begin oe_protect.scr
High Plains Thumper <hpt@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> espoused:
> Mark Kent wrote:
>> High Plains Thumper espoused:
>>> Roy Schestowitz wrote:
>>>
>>>> http://www.desktoplinux.com/news/NS8400135171.html
>>>>
>>>> More of a self-taught and collaborative exercise, rather
>>>> than institutionalised.
>>>
>>> This is a good sign that there is greater interest in
>>> Linux. By being web based means that it will be easier to
>>> reach the masses, particularly students and working
>>> people.
>>
>> It's a kind of step up from the Howtos, readmes, man-pages
>> and so on, and the O'Reilly books. Linux now needs to gain
>> a new generation of users and admins. Developers are
>> coming along through the academic systems, and the current
>> generation of users and admins are mostly the technical
>> cognescenti who pre-date Windows themselves. There's a
>> generation in the middle who've missed out on this, but if
>> the up-and-coming users and admins are getting trained, and
>> the old-timers already know, then continuity of support and
>> development for FLOSS will be maintained.
>>
>> An observation from attending many conferences on these
>> areas: most people are either 40+ or are 20-something.
>> There are far fewer people in their 30s, in my experience.
>> They're the "windows" generation, and they're being
>> sandwiched by us older folk, and the youngsters.
>
> About a year back whilst on a return flight, I sat next to a
> young Microsoft software data base admin type in his 30's
> during business travel. He was insistent that the TCO for
> Microsoft was considerably less than with Linux.
>
> He had zero experience with Linux and with non-Microsoft data
> bases.
It sums the problem up well - he's totally convinced of something,
without a single shred of experience to back it up. It's rather like
some of the debates which go on in cola.
> With humour I took silent note that this individual
> without any other inputs was well indoctrinated in Microsoft
> religion. (I humorously thought of it as Chairman Bill and
> Yankee Group's Little Red Book.)
Quite right.
>
> On-line Linux and Open Source training made available will
> help such type people, if they are interested. I do not see
> how someone in their 30's can ignore such, they will be
> severely disadvantaged in the changing market place.
>
They'll be waking up, but they'll fight tooth and nail to avoid change.
You see, they're the generation least well equiped to cope with change.
Our older generation(s) have handled and managed many different types of
computing system and technology, and the youngsters coming along can do
the same; it's the 30-something brigade who are one-trick ponies.
--
| Mark Kent -- mark at ellandroad dot demon dot co dot uk |
What will you do if all your problems aren't solved by the time you die?
|
|
