[Computerbank] Our service philosophy and linux

[romana]

On Mon, 18 Mar 2002 12:09, Katarina hath spake thusly:
> Hi again have to comment again:

Katarina, you have obvously thought long and hard, and preseneted a balanced 
argument - thank you!:)))

>
> What ever service agreement you come up with just add  some thing like
> this:
>
> "If a clients system has been changed from linux to a non linux system,
> then any work related to fixing a non HW fault is at the users expence." (a
> small fee)

I don't do windows. I don't know anyone currently in SA who would agree to do 
windows. 

we can, we just dont.
it goes against all our beliefs about reliable software, free software, and 
providing to the community in a way that doesnt benefit yet another huge 
corporate greed merchant (one of the greediest..)

also, windows 98 and lower will no longer have microsoft support from the end 
of this year (or next year, unclear on exact date...). therefore, we would 
have clients/recipients/ppl wot have puters with NO technical support other 
than us.

> Why I think this is a good Idea:
> 1. Might Raise a little money

selling our souls? seriously, I feel that supporting microsoft for cash is 
selling our souls, and the ideals that led me to work on computerbank.
there are other avenues to fundraising.

and have you thought about the potential for 'honest, i bought this totally 
legitimate version of windows off a friend with a burner' issues, and where 
that could put us legally?

> 2. benifit the techos by expanding their knowledge base & skills. We want
> to help people get work, well as sad as it may be the fact is that MS is
> what people need to know to get a job. (Wrk for the dole)

what, get them all to be mcse??? no thanks. the majority of server systems 
for major companies is still un*x based. 
we are providing wftd skills in linux, customer support, and hardware 
expertise.

> 3. Introducing a fee for WIN Supp. may hlp to convince some users Not  to
> change their system from linux

see soul, the selling of.

> some bad points:
> 1.More users may switch to windows knowing they  have access to cheep
> suport. Techos will get bogged down with WIN PCs

goddess help us then - and yes, thats the inevitable corollary.

> 2.there is a grey area when you say only HW Supp. is free. WIN PCs always
> need some drivers to be loaded & config manually (NON-PNP SEMI PNP devices)
> The question here is how do class drivers as HW or SW? Another factor is
> bugs in the OS & driver sets related to HW

simple - we dont do windows.

> when This service agreement is changed which users will it apply too??? If
> CB does decide to supp WIN,incuding all users past & present that could get
> yukky. But having different service agreements maybe hard to cntrl. IE when
> a user rings up for help how can the voluntere determine the applicable
> service agreement so as to correctly advise the user.

see simple...:)

romana:)
?????????????????????????????????????????????????? 
romana at timelady.com icq no:393293 

Computerbank Australia -  SA branch coordinator 
http://www.linunix.com/cbsa/ 

"Between the idea and the reality, 
Between the motion and the act, 
Falls the Shadow..." 
(TS Eliot) 
??????????????????????????????????????????????????