Re: [Fsuk-manchester] the non-free neighbour asking for help dilemma

[Lucy]

On 06/05/2008, Dave Crossland <address@hidden> wrote:
> My sister's computer runs Windows and when she complains its slow or
>  full of viruses or whatever I tell her I'll help her to install
>  GNU/Linux, and if she asks for a program to do something with I tell
>  her the appropriate free software program for Windows.
>
>  In this case, I would get the machine so it can boot from CD, offer to
>  help installing GNU/Linux, and say if he chooses to install Windows
>  you can come back later and help him install free software
>  applications to get his data into free formats.

I would say how far you leave a person by themselves to re-install
Windows depends on the individual. In this case I think that
rebuilding trust is more important. Tim's brother has obviously had a
bad experience with free software and is now blaming it for his
current problems. So I think Tim should help him but explain that the
help will have to be limited in future (after all Tim's expertise lies
in free operating systems).