watching the WNBA and started to see a purer form of the sport.
This route does not work. It’s all relative, and the typical user fears change with an unbridled passion.
So, what is this magic method of which I speak?
My new method
You may think my simplistic take on this is too silly to even work, but I promise you that I’ve employed it countless times over the years and have found it to be far more effective than jumping on a soapbox and shouting all things “penguin.”
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The method that I am speaking of is to show them Linux.
I don’t mean show them that Linux is more secure, reliable, cost-effective, and flexible; I mean just show them Linux. Show those users you’d like to enlighten what Linux looks like, how it works, and what makes it so much fun.
I remember, way back in the late ’90s, I was tweaking the AfterStep window manager while hanging out with a friend. He leaned over my shoulder, looked at all of the transparencies, vertical title bars, window shading, and theming ability, and said, “Wow, I want that.”
I didn’t turn around and start proselytizing; I simply said, “Pretty cool, isn’t it?”
After that, I continued tweaking, allowing him to continue watching as the window manager evolved into the exact look and feel I wanted. I then turned, gave him a smile, and said, “Try that with Windows.”
He was hooked.
Soon after that, he told me that he’d made the switch and couldn’t believe he’d thought Windows was the only option.
And that was back in the early days, when Linux actually was challenging. Now, Linux is as easy to use as any other operating system, while at the same time, it can still be whatever I want it to be.
Also: 7 things every Linux beginner should know before downloading their first distro
So, instead of telling people about Linux, I show them. When they see Linux in action, see how easy it is to use, and see how it can be tailor-made to perfectly suit an aesthetic or workflow, their interest is piqued much more than if I’d hopped onto my soapbox and shouted to the heavens all of the benefits to be gained when adopting the open-source OS.
You see, to most people, those benefits are secondary to real-life application. People need to see how a change can positively affect their lives, so putting Linux on display for them will go much further than spouting facts, figures, and opinions.
Let them see what’s in store when switching from Windows to Linux, and more than likely, you’ll persuade more flies with that Linux honey than you would by poo-pooing Windows.
