Open Source and Human Perception

For a long time now I have always tended to use open source software where ever I can. I run my blog on wordpress, I use Firefox as my web browser, I use Open/Neo Office, I haven’t gone quite as far as running Linux on a PC I am using full time just yet but thats mainly because I am too lazy to set about learning another OS at the moment. One of the amazing things about the

http://www.speedy-b.com/open source movement is that for all the excellent solutions out there, the majority of mainstream IT is still done using paid for software. Be that the OS (Windows) or the other things (Microsoft Office)

A theory presented over at Speedy B Network outs forth a very interesting idea as to why your average computer user will choose Windows over Linux 90% of the time. It seems to defy logic as to why Linux struggles while Windows flourishes when for the average joe both options as equally as good.

• In this day an age most people know how to get hold of a copy of Windows for “free” i.e. pirated.

• Linux is always free

• Average joe looks at his options, Windows - costs in the region of £170 for XP at the moment from Amazon. But Fred can get me a “free” copy. Linux - Linux doesn’t cost anything

• People love a bargain, perception says “Windows is worth £170 normally, its got to be much better than the one they give away for nothing”

And that could be why Linux struggles to get a stronger market share, to a none technical user a pirated copy of Windows looks a better option than a given away copy of Linux. Surely it cant be that good if they are giving it away can it?

Sadly I can actually think of some people who think like this. It makes me want to find a solid wall and beat their heads against it, or my own. These people need their perceptions broken, they need to be taught that just because Linux is being “given away free” doesn’t mean it is crap.

Posted by Andy May 2008

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