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tegwilym
November 29th, 2007, 11:56 PM
Not the 'Christmas Edition' but Ubuntu as a gift.

Just wondering how many of you 'family tech support guys" are giving up and giving the family (and few friends) Ubuntu disks for Christmas gifts? When I say giving up, I mean totally fed up with Microsoft XP/Vista and want to get the family doing something better?

I ordered a small handful of CDs from the Ubuntu site (The bootable Live edition) and will try to find a few good simple Ubuntu books to go with them. The family is getting forced to try Linux this year. Yay!

I'm throughly disgusted with Microsoft and everything about them, so I'm hoping to make my life easier. :)

Tom

MickLionheart
November 29th, 2007, 11:59 PM
Amen man, i've been giving out ubuntu cds with my phone number if they need a little help, I've gotten probably two calls out of about 20 people, and so far about 15 out of those people are spreading it also, (just without my phone number).

finferflu
November 30th, 2007, 12:01 AM
That's the way to go, every occasion is good to promote Linux (and wish MS utter doom :P) :D

Roque2
November 30th, 2007, 12:03 AM
Already started giving them out. Now lets see how many phone calls on christmas I get .....:confused::confused:

tegwilym
November 30th, 2007, 12:08 AM
Already started giving them out. Now lets see how many phone calls on christmas I get .....:confused::confused:

I figure if they do like the live version and want to try it, I'll set up a partition and install it on the computer. So if they feel too challenged, they can go back to Ballmer's bomb.
Easier to install than Windows! Not counting transferring data, Ubutntu can be up and running in about 20 minutes. Drivers all work, no service packs or 82 critical 'excuses' to install, no virus worries, and it just works right when it first boots up. All the other stuff is optional.

I actually started enjoying computers more again now that I us an iMac at work and Linux at home (with a boot to XP only when I really need to).

:cool:

Chilli Bob
November 30th, 2007, 02:16 AM
I'm putting together a Ubuntu box for my parents this Christmas. They have NO computer experience whatsoever, but now see the need for email to keep in touch with friends around the world, and to store copious digital photos. For complete beginners to computing I feel Ubuntu is a far better choice than Windows. The GUI is simpler and the menus more intuitive. I'll set up their internet and printer for them of course, I wouldn't wish that on them, but once up and running it should be a breeze. I won't give them the root password, so they can't stuff up the installation. Also I won't have to bother explaining about viruses. spyware or defragging.

Linuxratty
November 30th, 2007, 02:41 AM
My friends all go glassy eyed if I mention the "L" word,so none of them will get Linux.

Midwest-Linux
November 30th, 2007, 02:48 AM
For those selling items on E-Bay, how about giving away a CD of Ubuntu as a free gift. It could help increase your sales and also promote Ubuntu and Linux at the same time...the cost would be so small...and it would do a lot in promoting Linux.

LaRoza
November 30th, 2007, 02:55 AM
My friends all go glassy eyed if I mention the "L" word,so none of them will get Linux.

Then say "Ubuntu" and tell them it is a good free operating system and is easy to use.

tdrusk
November 30th, 2007, 03:30 AM
Giving satisfied Windows users Ubuntu would be a bad present imo.

tegwilym
November 30th, 2007, 03:45 AM
Giving satisfied Windows users Ubuntu would be a bad present imo.

I'm not a satisfied support guy anymore. My parents use it mainly for internet and email and some word processing. The only problem I might have is my dad uses Excel a lot, so having the old guy convert to Open Office may be confusing.

Dual boot! With instructions how to get back and forth between the two. :)

Maybe I'm just being hopeful, but I'm sold on this Linux stuff.