Should we really promote Linux?

[kevxh]

I wanted some honest opinions please ....

I'm a senior systems analyst and I own a tech support company. My business is 100% Linux powered; everything from the server room to the telephones. We don't use Microsoft products of any description and I get monumentally p!@@#d off that I can't buy the hardware I want without buying Microsoft garbage in the process. Yes, I call them and return the Windows license for credit but it's a process that shouldn't be necessary.

However ....

The vast majority of business comes from supporting the various Microsoft operating systems that are forced on people when they buy a new machine. Malware riddled PCs are a constant source of revenue and are the ONLY reason I employ staff. So even though my staff use Linux, and indeed we use Linux to recover Windows, I don't promote Linux because the more people that use it the less work there will be.

Is that wrong?

[loell]

Advocacies of any sort is a personal mission,
With your Line of work, it's a business decision, "Strategic" I might add.

Now is it moral? not for me to judge.

[msandoy]

I can see your point of view, no Microsoft, no money.
I do promote it, since that means more spare time for me. I'm not working in the support business, and friends and family keep comming to me with their virus ridden windows installs. Those that I have converted to Linux have no more problems, and that keeps both me and them happy. Now they just come to me when they buy a new computer, and want to transfer all their data from the old one. Makes life so much easier.

[sdowney717]

in a strange sense you are enabling the MS drug fix habit to continue.

In the interest of security, efficiency, productivity, IT management ought to know what type of system is best for an organization, or maybe they own MS stock. An acquaintance who is an IT dept head for our city loves Linux, but ran into serious headwinds trying to convince city government and schools to allow Linux even a foot in the door. Even though it would have saved a decent amount of cash regarding city expenses, they would not do it due to upper city management's personal bias, prejudices and stock interests.

[aysiu]

I don't promote anything in particular.

I try to educate myself on all the options and then recommend to people what I think will best suit their needs and means.

[IWantFroyo]

It is a moral decision, with consequences on both sides.
If you promote Linux:
MS will likely start sacking employees as their empire falls.

If you don't:
Many people will lose data, and companies could go bankrupt from bugs/viruses in their systems.

Do you want to uphold the Empire, or expose the glitches?

[ronnielsen1]

I do promote it, since that means more spare time for me. I'm not working in the support business, and friends and family keep comming to me with their virus ridden windows installs. Those that I have converted to Linux have no more problems, and that keeps both me and them happy. Now they just come to me when they buy a new computer, and want to transfer all their data from the old one. Makes life so much easier.

my thoughts exactly. I don't get call backs on linux installs. I don't work on windows any more

[kinley3]

I see your point as well. However, if the world was backward and everybody used linux, computers would still need to be fixed, whether it's a HDD failure or whatever. Random things go wrong all the time, regardless of what kind of OS the user is running.

Granted, the people who use linux are probably more likely to be able to fix some problems themselves. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I would think there would still be work in your field; just maybe not quite as much.

Please let me know if I totally missed the point of your question. Haha

[phrostbyte]

This post made me for real.

[phrostbyte]

I like promoting GNU/Linux because I simply like promoting good things and I truly believe that more FOSS and free culture will be better for the progress of science and technology and the society in general. Although I've managed (by sheer force of will) make my personal passions earn me a living.

From a finance perspective, I do figure that increased GNU/Linux will have a positive effect on my bottom line, but only to a point. I don't fix Windows for a living.

So it depends on you. Personally I think just like dentists should be promoting good oral hygiene even though it costs them money, we as computer professionals should be promoting good computer things even if it costs us money.

But good point regardless.