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Date:      Fri, 2 Nov 2001 00:07:48 +0100 (CET)
From:      Nils Holland <nils@tisys.org>
To:        "Gary W. Swearingen" <swear@blarg.net>
Cc:        chat@FreeBSD.ORG, <advocacy@FreeBSD.ORG>
Subject:   Re: NatWest? no thanks
Message-ID:  <20011101235550.R54141-100000@jodie.ncptiddische.net>
In-Reply-To: <bysnbycel1.nby@localhost.localdomain>

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On 1 Nov 2001, Gary W. Swearingen wrote:

> So put it into words.  Who should it be for?  Geniuses who think like
> computers and those who like to spend days configuring (and learning
> about) things which M$ and Apple users can configure in a few minutes or
> seconds (and often needn't bother to learn about at all)?  Why shouldn't
> it be for "the rest of us", who would like to learn and do other things?

It should be for users who would like to learn. As I have said, FreeBSD is
a really flexible operating system which virtually has no limits when it
comes to do things. Windows is limited only so far as the icons take you.
The difference is this: Microsoft shoves everything up the users a**,
trying to make their software (supposedly) as easy as possible to use.
However, it's still true that if you build a fool-proof system, only fools
will want to use it. The challenge we are probably facing is *not*
creating animated paper clips that seem to assume that all users are
stupid. The challenge we are facing is creating something that is very
flexible and free to be used by anyone who wants to use it. FreeBSD can be
very easy to use even for beginners when you install X and KDE / Gnome,
but users will just have to accept that they will have to do at least a
bit of learning if they want to get their hooks on advanced features.
That's just the way it is.

Mass aceptance can be achieved in two ways: Either copy what the mass
uses today and try to make them use your copy (seems that Microsoft likes
that method), or make the masses aware what we have to offer. The second
is the better method, IMHO. In my local area, I have introduced quite a
few people who were disappointed with their (Windows) system to FreeBSD.
What seemed hard to understand for them at first quickly became something
they love. Indeed, we *have* to offer something that is significantly
different (and better) than Windows, because if we would simply produce
a copy of Windows - well, then why should people want to use our software
anyway?

Greetings
Nils

Nils Holland
Ti Systems - FreeBSD in Tiddische, Germany
http://www.tisys.org * nils@tisys.org


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