How many have you converted?

[professor_chaos]

Since linux seems to spread more by word of mouth rather than other influencial sources such as employment requirements, default installed OS on new computers, media advertisement...
I thought it would be interesting to find out how influencial word of mouth is in converting or exposing others around them to linux.

I have since using linux for 3 years, have influenced 6 people to install linux on their machines, 5 of the 6 still use linux.

[Christmas]

I tried to convert 5 persons until now, but three of them didn't remain to Ubuntu, one is still (I think) dual-booting and the fifth one is still waiting for the ShipIt free CDs. I guess I'm going to spread the rest of my Dapper CDs to friends. The thing is they all like it, they all are power (or almost) Windows users, they all say it's nice and takes fun to configure and play with it, and finally, they all return to Windows.

Now I'm looking to install a Linux distribution on a friend's very old PC which cannot run Ubuntu, but I can't handle Damn Small Linux, I have to read some tutorials about installing software on it because I can't get any sound from it. I saw it uses DPKG to install software so this is good, but the PC has no internet connection so I will have to handle all the packages and dependencies and put them on a CD. If I can do this and get the sound to work, you bet we'll have one more Linux user.

[Iandefor]

I don't convert people for a couple reasons likely to start an offtopic flamewar, so I'll leave it at that .

[chaosgeisterchen]

No one so far.. in this _very_ rural area people are rejecting evertything aside the 'norm'.

[DoctorMO]

Linux is normal, windows is the outsider! damn american imports taking all our british pounds away!

My mother and sister don't count as a conversion since they didn't have a computer before it's all they've known. nor did my landlady who's only complaint is that xscreensaver doesn't work any more (or in her words 'my dolphins have gone')

My driving instructor was a convert, sick of installing windows ME and then the windows XP upgrade (yak), the only problem with this now is that he's thinking of putting windows back on the machine when he gets a bigger hard drive because all the games he has don't work any more, although I'm sure he's keep ubuntu installed, I just wish I could make it eaiser for him to not reinfect his computer.

It looks like I might get my future in laws to convert to Linux as long as I can switch some of the educational software accross.

It's a hard fight, I'm still working on my cousins who have always used windows, always pireted all their software and think of linux as a silly side lined software.

*sigh*

[graabein]

Most of my computer owning friends are rabid gamers so there's no chance there. I've just tried getting them to check out a live-CD to see if their hardware is reckognised or the one that shows off XGL bling.

My mom is a GNU/Linux user now. All she does is play card games and surf the internet while listening to music on my old computer, so she might as well have Ubuntu as Windows 2000.

Maybe I can convert my girlfriend. She does not own a computer right now so she uses mine with no trouble. Dapper with Firefox, Gaim, gThumb and Picasa. She loves instant messaging and photo editing. I don't think she has much experience with advanced software like Photoshop and the GIMP so I'll try showing her the GIMP some time.

Yeah, and a friend wants a multimedia center in his living room. He needs a OS that boots fast and runs on somewhat dated hardware and that has a decent multimedia center like Freevo, MythTV or something like the XBox stuff. He also needs it to work with his USB remote control. I don't know what the best choice for him is. I'm going to help him do research on different distros and setups...

Anyway, good luck to all! I really think GNU/Linux and Ubuntu is a better choice for alot of people!

[TeeAhr1]

Five, and they are all still using Ubuntu daily.

[mrgnash]

None. And I don't intend to try either. If someone came to me and wanted help getting started with Ubuntu/Linux, then this would be some indication of the necessary willingness to learn that the transition to a new OS requires. Selling disgruntled XP users on the fact that Linux is immune to spy* is not difficult, but a conversion on these grounds usually only leads to a lot of whining further down the road.

[%hMa@?b<C]

I have converted 4 people to linux, all in my family. Although my big brother who is going away to college, sadly will not have linux on his laptop, as I will not be there to work out the kinks for him. I am sitll working on convincing my uncle who just switched from windows to mac to install Linux on his iMac.

[aysiu]

I don't believe in converting people to anything.

I believe in presenting options. If people don't want those options, it's their loss.