How many people did you convert to Mint??

[ipernar]

I have started in October 2009. I have switched my desktop to Mint, as well as netbook that i gave away to a female friend. Also installed Mint to my flatmate that was running Win7 on laptop and to our common friend who had same. Also I installed 'by accident' Mint to a female friend from neighbourhood that had collapsed XP and slow to go internet. I was there and she complained about computer, and I had bootable USB solution. That was begining, until now (28.7.2010) i switched over 25 machines

Now I ask you.... how many machines/people have you 'converted'. I like this kind of 'old school' promotion. Once that we manage to transfer ordinary/simple users, the market will have to follow Linux if they want to approach them. Also we 'crush' many stereotypes that people have.

By the way we have no approach to mass media and I think there is no 'real' alternative to person 2 person sharing.

[MALsPa]

None. Zero.

I learned to use Linux for me -- call me selfish, then -- not so that I could spend time trying to convince others to follow suit.

I'll let other people make up their own minds about what they want to use. They've got brains.

My friends and family include Windows and Mac users who are perfectly happy with their choice of operating systems. They know I use Linux, they understand many of the reasons why, they see my operating systems and desktops and they know Linux and Mint are good choices. Just maybe not their choice.

Linux isn't for every computer user, and Mint isn't for every Linux user.

[monkeyboy]

MALsPa hit the nail on the head. The whole evangelist thing helps fuel trolls and all those Window vs Linux articles, that just just keep repeating over and over again. So if folks ask I will help but the process has to be started by the potential new user.

[markcynt]

I've helped one convert to MInt, one to Ubuntu, and one to openSUSE, but they came to me, I didn't go to them.

All three are extremely happy with their systems.

I let people know how I feel about Linux in general, what makes it so good, but only if it comes up naturally in a conversation.

Then if they're interested they come to me.

I've found most people just aren't interested in Linux at all, and that's fine with me.

I could care less how many people use Linux.

[ipernar]

I'll let other people make up their own minds about what they want to use. They've got brains.

I get you, but you must know that average windows user has no knowledge of Linux and until someone turns them to Linux they will never transfer their machines and minds... We must just be smart not to be too pushy... hehe

[Aevum]

I agree on the point that most Windows users don't have a clue about Linux OS', for example my girlfriend bought a new Netbook and she's always being using Windows before, I suggested her to try Linux Mint and now she's loving the difference, I didn't convince many people as I also agree with the fact that every person has his own taste and his kind of using a computer, but a couple of close friends of mine after seeing my computer decided to move to Linux as well, one chose Mint while the other went for Ubuntu 9.10

[vrkalak]

Most people that 'try' a Linux OS have never installed, tweaked or changed anything other than a background image, in their previous Operating System.
Many have never installed a Windows OS from the CD ... most they've done is a System Restore, after a 'crash'

They try GNU/Linux or Open Source because Windows wasn't working for them ... and all they want is an Operating System that works.
If the first Linux Distro they try, doesn't work 'outta the box' ... they, usually say, "screw this, Linux sucks - I'm going back to Windows."
How going back to Windows makes sense, is beyond me . . . sad, but true.

Ubuntu being the new big kid on the block, needs to make itself better than most other Linux OS' because they are the first Linux distro most people will find.
That's where LinuxMint (and a couple of other distros) comes in . . . we need to be there, to make sure this happens.
People need to get that "outta the box experience" to stay with Linux.

Otherwise, they won't stay with or recommend Linux.

I didn't know we were supposed to 'make' converts? ... sudo apt-get make-convert

[MALsPa]

People need to get that "outta the box experience" to stay with Linux.

Otherwise, they won't stay with or recommend Linux.

You might be right when it comes to most people, I don't know. I do know that some of us came over to Linux and didn't expect it to be easy, expected to have to learn a lot of things, expected the learning process to take some time, and were rewarded in the end. I don't know how many people are like that as opposed to the number of people who expect things to just work right away.

[ipernar]

Bad distro's are major problem becouse once ppl have bad experiance with Linux they tend to generalize, just as we generalize about windows....

[jlr1701]

Most people that 'try' a Linux OS have never installed, tweaked or changed anything other than a background image, in their previous Operating System.

I didn't know we were supposed to 'make' converts? ... sudo apt-get make-convert

Don't forget to configure the convert first.

sudo apt-get install convert

[vrkalak]

jirl1701 :: Done.

[Jag]

Hi Everybody, Greetings!!!

I am using GNU/Linux Mint since Elyssa (Mint 5), i really loved Gloria, since then i am distributing Linux mint CDs free of cost to my friends and colleagues with every release. I distributed Gloria to 8 people. Helena to 13 people. 6 people refused to take the CDs. 5 people have installed it, 4 people said they are going to install it. 1 colleague sadly lost his data, even though i warned him not to install without me. some have used the Live CD for backup of their crashed windows systems.

I never forced them to install, they simply loved it and wanted it to be installed as their secondary OS. I think they will soon use it full time.

the People i gave the CD's never had any idea that (GNU/Linux) & Linux Mint would be so beautiful and aesthetic. Most of them thought that GNU/Linux was just command line OS, only used by Programmers and System Admins and not suitable for Desktops.

Linux Mint changed their superstitions!!!

[Aevum]

Great job out there mate! You've a great influence ^^

[FedoraRefugee]

People need to get that "outta the box experience" to stay with Linux.

Otherwise, they won't stay with or recommend Linux.

You might be right when it comes to most people, I don't know. I do know that some of us came over to Linux and didn't expect it to be easy, expected to have to learn a lot of things, expected the learning process to take some time, and were rewarded in the end. I don't know how many people are like that as opposed to the number of people who expect things to just work right away.

Agreed with MALsPa.

I learned ten years ago. The learning curve in 2000 was just beginning to become flatter. I looked up to the gurus of the 1990's. I paid my dues, I was rewarded for my efforts.

I am not convinced that I care to make Linux an "easy, out of the box" experience. OTOH, FOSS is big and there IS room for everyone. I do not disagree that we should have a Linux Mint and other similar distros. I do not think of these as "beginner" distros, but rather as simple distros. I also appreciate attracting new users to the Linux world. I am not the "bad guy" here, though sometimes I make myself out to be with my devil's advocate thoughts. What I am saying is I am not interested in converting the world or catering to those who need to be spoon fed. Linux has always been about the user. It is an OS that was designed to put the user in control of his environment rather than to dumb the environment down to the average goofball user. It will always take awareness on the users part to fully realize the potential of Linux...Though the same can be said for any other OS... ...Just thinking here...

So I am tossed. I think we need effort to appreciate the reward. I think effortless Linux is bringing in a whole new dimension to this OS and I really am not sure that I like it. At all...I read things like suggestions to get rid of the terminal and my head wants to explode. Linux without a terminal? I read posts from people who will not even try and copy and paste commands into a terminal, they just refuse. If there is no other way then Linux is not ready and it sucks and they are going back to Windows. Hey, good riddance! I have nothing against easier, I am just against stupidity. I hate to say it but Linux is becoming stupid. When the foremost cutting edge enthusiast distro does not allow root GUI login then hell just froze over, know what I mean? And this stupidity is not limited to just one distro, it is spreading like a cancer. A few more releases and Linux will be unrecognizable to those of us who have used it through the last two decades. The anti-terminal crowd will win, and Linux will become the new Windows. But...I guess that is just the way the world works. It will be interesting to see where this goes.

Until then, Good on Mint for being what it is. I really do hope it attracts more users, and I know the quality people will stay and grow. That never changes. Linux is like a fun park where you can explore and grow with each new stage. For those who refuse to learn and just want a free Windows clone? Hey, I don't hate you, I even understand where you are coming from. But go whine to someone else because I do not give a damn whether or not you use Linux. Call me an elitist if you like, there was a time when Linux users WERE a cut above everyone else. No more though...

[vrkalak]

My sister gave me her laptop to work on. She uses Windows Vista. And it has been a major pain to her, lately. She wants it cleaned and fixed. And it runs really slow.

I haven't used any Windows desktop in almost a year . . . it seemed so foreign to me. Sad ... I almost didn't know what to do?

Damn . . . Windows uses a different language/format than Linux ... I was totally, out of my element.
She said that she's had the laptop for about 2 years and has never 'defragged' it. She said, she didn't know she needed to.
What with all the defragging I had to do, and something like an Eraser to clean the files? Not, to mention she had tons of Malware and a Trojan or two.


Do you think she'd notice if I installed a vanilla LinuxMint-7 on her laptop? And just got 'rid' of Windows Vista altogether? Hey ... a Vanilla Mint ... I like it.

She'd probably like it better . . . ?? Certainly, wouldn't have all these problems. Chalk another one up for Mint.

[Fred]

How many people did you convert to Mint??

Good question. Some days I think, "far too many." Others, "not nearly enough."

Fred

[FedoraRefugee]

My sister gave me her laptop to work on. She uses Windows Vista. And it has been a major pain to her, lately. She wants it cleaned and fixed. And it runs really slow.

I haven't used any Windows desktop in almost a year . . . it seemed so foreign to me. Sad ... I almost didn't know what to do?

Damn . . . Windows uses a different language/format than Linux ... I was totally, out of my element.
She said that she's had the laptop for about 2 years and has never 'defragged' it. She said, she didn't know she needed to.
What with all the defragging I had to do, and something like an Eraser to clean the files? Not, to mention she had tons of Malware and a Trojan or two.


Do you think she'd notice if I installed a vanilla LinuxMint-7 on her laptop? And just got 'rid' of Windows Vista altogether? Hey ... a Vanilla Mint ... I like it.

She'd probably like it better . . . ?? Certainly, wouldn't have all these problems. Chalk another one up for Mint.

Do it and find out BEFORE you start chalking up points for Mint.

In my experience it will depend on what type of user she is. If she just surfs the web and maybe downloads digital photos off her camera and types the occasional letter to someone while listening to an mp3 or watching youtube then she will never notice the difference. Mint was just made for people like this.

If she uses any kind of professional software...No way, Jose...

But my question is how in the heck do you screw Vista up like that? It is all but impossible to get ad-ware on Vista, all you have to do is run everything default. Defender takes care of ad-ware nicely. Likewise, defrag is set default to auto run. It should have defraged once a week at 3 am. You do need to install AV of course, though Windows firewall is both incoming and outgoing since Vista came out so AV is not as necessary as it once was. I use AVG free and have never had a problem. I say all this because I ran Vista Ultimate for well over a year and a half with NO problems and I never did ANY maintenance. Everything was automatic. I simply had to restart it every once in a while. I now use Windows 7 Ultimate and so far it has been the same way.

In my experience you would have to be a complete computer retard to botch up a Vista or 7 install. You would literally have to TRY to damage it. Maybe she turned off the defaults, maybe she didnt run auto-update, maybe she turned her firewall off, maybe she googled for trojans and installed them just because...Who knows...But I ask you, do you think a user like this will fare any better with Linux?

[hinto]

3.
Kevin Bacon is next.
http://www.answers.com/topic/six-degrees-of-kevin-bacon

[Kendall]

Regardless of how you promote Mint, keep in mind that Linux is an operating system, not a religion.

People usually come to me with questions about Linux as I do most of my work sitting in a fairly high traffic coffee shop. In general I'm not trying to sell people on Linux or convert people to Linux, but rather just show them Linux and let them make up their own mind from there. If they're really interested then I'll give them a live CD and my phone number.

[niraj]

ONE

and i am very happy that i am able to convert this one person to start using linux mint !!
-and this one person is my wife.
you wont believe but it has taken almost 10 months for me to convince her that linux mint is the best operating system.(of course she was using windows xp !!)

my work is over, now mint would take care of the rest. Linux mint is so attractive and of course addictive that i am sure she will never revert back to windows

once again hats off to linux mint