I've converted 3 people to ubuntu!

[alecjw]

Woohoo! I've converted 3 poeople to Ubuntu in one day by showing them these 2 videos on my iPod:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLa3Wac4O2A&mode=related&search=
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlTJKKc4Fqc

And another 2 about xgl on linux. Hehehehe. We all love spinning cubiness.

[slimdog360]

I love the first one

[x64Jimbo]

I converted a couple of my friends by just showing them how simple it is, and by telling them that it's virtually impossible to contract a virus while running Linux.
Remember, Linux is the perfect OS for two kinds of friends:
1. The technogeek who just hasn't tried Linux yet but has been running Apache, Gaim, Gimp, and similar programs on his Windows box. He's ready for Linux because a few config files won't scare him.
2. The complete computer novice. Doesn't play games, run web servers, chat on more than one medium at a time, etc. Linux is right for this user because he doesn't need to mess with config files to do what he wants with his computer. He'll be happy with a simple flash plugin in his Firefox and a sweet wallpaper of Angelina Jolie. If you can help with the installation process, this user will be happily computing on Linux for years without running into problems.

The kind of user who shouldn't be running Linux yet:
Knows just enough about windows to be dangerous, or is a serious PC gamer. Linux is capable of doing all the more advanced stuff that he does with his Winbox, but it requires more tweaking, which will probably just annoy him.
This user only needs to wait a couple more years - the Gnome, KDE, Xorg, Cedega, Wine, CrossoverOffice, etc projects have been making leaps and bounds lately as the Linux community continues to build towards critical mass. More users = more feedback to the devs, which helps speed the progress of the projects.

Keep an eye on Ubuntu. It's leading the pack in the race to dethrone Windows once and for all.

[moleculeman]

It's strange, but I was exactly the kind of person who shouldn't have converted. Yet I did, having had to reinstall XP 3 times in the first month with my new laptop. Came in without any preconceptions and got prepared to learn from scratch.

Haven't looked back.

Actually, a couple of years ago I read an essay by Neal Stephenson "In the Beginning was the Command Line". I suppose that gave me the germ of the idea. If you're at all interested, here:

http://www.cryptonomicon.com/beginning.html

It got me thinking.