how many of us are liberal arts majors or exclusively 'end-user' ubuntu fans?

[nashife]

I'm an English major at Oregon State U., and earlier this term, I tried to get some of my fellow non-CS/non-engineer friends to Embrace The Ubuntu, but to almost no avail. I ended up giving most of my pressed cds to the local LUG on campus and feeling very sad.

I'm one of the few people (apparently) who uses Ubuntu almost exclusively from an end-user point of view for writing essays and being a generally good undergraduate student in liberal arts, and I want to know more about other people who might also use it like I do and since I can't seem to find very many of them on campus here, I thought I'd try the ubuntuforums! I know that this "make linux accessible to a more general usership" is one of the philosophies of ubuntu also, which makes me very happy, but makes me want to know more about the actual statistics and stories of this demographic.

Anyway, I use Ubuntu for several really specific reasons: it's free and I'm a very poor college student, it forces me to maintain a slightly higher-than-average internet-usage literacy without overwhelming me with forcing me to understand everything about my hardware or even the software I use, and it encourages me to stay away from pirated software for Windows. The fact that it also allows me the freedom to dive much deeper into learning about advanced computing, web design and hosting, programming etc when I do have the time to mess around for fun really is just an added bonus.

yesterday, a friend of mine told me that I exist in a really unique niche as far as my geek-tech-linux-gender identity. Like I said above, I'm a female undergraduate English major who uses ubuntu as an end-user. In other words, I use linux the way the rest of my department (and the world?) uses OS X or Windows. Apparently I'm one of the few and whatnot...

Which brings me to why I'm posting this in the forum here. I've posted similar queries in my blog and in livejournal, but here we go:

I want to do some semi-serious personal internet research into "my type" of demographic group so that at some point soon I can start a focused blog on linux or other technologies from the perspective of a liberal arts girl like me.

Anyway, I wanted to get stories/feedback/ideas from people here. Do you find that ubuntu is a good alternative to windows or os-x as a "daily usage" OS? know any good sites or articles about gender and non-tech users (especially girls like me) getting into ubuntu or other types of linux? etc etc etc.

discuss! :)

P.S. apologies to any of you might have already seen my other queries in the other places I've posted. Ask and I'll link there if you're interested in the other discussions.

[dickohead]

Personally I got into Linux becuase of my love for web developing, and have stayed because I liked it so much. I've tried almost every major distribution available (and a few minor) and Ubuntu time and time again proves to be the easiest, most stable and a lot of fun to use.

My girlfriend on the other hand started using Linux because it came with Mahjonng (SuSE) and TuxRacer, she would use Ubuntu exclusively if the wireless card worked or if Roller-Coaster Tycoon worked with Wine....

As for you being "rare", you'd be a rare windows/OSX user too, very few non-technical users will ever install and manage their own computers or operating systems. But within the Linux world I guess that makes you all the more unique since you started using it for non-technical/nerd reasons.

Having made the choice from an end-users point of view, rather than someone with a vested interest in the technology, you would be one of the few and a valuable stepping stone in spreading Linux/Ubuntu to others much like yourself.

[nashife]

Having made the choice from an end-users point of view, rather than someone with a vested interest in the technology, you would be one of the few and a valuable stepping stone in spreading Linux/Ubuntu to others much like yourself.

The whole "spreading linux" to other people like me is what I'd like to do. I want to help encourage both a basic computer literacy for the average user, and also help encourage people to try new things.

I also am horribly painfully conscious of how difficult it is to be a student in the US right now and how expensive it is. that's why I think using ubuntu as a home system is such a great idea for majors who have to use computers constantly (like english majors). Unfortunately it's been hard... most people don't seem to understand what an operating system is, or that there are options at all! But I'm doing my part where I can... even if it's mostly at a keyboard.

[psoleko]

You are in a growing group of "end users" just discovering Ubuntu and you can have the great pride of being an early adopter. Many of us techie folks are trying to spread Ubuntu to friends and family to help it grow roots and reach alot of people. I use Ubuntu daily at home and work as my workstation. It provides for me everything Windows and OS X can and something more...liberation. I work in a field where an individuals knowledge is his worth, the higher your skill level the better. Yet you can teach others and help them to do there jobs better, increase there skill level. Thats how I feel about Ubuntu and the community around it, it can help you learn and grow as a computer user.

[aysiu]

I, too, am an end-user (and former English major / former English teacher) and loving Ubuntu, but everyone else I know in real life who uses it is a programmer, system administrator or network administrator.

If you want to get a sense, why not attach a poll to your thread? That's a good, quick way to get some numbers and percentages.

[nashife]

It provides for me everything Windows and OS X can and something more...liberation.

whoohoo, yes, exactly, yum!

And in reply to Aysiu, a poll would probably show me what I already know... that there are less of "me" than there are of everyone else. I'm not really interested in statistics, since I'm not a statistician and I wouldn't know how to design a really data-useful survey. I'm more interested in stories and ideas than i am of hard data.

Unless I could team up with someone who could survey the demographics over time and do a collaborative thesis for grad school or something, I'll leave that stuff to others.

[carl13]

I am an end-user also. My experience with Ubuntu was a result of not like windows and trying Linux. I tried different Linux distributions but was not totally satisfied with any. I then gave Ubuntu a try and fell in love with it. I think it is a great operating system for end-users. As far as my major, I am not a liberal arts major. I have an undergraduate and graduate degree in counseling.

[DigitalDuality]

liberal arts and ubuntu user?

you wouldn't happened to be married would you ;)

I'm another techie, network admin/pc repair/amateur website designer with a degree in telecom and minor in comp info sys. Funny though, all through college i loathed most of my tech classes and spent most of my time reading philosophy, political science and classic lit. I wanted to drop out and go for a philosophy degree and hopefully be a philosophy prof.

But something strange happened when i got out of college, i fell in love with computers again.

Here recently, i've gotten 2 people to convert to Ubuntu. Links to it are on my Myspace (i use the news corp owned website to promote things they loathe) and a board i run.. also converted my mother, which was shock even to me.

[nashife]

I am an end-user also. My experience with Ubuntu was a result of not like windows and trying Linux. I tried different Linux distributions but was not totally satisfied with any. I then gave Ubuntu a try and fell in love with it. I think it is a great operating system for end-users. As far as my major, I am not a liberal arts major. I have an undergraduate and graduate degree in counseling.

carl13, what kinds of things about windows did you not like? what kinds of things about ubuntu did you like that made you fall in love?

[matthew]

1 - I think you are awesome. Congratulations on trying new things, choosing to be honest and use free software rather than copying proprietary software, and for wanting to make the world a better place.

2 - I'm well past my college years, but I was a Liberal Arts major. I have a techno-geek side to me, but it's never been my vocation. I'm a writer, amateur linguist, and wannabe sociologist. I use Ubuntu because of the philosophy, both the committment to freedom (price and more importantly, liberty) and the promotion of community through humanity to others.

P.S. I like your blog...just read it.

[cindytrinidad]

I too, am an end-user. I have a computer training center here in the Philippines - we offer PC-based end-user courses and have started to offer end-user FOSS courses using Ubuntu Linux and the popular aplication software that run on it.

Commercial software has become too expensive and I believe, especially for countries like the Philippines, using FOSS is the way to go and having a good distro like Ubuntu will make it easy for us to migrate.

[nashife]

liberal arts and ubuntu user?

you wouldn't happened to be married would you ;)

hahaha, nope. :) Can you share links to your myspace stories? or are they somewhere in your profile that I can't find...? I'm also on myspace (nashife) for the sake of making new and mostly local friends.

Thanks to everyone else so far for adding to this discussion! this is really exciting for me. I'm a little new to the forums too actually... anyone spot similar discussions?

and thanks to mathew (and whoever else) for checking out my blog. :) I was a dishonest person and borrowed the background, but I will soon create my own! I swear! (or get permission *cringe*).

[JimmyJazz]

is that you in your icon there?

I guess I would say I'm an end user because I do graphic design mostly but I also do some programming here and there

[dickohead]

Perhaps you would consider starting your own forum/web-site with information resources for people like yourself, where you can give the best possible information of what Linux/Ubuntu is all about, as well as a reference point for resources such as this forum, ubuntuguide.org(which needs some serious updating), linuxquestions.org and many other support forums or websites.

You could also try extending the influence and accesability of the local LUG, since they will usually have the technical know-how you could write up some simple flyers, pamphlets or set up an information day giving out Ubuntu cd's or the like.

[JimmyJazz]

is that you in your icon there?


ha sorry that was dumb question I only read part of your original post.

[nashife]

Perhaps you would consider starting your own forum/web-site with information resources for people like yourself, where you can give the best possible information of what Linux/Ubuntu is all about, as well as a reference point for resources such as this forum, ubuntuguide.org(which needs some serious updating), linuxquestions.org and many other support forums or websites.

You could also try extending the influence and accesability of the local LUG, since they will usually have the technical know-how you could write up some simple flyers, pamphlets or set up an information day giving out Ubuntu cd's or the like.

I've actually thought of both! This post and my sudden flurry of trying to discuss this in as many places as possible is sort of my "first step" toward exploring what resources/websites/blogs are out there so that i can try to create my own very focused blog with similar resources.

I've also thought about trying to be a "different kind of LUG member" too... actually the friend I mentioned who pointed out that I'm not all that 'normal' of a linux user is the first LUG member I've met--before that, I was way too shy and very very insecure about getting to know the guys in the LUG... I was kind of a "closet user" up until about a week ago.

If I wasn't a senior, and if I wasn't already completely over-committed this term with a lot of other projects, I'd get involved with the LUG meetings and try to organize more "linux for human beings" promotional groups or activities, or just try to help diversify the image of the LUG... prevent other non-standard linux users from being SCARED SHITLESS to go to a LUG meeting.... heh.

Maybe I can seduce some lucky english major freshman or something to carry on my work after I graduate. muahahahaa.

[DigitalDuality]

hahaha, nope. :) Can you share links to your myspace stories? or are they somewhere in your profile that I can't find...? I'm also on myspace (nashife) for the sake of making new and mostly local friends.


corny... but here you go :)

MySpace URL:

http://www.myspace.com/DigitalDuality

oh and big kudos on sqaurepusher :)

[aysiu]

And in reply to Aysiu, a poll would probably show me what I already know... that there are less of "me" than there are of everyone else. I'm not really interested in statistics, since I'm not a statistician and I wouldn't know how to design a really data-useful survey. I'm more interested in stories and ideas than i am of hard data.

Unless I could team up with someone who could survey the demographics over time and do a collaborative thesis for grad school or something, I'll leave that stuff to others. That's a good point--we're probably in the minority, but it may not be as skewed as you might think, certainly not as much as the same poll would be in Gentoo or Slackware forums, I'd imagine.



Anyway, I wanted to get stories/feedback/ideas from people here. Do you find that ubuntu is a good alternative to windows or os-x as a "daily usage" OS? know any good sites or articles about gender and non-tech users (especially girls like me) getting into ubuntu or other types of linux? I almost missed this part of your original post. Here are some links. I'm not sure if others have already suggested these:

Linux Chix (http://www.linuxchix.org/)
How to encourage women in Linux (http://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/Encourage-Women-Linux-HOWTO/)
Ubuntu Women (http://ubuntuforums.org/forumdisplay.php?f=76)

I'm not a woman, but I am a "non-tech user," and this (http://www.psychocats.net/essays/linuxswitchstory.php) is my "switch" story.

[zenwhen]

I would have to call myself an end-user, as I provide nothing in the way of development help to Ubuntu. My responsibilities end with the help I provide towards keeping these forums a friendly place.

I have been a Linux user for about five years now, and have used pretty much everything out there. I have been with Ubuntu for a year. I order 50 disks of every release and pass them out at coffee shops and to friends who seem like they might "get it".

I have to say that I both applaud you for your courage to step forward as a female Linux user in a community and feel sorry for your private message box. Welcome to our community. :cool:

[Iandefor]

I like to think of myself as an end-user. I primarily use my computer (which runs Ubuntu exclusively) for web browsing, word processing, instant messaging, photo editing, and multimedia (encoding/playing/burning CDs, managing my ipod, etc). For a basic desktop system, Linux is actually very usable, and grants an end user freedom from the bureaucratic 1984-ish mire of Windows and the heavy price tag of a Mac. I don't have any resources to point to on gender demographics in the Linux community, unfortunately, but now I'm curious and will probably do a little searching on my own time.

[super]

as 'end-users', are we really so rare a breed? i had no idea.

i use linux in the exact same manner that i use windows. internet, games, word processing. the only real difference is that in linux i try to make my gui look better. i'm all about the real pretty desktops. in winxp i just strip it down for speed.

i only have 3 friends who use linux. 1 is a hack0r (or h4ck3r, or whatever) and the other two are like me. exclusively end-users. weird huh?


it's free and I'm a very poor college student
another reason i use it. :D
vive free software! :razz:

[nalmeth]

Yes, END-USER here, you might say. Or in other words, I have NO programming experience WHATSOEVER. The only thing I know about C++, is that I need it to compile programs, if I want to go about it that way. I am experienced with computers, and am not new to linux. You might say I have been looking for this kind of OS for a while. Windows, well I did not enjoy dealing with Windows. Let's leave it there. Linux was a cool idea when I was first exposed, and I was astonished how such a huge community was hidden from my eyes and ears all my life.
I am also a student, and free free free is all I need to hear! And avoiding pirating software is also a good thing. I have loads of fun learning this system, and have grown to prefer using the command line when I can. I hope this doesn't slide me into the geek category, because all my experience remains end-user experience. Learning as I go along.
However, I am not overly bent on "converting" other people around, and have grown content with being on my own (so to speak) with Ubuntu.
I find that when you're pushing someone to change what has become very ingrained in their thinking and their lifestyle, they tend to resist what you offer, like defending against a threat. A perfectly natural reaction to fearing change.
So they'll sit down with you, and look at all these things you're going on about, and try to compare it piece for piece with their OS, being their only reference point. What is the replacement for this and this? Why is this better? I will never know how to read source, so who cares if its open? If its free, it can't be as good, because Bill Gates is a billionare. There's no way there are no viruses and spyware. I don't buy it.
The more I find myself in this kind of dialogue, the more I find myself building a false image of linux only to cater to others concern's, as if Windows and its cohorts are the gold standard by which all others must achieve or fail.
It's not worth the energy.
Instead, I leave my door open, and kindly cater to people's curiosities, with a friendly, satisfied manner. I try not to present my OS as my religion, or as a product that will beat the rest. Inward pressure just seems to attract more than outward.

[carl13]

carl13, what kinds of things about windows did you not like? what kinds of things about ubuntu did you like that made you fall in love?

As far as not liking windows, most of my complaints would fall into two categories. The first would include things about windows that make no sense. This would include things like installing windows from my dvd drive and having the windows installer copy files from my dvd drive to my hard drive and then later in the installation process the windows installer no longer recognizes that my dvd drive exists so the installation fails. The second category includes all of microsoft's attempts to push their products.

I like Ubuntu because it is the most functional and stable operating system that I have used. I also like the freedom that comes with using it. I use it because I want to and not because of microsoft's business practices.

[Iandefor]

Maybe I can seduce some lucky english major freshman or something to carry on my work after I graduate. muahahahaa. That laugh worries me.

[nashife]

That's a good point--we're probably in the minority, but it may not be as skewed as you might think, certainly not as much as the same poll would be in Gentoo or Slackware forums, I'd imagine.


That is an extremely good point. I may try to formulate some kind of poll later. Maybe I could compare what people say in Gentoo or Slackware forums with what I find here. :) And thank you for the links btw!! Insta-tagged!


I have been with Ubuntu for a year. I order 50 disks of every release and pass them out at coffee shops and to friends who seem like they might "get it".

I have to say that I both applaud you for your courage to step forward as a female Linux user in a community and feel sorry for your private message box. Welcome to our community. :cool:

Thanks for the welcome, and my pm box is actually pretty empty. :) no one's harrassing me yet! And now that I think about it, there are a few very liberal and intelligent coffee shops in town I could have tried to leave some cds at. :) It's good to live in a college town in a "blue state" or something maybe...?


...So they'll sit down with you, and look at all these things you're going on about, and try to compare it piece for piece with their OS, being their only reference point. What is the replacement for this and this? Why is this better? I will never know how to read source, so who cares if its open? If its free, it can't be as good, because Bill Gates is a billionare. There's no way there are no viruses and spyware. I don't buy it.
The more I find myself in this kind of dialogue, the more I find myself building a false image of linux only to cater to others concern's, as if Windows and its cohorts are the gold standard by which all others must achieve or fail.
It's not worth the energy.
Instead, I leave my door open, and kindly cater to people's curiosities, with a friendly, satisfied manner. I try not to present my OS as my religion, or as a product that will beat the rest. Inward pressure just seems to attract more than outward.

This is a HELLA excellent point. I've seen this in some of the reactions I get from my family when I try to suggest that they play with ubuntu sometime. "oh, your stepmom is just so used to AOL... it works for her" or "I already have what I need with windows" or even "I don't care about stealing from bill gates" from those friends of mine who still pirate software.


This would include things like installing windows from my dvd drive and having the windows installer copy files from my dvd drive to my hard drive and then later in the installation process the windows installer no longer recognizes that my dvd drive exists so the installation fails.

This is so totally my Quote of The Day.

[DigitalDuality]

I find it's not really liberals or conservatives (regardless of age group) that just isn't or is concerned with propreitary formats, DRM and Trusted Computing rights, price gouging, anti-competitive practices, etc etc.. but it's the ones who are comfortable and who's lifestyles have been reduced down to apathy, frivolousness, and mindless consumerism. Actually.. i think that's the majority of this planet's problems.

The most liberal of college campuses.. still have a student base that are pretty resistant to anything non-Windows. Including OS X. (well except maybe art schools and their student base attraction to Macs). They simply just don't care, are uninformed, and have no want to be informed.

Much like how the SUV driver doesn't want to hear about the pollution his vehicle creates so he can be "blingin" when he picks up his new girl for a night on the town. Anything that disrupts the comfortable flow of what corporate america provides for us.. is seen as an annoyance, and as liberal. For most people stuff like this isn't even a political issue with any kind of dire consequences, from their POV.

I think it can have a very conservative approach to it though. Economic feasibility being one of them. Conservatives are pro-captialism, but MS, DRM, and Trust Computing doesn't embody the spirit of competition needed for capitalism to thrive.

You gotta slowly get someone excited about linux and bit by bit brag about how this is cool, or that is cool, or laugh at the money you're saving vs those that are wasting it..let them see the advantages through your compliments and comparisson to turn them onto it.. and even then, thay may run away. I don't think leaving some discs around would do anything. Though, you never know.

It's not the OS in itself that's a religion to me, but the philosophy that is behind it..and the entire OSS/FOSS model.

[aysiu]

I find it's not really liberals or conservatives (regardless of age group) that just isn't or is concerned with propreitary formats, DRM and Trusted Computing rights, price gouging, anti-competitive practices, etc etc.. but it's the ones who are comfortable and who's lifestyles have been reduced down to apathy, frivolousness, and mindless consumerism. Actually.. i think that's the majority of this planet's problems. Liberal arts major doesn't mean political liberal.

Liberal: a person who is liberal: as a : one who is open-minded or not strict in the observance of orthodox, traditional, or established forms or ways b capitalized : a member or supporter of a liberal political party c : an advocate or adherent of liberalism especially in individual rights

Liberal Arts: 1 : the medieval studies comprising the trivium and quadrivium
2 : the studies (as language, philosophy, history, literature, abstract science) in a college or university intended to provide chiefly general knowledge and to develop the general intellectual capacities (as reason and judgment) as opposed to professional or vocational skills

[prizrak]

Liberal arts major doesn't mean political liberal.

Liberal: a person who is liberal: as a : one who is open-minded or not strict in the observance of orthodox, traditional, or established forms or ways b capitalized : a member or supporter of a liberal political party c : an advocate or adherent of liberalism especially in individual rights

Liberal Arts: 1 : the medieval studies comprising the trivium and quadrivium
2 : the studies (as language, philosophy, history, literature, abstract science) in a college or university intended to provide chiefly general knowledge and to develop the general intellectual capacities (as reason and judgment) as opposed to professional or vocational skills
Nah all you lib arts are liberal hippies you know that! :) j/k
I have found lib arts majors to be alot more conservative than many others, they are not as bad as the Business/Law crowd but still. Although it is changing business is becoming a bit more liberal and risk taking.
I suppose I could kinda fit in the end user non geek category because my field of study was business, but even then it was MIS and I do have an extensive computer background making me pretty geeky :) I must say that from a stand point of an end user such as the OP Linux is not difficult at all, as long as someone can set it up for them. I also don't think that female/lib arts end users are as much of a minority as we might think, I think that they are just alot less vocal than the geek crowd since they are just happy using their computer w/o any of the worries associated with the certain other OS ;)

[DigitalDuality]

Liberal arts major doesn't mean political liberal.

Liberal: a person who is liberal: as a : one who is open-minded or not strict in the observance of orthodox, traditional, or established forms or ways b capitalized : a member or supporter of a liberal political party c : an advocate or adherent of liberalism especially in individual rights

Liberal Arts: 1 : the medieval studies comprising the trivium and quadrivium
2 : the studies (as language, philosophy, history, literature, abstract science) in a college or university intended to provide chiefly general knowledge and to develop the general intellectual capacities (as reason and judgment) as opposed to professional or vocational skills

She said.. and i quote

there are a few very liberal and intelligent coffee shops in town I could have tried to leave some cds at.

[aysiu]

She said.. and i quote Quoting earlier would have saved me some dictionary lookup...

Thanks for the clarification.

[Stormy Eyes]

Anyway, I wanted to get stories/feedback/ideas from people here. Do you find that ubuntu is a good alternative to windows or os-x as a "daily usage" OS?

Yes, it's an excellent alternative, as long as you're willing to put some effort into tweaking it or know somebody willing to wear the wizard's hat on your behalf. Of course, I'm not a liberal arts guy, but a CS dropout who codes for a living, so don't take my opinion as gospel.

[potrick]

Hey, just wanted to say I'm a Mass Media/International Relations major, and funny enough my girlfriend got me started on Linux. Although looking back I had spent a year of my life hacking windows to be more linux like without realizing it. Anyway, you're not alone in being an end user. I even convinced one of my friends (a female english major) to switch.

[drizek]

nm...

[fuscia]

end user here. i use e-mail, web browsing (for stupid **** and pizza delivery numbers, mostly), listen to music and use gimp to put pics of my friends' heads on the bodies of shemale porn stars.

[poofyhairguy]

I am too a liberal arts major. I think Ubuntu serves my purposes well, and gives me a fun hobby sometimes.

Plus, I totally agree on Ubuntu making piracy less tempting. Thats a big selling point for me.

Cool post.

[Sef]

I am too a liberal arts major. I think Ubuntu serves my purposes well, and gives me a fun hobby sometimes.

Same here. Plus it is nice to give something back to others.

[/QUOTE]Plus, I totally agree on Ubuntu making piracy less tempting. Thats a big selling point for me.[/QUOTE]

The GPL, in general, keeps citizens law abiding, not just those who can afford the software.

[Vlammetje]

Alrightie.... demographic: I'm a girl but not a liberal arts major at all. I have a degree in hotel management instead and work in hotel accounting. For work purposes, Ubuntu is actually quite useless to me, because our finance and more importantly our reporting utilities are so deeply integrated into Windows (specifically Excel) that porting them is out of the question.

As a hobby writer and general sufferer from the 'geeky girl' syndrome I find Ubuntu fits my personal needs very well, it allows me to tweak my PC more than windows ever did, I have learnt so much more in my less than 4 months with Ubuntu than in my 10+ years with windows and I enjoy trying new things. For writing, I have yet to find something that would do what the 'Writers Block' software for windows does..... not so much for the actual writing but for setting up plots and characters in a neat way. This is one of the very few things I miss.... I've gotten past my photoshop addition and other stuff already :KS

As for piracy..... well I was never big on pirated sw to begin with but it is a relief to know that software you download has a less high risk of being pirated and/or containing viruses.... still I am very careful about what I download and from what sources ;)

From an end-user point of view Ubuntu is the forward to me and I hope it will prosper for a long time to come!

[egon spengler]

Liberal: a person who is liberal: as a : one who is open-minded or not strict in the observance of orthodox, traditional, or established forms or ways b capitalized : a member or supporter of a liberal political party c : an advocate or adherent of liberalism especially in individual rights


She said.. and i quote

there are a few very liberal and intelligent coffee shops in town I could have tried to leave some cds at.


Well according to aysiu's dictionary defintion liberal (uncapitalised) means open minded. If you are hoping to get somebody to try something new (a new operating system perhaps) then "one who is open-minded or not strict in the observance of orthodox, traditional, or established forms or ways" would surely be your better bet right? Ergo a "liberal and intelligent coffe house" (which I would assume is a coffee house frequented predominantly by poncy and pretensious middle class poseurs) would be a place that may well bear fruit in regards to getting people to try ubuntu

[Vlammetje]

I don't believe I see the relation between 'pretentious middle class poseurs' and being liberal??? :confused:

[egon spengler]

I don't believe I see the relation between 'pretentious middle class poseurs' and being liberal??? :confused:

That's most likely because I didn't say that there was a relation.

[nashife]

Just wanted to say thanks for the new stories...

and also, sorry that I totally got sloppy with the "liberal coffee shop" bit. I wasn't trying to say that liberal arts majors are all liberals, or that a liberal coffee shop is going to be into linux directly.

It was sloppy of me to try to make the connections I was trying to express in such a short message. heh. I blame it on the cold medicine!

The place I'm thinking of was just the most 'likely' public place that would be cool if I left cds around if I explained my motivations (help people see that there are free alternatives to windows).

Starbucks and whatnot would probably tell me to go away if I asked them. (we tried to get them to put up posters for an author event last term and they just took them into the back room and said they'd have to call corporate to see if it would be ok. *pfft*)

I guess I should have said "really chill coffee shop that likes to support local students and the 'underdog'" instead of "liberal."

[DigitalDuality]

^
Those tend to be liberal ;-) hehe

[curuxz]

I'm suprised linux is not more popular amoung University level students, im finding it damn near impossible to convert my peers, even tho they talk the good talk about anti-capitilism and down with the big faceless corps people still reist change :(

Still im armed with my first batch of shipit cd's now (so i can stop giving people the 'gold' edition). Hope I can get some more people to join it. I agree linux is such a liberal (if not left-wing) idea and I expect thats part of the reluctance to which its adopted by ordinary people. They just dont understand why freedom in computing is as much worth fighting for as free speach and equality.

Still ill keep trying, probs not by leaving cds in coffee houses, because they tend to be owned by the same 'man' than makes business like M$. but nice to see the college spirit is in others even if ubuntu-college linux seems to now be 6ft under!

End users have so much to gain from *nix I think them comming around is only a matter of time, esp with the ease of use of ubuntu

[Mr_J_]

Well! Going with the flow here!

You are indeed a rarity because you are a girl. Mainly that's the number one.
You are also an admited End-User which are thought to be a lesser extent than the Geek/Techno/Male Users.

I am a Male Computer Technician and a Geek, Technologically inclined person.
Which means I occupy most of the higher demographics in the linux world.
I am becoming more and more an End-User, since I do nothing besides listening to music and surfing the web with my computer... At least normally. When I get bored I revert to a more Geek state.

By most of the posts on this thread you probably got the idea that you really are rare.

I just hope that you become less and less of a rarity.

[TeeAhr1]

History/Marketing major here, very much in the "end-user" category. I guess I'm the designated geek in my social circle, but that doesn't say as much about me as it does about some of my friends :p I use Ubuntu for pretty much the same things it sounds like you do; Intarwub browsing, word processing, music...and gdesklets and Nethack ;)

I've actually had a little success in my Linux World Conquest project! So far, I've hooked my roommate, a friend across town, and a friend across the country in New York! (Still working on my g/f, mainly because I'm sick to death of fixing her broken XP laptop...)

Okay, maybe I am a little geekish, but in a strictly amatuer capacity. I was fairly Windows-proficient, but until October I had never even seen a Linux desktop. I guess what got me here, aside from the price tag, is the socio-political idea of Open Source; fomenting revolution, one hard drive at a time :twisted:

However, I am not overly bent on "converting" other people around *snip, go read it yourself if you haven't*
I just wanted to say that this whole post is not only hands down the most intelligent thing I've read so far this week, it may be the most insightful thing I've ever seen posted to these boards.