Re: How to Save The World

[Crispin Cowan <crispin () immunix com>]

Marcus J. Ranum wrote:

> Crispin Cowan drank the Kool-ade and wrote:
>  
>
> > The problem is that the bulk of sites that don't work are the most "corporate" ones: web casts.
> >    
> You mean garbage like those things that let you automatically flip
> powerpoints for a remote user to present a talk? Garbage that has
> become popular because sales reps and marketing weenies are
> apparently too stupid to tell their meeting attendees, "next slide,
> please..." as they pause to collect their thoughts?   Yeah, we need
> that garbage in order to do business. Not.
>  
While that is one use for it, no that is not what I mean. If it was just 
"next slide please", then I agree that it would not be worth the bother.

But it is much more than that. Those webcast thingies can bitscrape 
anything off the desktop screen. Thus I can demo an interactive GUI onto 
a remote customer prospect's desktop to show them what our stuff looks 
like, without them having to install anything.

> > Most of the webconference software out there does not work with anything other than IE/Windows.
> >    
> Then don't use it. It won't hurt you. Honestly.
When I'm buying stuff, I act like that, because it is my prerogative to 
shop elsewhere .

But when I am selling stuff, I need to cater to the customer's desires. 
And sometimes, the customer desires to see the stuff before they will 
give me a meeting. Sometimes, I desire to show the customer stuff before 
I spend the $$$$ on a plane ticket to show them in person. This is 
actually a valuable tool, and it annoys the crap out of me that it is 
(mostly) only supported on Windows/IE.

> > IMHO, this is by far the largest hole in the Linux desktop market that holds companies back from switching.
> >    
> You've been drinking the Kool-ade, Crispin.
>
> When they say "we're not switching because Linux doesn't have XYZ"
> that's the same bullsh*t as the "security is a performance problem"
> song. It's just the quickest excuse they could reach for to make you
>  
Again, you're taking the wrong meaning.

My rant is not that we should just shrug and let 'em not switch. It is 
that there is a legitimate hole in the Linux desktop space, this is it, 
and some of these webcast service providers should step up and fill the 
hole. How the hell else am I supposed to market a Linux server product 
to customers using a Windows desktop unless the webcast product works 
cross-platform? Raindance? WebEX? Are you listening? This is your market 
calling :)

Crispin

--
Crispin Cowan, Ph.D.  http://immunix.com/~crispin/
CTO, Immunix          http://immunix.com

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