[luau] Thinktech Hawaii and Linux/Unix

[Alvin Murphy]

Tom Donahoe wrote:

>On 2/17/03 12:54 PM, "maddog" <maddog at heavymetalradio.net> wrote:
>
>  
>
>>I take all of your coments in stride. I read them all and they are well
>>thought out. Gary had a great comment about being an outspoken advocate,
>>that is not always the best approach when you are trying to get people to do
>>something they don't like to do, namely change. Microsoft owns the desktop
>>market and yes Open Office and the other open source Office Suites have come
>>a long way. When sharing calendars and calendaring in general , and sending
>>meeting requests can equal what Microsoft has done with Exchange and Outlook
>>then I think Open Source will have a chance. Another thing that is quirky in
>>Open Office is the Document translation. Now I could go on and on about this
>>subject but I choose not too and I choose to listen to you folks and ask you
>>to help me understand the power behind Open Source.
>>    
>>
>I think Maddog makes some good, useful comments here in approaching this
>group. Change is a scary thing for anyone in any industry. (Although,
>Maddog, if you think the rate of change in business is slow, change in
>education is glacial by comparison.) Even when the benefits are clearly
>spelled out, people can still be reluctant to change. It reminds of
>something I saw recently: How many people does it take to change a light
>bulb? Four. One to change the light bulb, the other three to stand around
>reminiscing about the old light bulb. :-) You're gonna encounter a lot of
>folks who want to stick with the old (burned out) light bulb, folks...even
>when they can plainly see that the change benefits them although, once they
>see how they benefit personally, it will be easier. (Personally is the key
>word. Never mind the business or the organization, if it is easier or
>benefits them personally, it will be easier to win them over.) Just some
>thoughts on change.
>
>Aloha
>Tom Donahoe
>
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>  
>
All the comments are interesting and cogent. I still find it interesting 
and disturbing that a show that focuses on tech would seem put off 
rather than /interested/ in something new they did not understand, like 
Linux and open source. Hopefully, with someone now onboard and "inside", 
attitudes will change.  I was tempted to post to their website and 
wonder whether they took the trouble to listen to a kind of sister show 
"Science Friday" which devoted a half hour a few weeks ago to Linux and 
open source, pointed out the amazing speed of development that has 
occured, considering it is only about 10 yrs old. Thanks