Comment 415 for bug 1

My experience, which may differ from others, especially Stephan Vanigan, is that compelling people to upgrade from Windows to Ubuntu causes a lot of damage.

I have tried strong encouragement and inducement, and found that users will fall back on me to push them every inch of the way. It is just not worthwhile doing it like that. Ultimately, there'll be nothing you can do to make them happy with _YOUR_ decision. People who are induced do not own the decision. The initial surprise of the differences will cause a shock. Unless they have already bought into it and know why _they_ bought into it, I have observed that they become very damaging detractors, telling people why they shouldn't use Ubuntu or other GNU/Linux systems.

I have found that if you are completely honest and open with users, give them the choice, and explain the pros and cons of each system, those who decide (who are the majority) to use Ubuntu will become positive members of the community. They become people who talk about Ubuntu and GNU/Linux positively and become people who are willing to help the system on the way. THEY made the decision to buy into Ubuntu. It is THEIR decision. They own the decision, they get to love their decision, and the Ubuntu system. Their love of the system spreads to their friends.They look for reasons to love it, and try to fix any reason to hate it.

If unsure of the above, please check out Leon Festinger's cognitive Dissonance theory. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cognitive_dissonance

My 7 years experience of introducing people to GNU/Linux has taught me to Never, Never induce someone to use a system which s different to one they are used to. Also, never Appear Zealous http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/zealot

My tips on making constructive members of the Ubuntu community are:
1) Whenever possible, let people passively observe you using the Ubuntu system.
2) If they have questions, answer them honestly and openly. Talk about the benefits and the pitfalls. Talk a little about the history and the philosophy behind the system.
3) If they appear interested, let them know that you'll be happy to install the system on their computer and give some help. Also let them know you can legally give them a disc if they want to install it themselves.
4) Wait for the request for you to re-install their system with Ubuntu and show them at least how to use the package manager, Openoffice, Firefox and advise them that they will probably never use a CD to install software - software automatically downloads and installs. CDs from libraries will not work, nor will Windows games CDs.

A very common mistake ex-Windows users make is to download an .exe file or hope to download something resembling a .exe file to install software. They need to know that is just not how it is done on Ubuntu. A completely different paradigm.

Perhaps we need a handler for .exe files so that when a user tries to run one for the first time, they are told how to get and install software on Ubuntu.