How Many Have You Converted?

[Dragonbite]

Just got a friend to c'mon over to Ubuntu. He got me into Linux in the first place, his harddrive crashed, he was looking for a distro for a clean install and he's been hearing me say good things about Ubuntu so I believe he's a Kubuntu user now.

I was wondering, though, if there is any place for people to track how many people they have moved into Ubuntu, whether from Windows, Mac or other Linux distros? Just for fun, of course.

Be even better if you could also include how you ended up converting them and/or their reactions to it, when did they convert and any other interesting and fun quips (Ubuntu forum username?)

I think I have 2 in my tally (1 Ubuntu, 1 Kubuntu) not including my kids (to be honest.. they didn't hava choice so I can't really count them )

[Garyu]

People who sign up to this forum can name a user who referred them. That's the closest thing I know to what you're talking about.

Then again, my parents are both using Ubuntu instead of Windows now because of me, and they don't care about forums or community, they care about being able to work in a safe environment without viruses. My ex-girlfriend is dual-booting because of me, but she is only using the internet browser and word processor, so she wouldn't even know what a forum is basically. Both of my brothers are talking about converting, but they are waiting to buy new computers first. They would probably both be at least somewhat active on a forum such as this, but for them it all comes down to how much time they have to spend.

In short, there is no real way of measuring things like this. You could do a survey, but to keep it statistically correct you would have to talk to people on neutral ground, i.e. downtown in a square or whatever, using the forum would bias the survey. But it's kind of an interesting question.

I recently made a similar post to state that linux friendliness is increasing in Sweden at least. But the discussion in that thread is a bit off topic now. Still, 16% of Swedish people say their next OS will be linux and 49% say Vista, according to Aftonbladet. I would say that is the closest thing to an answer I have right now.

[fuscia]

just one, for real. i had a student who was a professor at nc state. i gave him a live cd of hoary (this was a while ago). he put it on his laptop and liked it a lot.

my wife uses linux on our desktop (she prefers openbox to "all the other stupid crap"), but she truly couldn't care any less.

[Hex_Mandos]

I gave out a Dapper CD to a tech support guy, and burned a Kubuntu Edgy CD for a friend. I recently started carrying Dapper Live CDs everywhere, so that I have something to work on while using a Windows box, and to promote Ubuntu.

[Mateo]

none! it's not a religion!

[eXisor]

0

Evangelism is insulting and disrespectful.

[lyceum]

I sell PCs with Ubuntu only installed to people who do not have the $$'s for new PCs. I am not sure if you could count them as converts, as for most of them, this is their first PC. I also put Ubuntu on PCs that have XP on them illegaly and now the person cannot buy XP and they cannot use their PC. I would count them as converts. Since last August I would say that I have put Ubuntu on around 80-100 PCs. One was dual boot w/ XP, my dad's laptop is Ubuntu on a new hard drive and XP on his old one, so he swaps them as needed.

[Dragonbite]

0

Evangelism is insulting and disrespectful.

Perhaps "Convert" is not the appropriate word? Perhaps how many people may have been influenced to try/use Ubuntu or Linux by either direct (you show them or help them) or indirect (they admire your PC and ask questions)?

Like I said, one friend, whom I talk via IM since he's 2 states away, heard me say good things about Ubuntu and when the time arrived he had to do a clean install he decided to do it as well.

The other person arrived at a Linux Special Interest Group to learn about Linux, I handed him an Ubuntu CD (actually passed it out to everybody (2) who was there partially so we could easily work from the same reference point) and he's liked it. He upgraded to Dapper from a CD from my 2nd shipment.

I'm not talking about forcing it onto anybody, but more from casual conversations or introducing it to an intersted party. Of course if they are insulted or not interested then they wouldn't (or rather shouldn't) install it on their system.


Of course there is a fine line between "hey check this out, it's neat!" and evenagelism.

[Footissimo]

I'm a fundamentalist Ubuntarian. One has followed the way of the Shuttleworth after my teachings to her. I plan to go to the high street at the weekend and preach to the all the Microsofties who walk by. Many more will follow.

[Omnios]

I introduced my dad to Ubuntu and he using it now and seems to like it so far.