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On Sat, 16 Dec 2006 at 05:10:24PM +0000, alan c wrote:
> Adam Trickett wrote:
> >Hi,
> >
> >A friend asked me to help him set up his mother-in-laws computer so she
> >could read email. I often help friends and family for free but I refuse to
> >touch stolen software and I encourage the use of open source software
> >whenever practical.
> >
> >Todays question was how to set up Microsoft Outlook. I said quite honestly
> >that I couldn't recommend it in any shape or form, and more importantly
> >I've never actually set it up, and only use it at work because I'm forced
> >to.
> >
> >I now feel guilty for not helping
>
> don't feel guilty, you did him a valuable service by giving a
> wellinformed (and courageous) opinion on his aim, from an experienced
> view. In a local shop they would continue the bullsh*t, which would
> not be a real advantage. He is now thinking 'gosh, he really means
> it!' maybe the world *is* round after all?' 'Maybe there is something
> in this stuff?'
It was probably for the best, and he is still speaking to me.
> >he didn't want to install anything else -
>
> He is making a very clear choice, and he is about to take
> responsibility for this. I wish him well. But he knows that he will
> have to sort out future questions himself, and you are unlikely to. He
> will start to think. A benefit. Watch that space.
>
> He is finding the counter-intuitive fact that there *is* support for
> open source, but maybe *not* support for windows stuff. Very counter
> propaganda. Funny that?
Yes, ?60 per fix for Windows, ?0 for open-source. Obviously it's not
sustainable to fix everyones problems, but I wonder how much of Microsoft's
problems have been fixed for free by family and friends over the past
decade. I suppose it's the shear volume of the Windows support problem
that has spawned the host of companies that can now be found trying to
fix Windows...
> >which I would have offered to help with. He feels that he must use
> >Microsoft Outlook as it came with that from Dell and as everyone uses it,
> >it must be the best?
>
> Does he eat the rind on bacon or the fat on meat, over burned toast,
> etc, does he blindly use everything that is 'given' to him. If someone
> gave him drugs would he use them? At what stage does he decide someone
> is 'pushing' him?
>
> I would say it must be something to do with the relevant businesses
> making money for themselves. From him. As long as he is ok with that ,
> that is what will continue. They are businesses and they *do * have to
> make money some way dont they?. Nothing wrong there at all.
I have no problem with people charging a fee to fix things, volunteers
can only fix so many systems...
> My problem is that the software is not good quality, and I would also
> be *locked* in!
I know, there is nothing worse that getting stuck in a tar pit...!
> >He trusts me enough to ask for my advice but not enough to actually
> >follow through.
>
> Breaking out of the monopoly is hard. He is faced with this being hard
> and painful and scary *because* he has accepted the monoplistic
> situation, perhaps unwittingly. He is feeling some pain because of
> business practices.
It's even a mythical prison, mahy people refuse to leave Windows, when
in truth only a small percentage of people couldn't switch. Most people
don't have macros and scripts that OO.o can't deal with, most people
don't play complexgames, in truth many peopleread email, surf, play
desktop games, listen to the odd MP3, and write one or two letters per
year. I know some people are imprisoned, but it's a lot smaller percentage
than Microsoft would like...
> >I'd happily give him The OpenCD but I know that wouldn't help either...
>
> Why, could not he or you use thunderbird? Maybe he would not want to.
He really wants Outlook, because he believes Microsoft that they invented
the Internet, and his email won't work without it...
> >By not helping I've driven him
>
> Not true really. You are not 'driving' him, you are trying to help him
> rise out of the mire and he is refusing to be helped out, and you now
> foresee him sinking deeper. It is your prediction, you are not
> 'driving' him, he is in his own driving seat. A slightly pedantic
> analysis of responsibility, but I think true.
I suppose.
--
Adam Trickett
Overton, HANTS, UK
The problem with cruel and unusual punishment is that you have to keep
being creative. For example, some may call it cruel and unusual to turn
a spammer into spam, but by the time you feed the hundredth into the
woodchipper it's become quite usual.
-- Anthony de Boer in the Monastery
