Comment 1115 for bug 1

Hi :)

How to run from an Ubuntu Cd
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/LiveCD

Does the shop have an old machine they would let you give them a demonstration on? Ask them what the cd/dvd-drives read/write speed is compared to the hard-drives read/writes, preferably while the LiveCd is booting up. When they quote figures say something like "Ahh, so doing stuff from Cd takes 100(?) times as long?"

Because the office apps are included on the LiveCd and it picks up networked internet connections usually very easily it can be very impressive. Just boot up with the Cd in the drive, click on FireFox, open an email that has a ".doc" attachment and open the "Word" attachment. If the network & internet is instantly picked up then use the "Places" menu to find something on the hard-drive and open that instead. Avoid getting caught-up in setting things up. Then reboot back into their shop-display Windows so they can see no harm was done & no trace left of your history.

"Preaching to the converted" can be a relief. Just finding like-minded people is a relief when you feel so isolated from everyone around you and it is what many of us in here did in our first posts. Even if that was sooo long ago for some people that they have forgotten.

I am not sure but in my country people are easily impressed by the fire writing effect so i spent ages learning to write my name fast with the mouse & sometimes spend a while preparing for a particular demonstration by practicing writing their (or thier company's) name. this 'backfired' one time when showing a VJ who was more impressed with my handwriting than the special effect! Apparently most people find calligraphy impossible with the mouse.

I still support some Windows users particularly if the answer is going to be easier using a LiveCd. I have often been tempted to install a tiny linux such as Wolvix at the end of a persons hard-drive and then hide the boot menu, just to make sure i have familiar tools there ready. Clamtk is so much faster than Windows anti-virus scans.

When it seems like everyone around you is set against you just remember Ghandi's quote "First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win." So which stage are you at in a given negotiation and which step follows next?

Also a lot of times when people are leaving Windows behind we see them go through the 5 stages of grieving
Denial
Anger
Negotiate, bargaining
Depression
Acceptance
Although this starts the same as Ghandi's quote the order is a little different.

When i started with linux i couldn't believe it was so easy and got angry about all the ridiculous things (defrags, virus scans) that i had been forced to do before even being able to think about starting solving a problem.

I tried getting other people to use linux but they all thought that Windows must be the best because everyone uses Windows (read "The Emperor's New Clothes") which often got me quite angry.

Then i figured that it was ok because at least 1 person doesn't have to bother with all the Windows slow-downs and problems and that's me. Anger is not a good way to win respect so i figured that i should stop bothering to try converting people unless they showed some interest beyond just griping about Windows.

Then i got hooked on some games & stopped bothering to listen to people because it's depressing how often people will moan & complain but take no action to solve their complaint.

Now i just feel smug when someone tells me their Windows woes. I can sit back and chuckle about all those years with Windows and still the same types of problems with it.

Blimey, sorry about this! I just wanted to write a quick short post saying "Show off the LiveCd"!!
Good luck and regards to all from
Tom :)