I have serious reservations about this approach. As techies we tend to
think here's your computer, here's your GNU/Linux/OSS bible and you are
saved, hallelujah.
I agree... I am grateful for Ken Yap and Mike Holland's observations regarding some of the obstacles.... I am keen to identify as early as possible any likely problems we may encounter, so we can solve them.
<broken record mode> There has to be a lot of user training and
handholding to go along with the computer. </broken record mode>.
And when we build a relationship with these people maybe they'd be less
likely to flog the gift at the nearest op shop, hmm?
I am thinking a good strategy (as I mentioned briefly before) is to offer training in the first place, followed by (if necessary) a computer to take home. This seems to me to be the most effective way to solve the problems you have mentioned. I also think that the strategy depends on the client.
don't think we can say what the approach should be until we have gone
out and got our customers.
I agree... I think we should look at using a range of strategies that are as focused on the real needs of the client as much as possible.... however a reasonably generic strategy of training first, computer second seems to me to offer a solution for (most) cases?
Please keep the thoughts/observations coming... (I would've taken ages to realise 10% of these by myself!)
Best to try and anticipate as many problems up-front as possible. I'm of the opionion that avoiding unnecessary mistakes is better than learning _after_ making them. ;-)
regards
David