Idea: Linux for Home

[M. Fioretti]

On Sat, Oct 06, 2007 13:23:47 PM -0500, Brian Fahrlander
(brian at fahrlander.net) wrote:

> Mine is a low-tech town... It has 300,000 people, they're just
> completely unaware of anything but Windows.

>      Over the years I've felt a strong, strong urge to set up an in-home 
> Linux support company.  Here's the idea:
> 
>      For $50 I come and install, say, Feisty. I set them up with their 
> firewall and ssh.
...
>      - Ideas?

Not really ideas, just a few questions to help you and the others who
may want to personally do it brainstorming:

partnerships with the local shops which sell PCs? Not the big chains,
the family ran ones which still exist here and there

servicing schools? Or passing through them to reach potential
customers?  Like offering to make a short free Linux introduction
course to students, in exchange of giving out flyers with your
services?

because the bigger problem with your proposal may be to convince the
kind of people you mentioned above (ie the majority of people
everywhere), that they do need Linux, or an offline backup
service. These are people who write one email a week, one short letter
a month, maybe just to print it; who mostly play or chat with the
computer, so don't need to care for stability and have nothing
meaningful to backup.

Good luck, sincerely, and one note: the reason I'm stepping in this
thread is not to join this potential network. I wouldn't be able to do
it, my main skills are others. But if it gets started, let me know. I
may be able to give you some exposure either at Digifreedom.net or by
writing about your crusade at Linux.com or Linuxjournal.com. So, keep
me posted!

Ciao,
	Marco Fioretti
-- 
The one book on software and digital technologies that no parent or
teacher can ignore:                   http:/digifreedom.net/node/84