Homer wrote:
> Verily I say unto thee, that bbgruff spake thusly:
>> Jason Locklin wrote:
>
>>> I wouldn't at all be surprised if the 1% of people who are "geeky"
>>> enough to buy computer magazines are among the 1% of people who
>>> have tried Linux.
>>
>> That's fair comment.
>
> However, it doesn't really explain why an OS with a purportedly 1%
> market share, has an 8/11 = 73% print magazine representation.
>
> Presumably /someone/ buys those non-Linux computing magazines. Are they
> excluded from this 1% geek demographic?
>
> Also bear in mind the "Freetard" factor. Aren't Free Software users
> supposed to prefer getting their content for free? Indeed, aren't /all/
> "geeks" predisposed to obtaining their content the hi-tech way (online)
> rather than subscribing to dead-trees?
>
> Sorry, but the analysis doesn't bear out the theory.
>
> To me, this seems like a rapid uptick in mainstream adoption.
>
>> However, the interesting thing to me is that this appearance of a
>> plethora of magazines specialising in Linux, and general computer
>> magazines now featuring Linux very prominently, seems to be quite a
>> recent phenomenon in the UK. I "did a double take" myself 3 or 4
>> weeks ago when walking past the magazine rack in our own local (and
>> quite small) branch of Smiths. There seemed to be quite a lot of
>> them.
>> Why so suddenly, I wonder?
>
> Short answer: Windows 7.
>
> The long answer is: Vista was the straw that broke the camel's back for
> many die-hard/apathetic Windows users, after years (decades) of enduring
> insecurity, bloat, instability and extortionate prices.
>
> Microsoft's answer was this steaming pile called Vista, that only
> compounded the bloat and extortionate prices, "solved" the security
> problem so incompetently that most people just disabled that "solution"
> completely, and substituted a portion of instability with the most
> chronic incompatibility of any version of Windows so far.
>
> Then along come netbooks, and suddenly the mainstream get to taste an
> alternative. Even after Microsoft pull their usual racketeering stunt,
> and enforce XP domination on this new platform - too late, the cat's out
> of the bag. People know the truth now: There really is a viable
> alternative to Windows.
>
> So the market settles back to XP for a while, and Microsoft complacently
> sit back and congratulate themselves for having "cut off the air supply"
> of yet another threat. But as Ballmer eases back into his leather office
> chair, with a evil grin on his face and a Cuban cigar in his foul mouth,
> he's blissfully ignorant of the fact that the Windows die-hards' loyalty
> is changing to disillusionment, the Windows hoards' apathy is turning to
> curiosity, and everyone is turning to at least /look/ at Linux.
>
> The final nail in Microsoft's coffin is Windows 7, the news of which has
> been received with about as much enthusiasm as an eviction notice. At
> this point, Windows users are wandering around like nomads, looking for
> a new home.
>
> Magazine publishers, like any other producers, follow the law of supply
> and demand. They must, or face bankruptcy.
>
> So who exactly is "demanding" to read about GNU/Linux?
>
> 73% of computer magazine shoppers at WH Smith, apparently.
I'll go along with most of what you say there - with perhaps a word of
caution on your 73%
Did you show 4/11 *exclusively* Linux (36%), with a further four showing
Linux prominently?
That apart, another couple of thoughts, if I may:-
1. For *very* many people, the introduction of Windows 7 is the first time
that they've really had choice. At the time (2001?) that XP was
introduced, Linux was perhaps not very viable for many? XP has been with
us for over 8 years - so no real incentive to change.
XP is what they are used to, but soon folks will *have* to change.
A good time to consider the alternative(s).
2. "Upgrading" any machine bought during XP's reign with Windows 7 is going
to be a bit of a non-starter. Take a look at the price of Windows 7
retail, and it's a tidy chunk of the price of a new machine, which will
very likely have it pre-loaded (and hence cheaper).
Against that, one can pretty-well say "if it will run XP, it will run
Linux" - and Linux is only a download or a magazine-cover away!
You don't need a new machine, you get a new OS, the cost is zilch, and so is
your future upgrade path. You have a learning curve, but you will have
that to some extent anyway if you go to Windows 7.
I reckon a hell of a lot of folks, and certainly most of the folks who buy
computer mags. are going to be giving it a try!
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