Advice on presenting Linux to Mac users at a LUG

[dai_vernon]

I'm in a LUG at my school and one of the things we do is to bring in people who don't know jack about linux or the general FOSS-ery and try to get it to appeal to them.

My school in general is basically Mac city - its not an art school but I'd say roughly half of the people you see tooling around in computer extracurriculars are mac users. So, what might you do to make linux appeal to people who are general mac enthusiasts, but not necessarily more tech savvy than your average bear. I was thinking of demoing KDE4 because of a lot of its polish and general flash that's much more Aqua-like than Gnome, Xfce, or the *boxes.

What else would you suggest?

[damis648]

Hm... I would demo Gnome too. I think gnome would appeal more to Mac users, and KDE to Windows users... maybe thats just me. But show some of the fanciest compiz effects you have. Believe me, if it looks cool, they will want it. I wish there was a LUG at my school...:(

[cardinals_fan]

I'm in a LUG at my school and one of the things we do is to bring in people who don't know jack about linux or the general FOSS-ery and try to get it to appeal to them.

My school in general is basically Mac city - its not an art school but I'd say roughly half of the people you see tooling around in computer extracurriculars are mac users. So, what might you do to make linux appeal to people who are general mac enthusiasts, but not necessarily more tech savvy than your average bear. I was thinking of demoing KDE4 because of a lot of its polish and general flash that's much more Aqua-like than Gnome, Xfce, or the *boxes.

What else would you suggest?
Avoid sweeping generalizations such as "Linux is more secure", "Linux is faster", "Ubuntu is easy". Instead, list specific advantages such as:

* the ease of installing with a package manager
* lack of DRM (I know, most people don't care about free-as-in-speech. However, very few enjoy "phoning home" to Microsoft/Apple)
* less memory use vs. Vista
* willingness of developers to listen to community input (Brainstorm, etc.)
* with live CDs and Wubi, it's easy and almost risk-free to try

...and a few disadvantages:

* not all hardware is supported
* some software, such as Office, CAD stuff, and most big games aren't supported

...and the big fact to remember: LINUX IS NOT WINDOWS (OR OS X). Windows may be better for many in your audience, but the only way for them to know is to give Linux a shot.

A few more thoughts:

* It's fine to mention WINE, but don't make too much out of it. In general, it's ALWAYS better to run apps on the OS they were made for.
* Demonstrate on both older and newer hardware.
* Show how you use Linux in your daily life.
* Show the customization possible with Linux. Let people see different window managers, themes, etc.
* The amount will vary depending on your audience (more for techies, less for others), but spend a moment with the command line, showing how the CLI can help handle certain tasks quickly and easily.
* Don't push. Some people will simply be better off using Windows/OS X. The goal is to expose them to Linux, not to convert them.

</paraphrased and edited from another post of mine a couple months ago>

[banjobacon]

Don't try to make the desktop look like an OS X desktop. As said in the post above, Linux is not Windows or OS X.

Do talk about open source software that can be installed on OS X (even if it only runs on OS X). Mention how Safari is built on technology that used to be Linux-only.


* the ease of installing with a package manager

Yes.

[MaxIBoy]

There's no WINE equivalent to run OSX programs under Linux. Sure, a number of BSDs are binary compatible, but the proprietary APIs won't work.

[tubezninja]

One thing that you could point out is that a similar structure exists on the Mac. if you want to open a terminal window on a mac to illustrate the point, you can. But again, make sure to point out that while there are similarities, they aren't the same.

Another advnatage to linux is that it will run on older hardware without taxing it as much as OS X or WIndows. So, those who have older Macs or who have recently upgraded don't necessarily need to throw the old mac away. They can give it new life with a linux installation.

Above all though, keep in mind that no OS, including linux, is for everyone. People might not want to switch, and that's fine. Never force the issue.

[the_darkside_986]

They probably enjoy and use their OS for a reason, I mean it is an impressive piece of software, and that is their own choice, so the only thing one can really do is explain the philosophy of free software, which is a completely alien concept in Apple's world.

[bashveank]

If they're casual users that don't know anything about computers than they're probably happy with their Mac, but you could always try. If they're serious users than they've made a conscious decision to go with the Mac over Windows or Linux, so save your breath because they love their OS with a passion.


They probably enjoy and use their OS for a reason, I mean it is an impressive piece of software, and that is their own choice, so the only thing one can really do is explain the philosophy of free software, which is a completely alien concept in Apple's world.

http://developer.apple.com/opensource/index.html

[Mr. Picklesworth]

Don't present applications while running Compiz. Mac users like consistency, which Compiz does not offer, but they aren't as big on glitzy effects as some assume. I think MacOS has the most subtle effects of the bunch, more like newer Metacity with compositing enabled (except also coupled with a very attractive UI widget toolkit).

[joninkrakow]

I'm in a LUG at my school and one of the things we do is to bring in people who don't know jack about linux or the general FOSS-ery and try to get it to appeal to them.

My school in general is basically Mac city - its not an art school but I'd say roughly half of the people you see tooling around in computer extracurriculars are mac users. So, what might you do to make linux appeal to people who are general mac enthusiasts, but not necessarily more tech savvy than your average bear. I was thinking of demoing KDE4 because of a lot of its polish and general flash that's much more Aqua-like than Gnome, Xfce, or the *boxes.

What else would you suggest?

As a Mac user also, I recommend not bothering with KDE4 (except as the basic background, maybe--it's better at moving the titlebar widgets, for instance), and not concentrating on how Linux looks--or rather, don't show off the "default" of anything. Instead, find a couple very attractive themes, download the .gz files, and _install_ them live, and let the Macheads ooh and aaah. Again, however, make sure that they are attractive, without being imitative. Please, please, please, for your own sake, find some other icon theme than the default, and install that for them live also. The dramatic change will definitely get them on your side. ;-) I've suffered with mediocre themes now for a while, but it does grate. ;-)

Secondly, I think it will help to show them that they can put the close,minimize and maximize buttons on the left, in the same order. Nothing bugs me more as a Mac user, than trying to remember the dumb, righthand-side button positions. I always change them ASAP.

Next, you MUST make sure to show them the middle-click paste-of-selected-text trick. I love that and miss it immensily on the Mac side.

Next, show them the alt-drag of windows from anywhere. That's another nice feature that I'm sure they will like.

Lastly, make sure you show them how they can reshape a window from any edge. I've grown to like that--though they might resist it at first, tell them they will come to appreciate it.

One more thing. They will need to know that closing the last window of an application actually _quits_ the program. Yes, I actually used to get confused with where my application went. ;-) Oh, and they need to know that _every_ window gets shown on the task bar, not just one icon per program.

Those are my suggestions.

-Jon

[billgoldberg]

Compiz fusion (make sure you have the latest version. The cube is old, the cylinder is way cooler).

Some effects you should show in action:

- wobbly windows
- expo (the one I use the most)
- cylinder
- desktop wall
- scale (osx users will know that one)
- flip or cover switcher


Also, show some different metacity/emerald themes.

I think clearlooks glow is one of the best looking gtk themes at the moment, just an suggestion.

Showcase some apps you think are great (miro, livestation, open office 3, firefox 3, nautilus, openssh, ...)

Small cli section.

Standard things like better security, update manager, apt (synaptic - add/remove), free, new version every 6 months, ...

--

I wish I could give on of these presentations some day, I would know what to do.

[ssam]

show them openoffice, gimp and some other bits of free software.

these are all available on mac os x, but they work far better on linux.

also mac os has always had a lot of shareware applications. it is common to pay $10 or $20 for things like FTP clients and text editors (or put up with a nag screen). show them how the linux equivalents are built in or free.

(I have been using mac os since macs were beige, and running linux on mac hardware for about 6 years)

[dai_vernon]

Secondly, I think it will help to show them that they can put the close,minimize and maximize buttons on the left, in the same order. Nothing bugs me more as a Mac user, than trying to remember the dumb, righthand-side button positions. I always change them ASAP.

Its funny you mention that. I don't actually know how to do that, but would like to have that on my own system very much. How do you do that?

[howefield]

In terminal type, gconf-editor

Navigate to apps > metacity > general and double click on button_layout

Reverse the order as you wish. The colon seperates the left from the right side of the title bar.

[chucky chuckaluck]

instead of trying to make it mac-like, show how linux is not mac-like. show them how many different DE/wm's there are, install and dump software as if it were free (hey, wait!...), find out what's frustrating to mac users and see if linux solves those problems. other than that, let them use what they want.

[god0fgod]

Just tell them they could save money.

[DoubleClicker]

One thing you have to realize about Mac users, is that we get used to the "subltle elegence" that the Mac is know for. Most people who switched from windows to linux, don't think about things like what happens when you drag a window, or pull down a menu; or how the cursor moves relative to the movement of the mouse; or how does it look when you click on a button. All of these things are extremely important to mac users, whether they are aware of it or not, and they are far more mac like in GNOME than they are in KDE.

[markbuntu]

Get a gamer machine, put 4 monitors on it and mutiple sound devices and any other outrageous gadgets you can get your hands on, put it through its paces and then ask them Can your mac do this?

The thing is you need to challenge them in their mac smugness.

[cardinals_fan]

One thing you have to realize about Mac users, is that we get used to the "subltle elegence" that the Mac is know for. Most people who switched from windows to linux, don't think about things like what happens when you drag a window, or pull down a menu; or how the cursor moves relative to the movement of the mouse; or how does it look when you click on a button. All of these things are extremely important to mac users, whether they are aware of it or not, and they are far more mac like in GNOME than they are in KDE.
That was very interesting. I've never been a "Mac person", and OS X has always seemed irritating to me, but your post provides a fascinating insight into why Mac devotees enjoy their OS.

[MyNameIsDerek85]

Mac users absolutely love the "cool factor" and that's part of the reason why they don't use Windows. They also like the fact that it's set up to do anything that they want to do.

So, show off the Linux cool factor (compiz fusion) and show off the revolutionary add/remove programs feature, where anything they can possibly imagine is right there at their fingertips by simply checking a checkbox.

Those two things should get their attention, but they'll probably be thinking, "Big deal. The Mac effects are cool too and it also comes pre-installed with everything I need". So, now you need to challenge them by showing off what their computer can't do.

One of the disadvantages of owning a Mac is the price. So, point out that Ubuntu is 100% free and that since Linux supports freeware, so are their programs.

Oh and don't show off Rythmbox. Although it's a nice alternative, iTunes is also free and is better.

[cardinals_fan]

iTunes is also free and is better.
Obviously an opinion. I hate listening to music with iTunes.

[Lord Xeb]

I say show them the strengths of Linux. Show them how much power you can put into a linux system but do not over do it. There is nothing more annoying than people flanting how much better their OS is better than yours. I just say show the strengths. Linux excells in FOSS and being Customizable. Also, show them that Linux can be made to run under a variety of hardware. I can get a computer to run on a really old computer (about 400MHz and 256MB of ram) and it boots in about 1min 30 seconds. Then with XFCE, there is amost not lag. The *boxes are even more friendly to these older systems because they also are light weight.

[markbuntu]

Show them audacious and amarok and banshee and rythmbox and xmms, vlc, mplayer, run them all at once. Show them they have choices, all free. Put a youtube video up and spin the cube, that always gets em.

Ask if there are any musicians among them, show them ardour and rosegarden and hydrogen all synced together through jack. Ask if there are any dj's, show them djplay, stream djplay to the school network and play it on another machine across the room.

Keep telling them it is all free. They are students, free is important.

[joninkrakow]

In terminal type, gconf-editor

Navigate to apps > metacity > general and double click on button_layout

Reverse the order as you wish. The colon seperates the left from the right side of the title bar.

Yup, that's what I did in Gnome.

Here's what mine looks like:


close,minimize,maximize:menu


If you want to copy it, just hilight it, and middle click in the field mentioned above to paste it.

KDE is fixed graphically somewhere in the Window preferences, and I think xfce is the same. icewm is done in a text file with a text editor, but I've never had any problems finding it. Unfortunately, at the moment, I have none of those environments installed, so I can't give specifics on how to do it.

-Jon

[joninkrakow]

All of these things are extremely important to mac users, whether they are aware of it or not, and they are far more mac like in GNOME than they are in KDE.

I have to agree with that point. I keep wanting to like KDE and have it running in X11 on my Mac, but I keep coming back to Gnome in Ubuntu. However, xfce is also more Mac-like in its simplicity and accessibility--simplicity with accessibility is what I call elegance. xfce has it. I'm still considering installing the xubuntu destkop on my Wind, but haven't done it yet, mainly because I wanted to see what Gnome could do on a decently powered computer (My Mac is an 8 yr old Pismo) with Compiz.

The more I think about it, the more I suspect that running xfce in your demo may be the wisest choice. Any other people experienced with Macs and xfce have an opinion on this?

-Jon

[cardinals_fan]

I have to agree with that point. I keep wanting to like KDE and have it running in X11 on my Mac, but I keep coming back to Gnome in Ubuntu. However, xfce is also more Mac-like in its simplicity and accessibility--simplicity with accessibility is what I call elegance. xfce has it. I'm still considering installing the xubuntu destkop on my Wind, but haven't done it yet, mainly because I wanted to see what Gnome could do on a decently powered computer (My Mac is an 8 yr old Pismo) with Compiz.

The more I think about it, the more I suspect that running xfce in your demo may be the wisest choice. Any other people experienced with Macs and xfce have an opinion on this?

-Jon
Xfce is the perfect combination of "user-friendly" and lightweight. It is very simple on the surface, but can be completely customized with a little work.