[LUAU] user experiences

[Hawaii Linux Institute]

Vince Hoang wrote:

>HCC/PCATT is offering training. A year after Hoala passed the position
>onto me, the program morphed into the Red Hat Academy program. The DOE
>is looking into extending their magnet school offerings to include the
>RHA.
>
>CompUSA has been offering CompTIA's Linux+ certification class for a while.
>
>Scott will be offering some classes at McKinley as well. He is
>volunteering his time, so the cost for the classes are insanely low.
>
>Bill might have something lined up as well.
>
>-Vince
>

I went over to Makiki community library yesterday.  This should offer a 
great testimony to the benefits of adopting a Linux system.  Unlike 
other state libraries, Makiki does not receive any state fund.  Without 
HOSEF/Linux, its two Windows2000 computers would have been dead (or one 
dead and the other severely crippled).

OTOH, with hindsight, our State library system could have saved at least 
half of the 1.5 million dollars that it spent on buying those Windows 
2000 computers.  Many jobs would have been saved, and our libraries 
could be open during some of the hours that it is needed the most.

I am also wondering that, in a couple of years, where will we find money 
to upgrade our current computer system?  Cut a few more jobs?  Reduce 
more library hours?

But is Linux the perfect answer?  yes and no.

Some users who know something about computes would like to have Windows 
re-installed.  "Why?"  This is one of the critical issues regarding 
"user experiences" that probably need to be explored.

Familiarity, or more specifically, the lack thereof, is one thing.  I 
have heard a story that someone installed Firefox in a public computer 
(running Windows).  No one used it.  Then this guy changed its icon and 
re-named it "Internet Explorer".  (you can do everything on your own 
computer, there is no trademark infringement issue.)  All of a sudden 
everyone is using it.

Then there is the customization issue.  The stock Mandrake 10 does not 
include Java, flash-plugin, mplayer, codecs for DVD movies, and perhaps 
a few other things.  With Fedora/RedHat, in addition to these missing 
customer items, you also need to install mp3 plug-in.  When these are 
all in place, as far as for use by library patrons is concerned, Linux 
is, indeed, at least as user-friendly as Windows.  Thereafter, we can 
talk about some of the advantages of Linux, including, as we all know: 
security (I believe Microsoft has decided to take it easy, if at all, on 
issuing Windows 2000 patches), user management (separate user accounts, 
mounting your own USB drive, etc.), portability, serviceability, etc.

But the more trouble-some issues are regarding providing "professional" 
Linux desktops (such as office automating jobs, use of GIMP, working 
with more advanced hardware, etc).   This is the area that I am most 
interested in but feel the most inadequate.  wayne