Here's a topic I don't feel has been discussed much on these forums: Promoting Linux.

Now while I don't feel it's right to attempt to shove linux down someone's throat, I do feel that it is important to educate those who are unfamiliar with it when possible. I want to show it as an option to people.

I'm a college student (in Computer Science) and I work in the Information Systems & Technology department as well. I try to carry a few Knoppix CDs with me when I'm in class or at work.

So, without pushing it at people, how can one promote linux and help others who might be interested in it get started? What do YOU do?

I like to pass out out Knoppix and GNUWinII CDs. Only one convert so far for 12 handouts, though. They hosed Windows XP and the "brand name" box wouldn't recover and they were unwilling to be the loudest squeaking wheel on Compaq's wagon.....

Linux Advocacy mini-HOWTO

I promote Linux from the industry side of things. I was lucky enough to find a large company that uses Linux as the base OS for a number of there products. When people ask us, and certainly me in particular, for good advice for embedded or server based projects we recommend Linux.

In college (you a GT student by any chance?) they had install fests and things of that nature... but I never actually attended one. I did install linux of a few girlfriends machines

I, like you, am in college for Computer Science, work for the IT dept on campus, and I also carry around Knoppix CDs. Usually, what I do to promote Linux is go to a Computer lab during my off time. I will go to a lab and just fiddle with Knoppix. Or if I am in a non-computer class that happens to use a lab, I will boot Knoppix instead on Windows. Then I just wait for the questions to roll in.

At work, I use Knoppix to try and recover files from HD's that have gone south.. Unfortunately I am the "guru" on the subject at my office, so whenever a problem like that arises I have to work on it. This knowledge has me now writing extensive HOWTOs for when I graduate this May, so that the IT department can continue will such high results.

Another tip for promoting Linux would be rather than promote the OS itself, would be to promote some software that if free has a Linux version, but also a Windows/MAC version. I switched a couple of friends over to LInux by simply stating that OpenOffice was essentially the same as MS Office, it could open MS Files, and was free.

Wow, I generated quite some replies here. Glad to see it.

I am, unfortunately, not a GA Tech student. I applied there, but they didn't like me. Boo hoo. I'm actually at Georgia State (yeah, quite lowly for CS).

Caps_phisto: I've used linux to recover a few hard drives, so I guess it has earned a tad of publicity there. What's going in to those HOWTO's your writing? If you don't mind sharing, I'd be interested in reading them. I will, of course, preserve them in whatever way you want.

A similar idea is my main way of getting the word out.

Linux is very developer-friendly. Hence some of the software beats Windows' preinstalled stuff hands-down.

Examples:

1. C++ and Python are ready to go in most Linux distros, whereas in Windows you've got to find them yourself.
2. KWrite versus Notepad. Easy win for KWrite thanks to the syntax highlighting feature.
3. Adobe Photoshop ($700) versus GIMP. GIMP also has a Windows port and it's free.
4. Open Office versus MS Works. Free is best.
5. FireFox & Thunderbird (preinstalled) versus IE and Outlook.

Also most Linux graphic programs can save or load a slew of formats while MS Paint is only able to handle a few.

Privacy wise there's no "Licenses" for music nor security holes like Windows lack of a firewall.



Also, just seeing FluxBox is weird enough to make people ask questions.

Mostly the HOWTO's I am writing give a break down of troubleshooting Knoppix when ti does not detect the correct hardware, as well as mounting Samba shares over a network. I am also writing a short tutorial on getting Captive NTFS working (Released with Knoppix 3.7), so far I have only gotten it to work correctly once. But then again I have been using a bunch of different hardware.

The HOWTO's cover getting Knoppix booted, (using knoppix26 or desktop=<resolution here>) when it doesn't work "out of the box". It covers using KDE to open a Windows Share (for placing the backed up data on). Still working on how to get Samba shares mapped using the other WMs on Knoppix 3.7 (IceWM, Fluxbox, twm) as some hardware we have gotten falls below Knoppix specs for KDE.

I am also going to cover the command line. Example would be mounting a Samba share via the command line, search for files to backup. (Example would be: locate *.doc | grep -v "knoppix") The HOWTO will break down each step to its most basic level so that even the most inexperienced user can follow.

So far that is about it. When I get it done I will post it here:
http://nhtigl.nhti.edu/modules.php?o...download&cid=1
This is a webiste I have put up for the Gamers League at my school.

That would be great for getting those new with linux/knoppix understanding how to use it.

Does GSU harbor a LUG? If not, you could see about getting a little SGA funding to start one. I'm sure if you approached the LUG at GT they would be happy to help you out in the starting process, or maybe even be willing to create one big GSU/GT LUG. When I was a GT student we had a lot of professors involved, I'm sure there are some GSU CS, Math, and Physics professors that are probably avid linux users and would also be willing to get involved. Other professors could be too, I've just found in my past experience CS, Math, and Physics departments tend to be chock full of linux users.

No, we don't have a LUG. I should talk to LUG@GT, the ACM, and my System-Level Programming (Unix) professor about this. Do you have any experience with getting one set up? The SGA here is very tightfisted ever since the state of georgia budget cuts. Of course, it shouldn't be THAT expensive. We even have a Linux lab... that I've sadly never had time to use (it's only open when I have classes or work) and the Solaris server is kinda... buggy. Though I do use the server over ssh. Ahh, hardware I *don't* have to admin.

This is probably one of the best times to start promoting Linux. People are becoming more computer savvy and many of them are looking for something more -- they're looking for style. Hence the Mac boom, which I think will draw many people to become at least multi-platform oriented. I've encountered more and more young married couples that are Windows/Mac households.

Another obvious trend towards moving to another platform is protection from malware/viruses. This alone has convinced people to move away from mal-prone apps like IE towards other options like Firefox and Safari - which are also applications with style.

Linux users have often been perceived as elite computer users, but I think the modern evangelist will promote the coolness factor as much as the technical. Linux is just cool. It's a good name, with fun distros, funny pictures and graphics, the ability to create individual flare. Put Linux into a sweet case and it gets even better.

In the end, Windows are just common. But a penguin?! Now that's Tux-Love!

Well, I like to think of myself as elite. But I do think the time is ripe for the masses to try linux, and I want to bring this to them. I'll always be a hacker working on the kernel, making software do what I want when the stock software won't. But I do want to be the "Linux evangelist". A LUG is a wonderful idea: I'll be at this school for another 2 years at least, with time to get it started.