Hi all.
For a long while I've been interested in studying the viability of migrations to Linux for Windows users. I've spent many sleepless nights searching for software alternatives to Windows software, not because I need it personally since Ubuntu already does everything I need, but because I've been interested in several personal projects I've had with converting some friends to Linux, from my friend who studies Industrial design and I've helped him set up Maya and Blender on Linux to my girlfriend who does architecture and, while unfortunately unable to migrate due to current software requirements, will be getting a dual-boot for when she just needs to browse and use Bittorrent and things where I'd rather not let windows's insecurity have to play a role (beause I've had enough with helping people out with their spyware problems).
I've been recently pondering about the mental checklist of stuff that I ask people to know how well they could manage a transition, and, truth is, I have not seen any reason why we couldn't build a wizard which asks different questions about the user's experience, machine specs, and software user and make a final recommendation about what software he may use and where to get it and whether Linux on the desktop is a worthy path for him or just a waste of time. Given that I'm a full-time UNIX admin i've been thinking about a small bash script, however, building this as a native Windows app would help tremendously. Props if this could then build an automated script on Linux to download said software and pertinent tutorials.
I'm very far from actually implementing this because the use cases are extremely ample and, despite weeks of compiling info about all possible replacement software, it a world far and wide.
I was wondering if anyone would be interested in a project like this, to get a decent idea of how much and how easily it would be to have people switch. If we could have this sort of app automate some stuff (like creating a symlink to the person's documents, doing a lot of the stuff Automatix alredy does, and building some of the custom software a providing links to whatever commercial alternatives might be available when no free ones exist.
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