Fedora's audience

[Beartooth]

Recent exchanges here and in related places have reminded me 
strongly of long discussions held on RedHat lists fifteen or twenty years 
ago.

Was (now is) RH/F, and Linux generally, *for* all & sundry? Or 
was/is it essentially a plaything of the Alpha Plus Technoids? Which 
*should* it be?

That distinction applied to shoes and ships and sealing wax, to 
cabbages and kings; i.e., all the way from designing new apps for GUI, 
for CLI only, or for some compromise -- to what sorts of posters and 
questions ought to be welcome or unwelcome on the public lists.

I remember pointing out repeatedly that when the Baby Boomers 
began to retire, and cease to be bound to their employers' systems, some 
fraction of them would take up Linux -- and it wouldn't need a very big 
fraction of their numbers to make a substantial difference to Linux.

To the best of my recollection, that issue never resolved into 
any consensus. RedHat changed its whole strategy, and suddenly many of us 
had far more urgent concerns than just the philosophic ones.

By this time, at an informed guess, the Boomers must be retiring 
in spates and floods. My subjective impression is that I see more fellow 
retirees than before, but I can't guess numbers. Does anyone here have 
such numbers, or know of a source from whence to get them?

[David]

On 12/4/2013 1:25 PM, Beartooth wrote:
> Recent exchanges here and in related places have reminded me 
> strongly of long discussions held on RedHat lists fifteen or twenty years 
> ago.
>
> Was (now is) RH/F, and Linux generally, *for* all & sundry? Or 
> was/is it essentially a plaything of the Alpha Plus Technoids? Which 
> *should* it be?
>
> That distinction applied to shoes and ships and sealing wax, to 
> cabbages and kings; i.e., all the way from designing new apps for GUI, 
> for CLI only, or for some compromise -- to what sorts of posters and 
> questions ought to be welcome or unwelcome on the public lists.
>
> I remember pointing out repeatedly that when the Baby Boomers 
> began to retire, and cease to be bound to their employers' systems, some 
> fraction of them would take up Linux -- and it wouldn't need a very big 
> fraction of their numbers to make a substantial difference to Linux.
>
> To the best of my recollection, that issue never resolved into 
> any consensus. RedHat changed its whole strategy, and suddenly many of us 
> had far more urgent concerns than just the philosophic ones.
> By this time, at an informed guess, the Boomers must be retiring 
>
> in spates and floods. My subjective impression is that I see more fellow 
> retirees than before, but I can't guess numbers. Does anyone here have 
> such numbers, or know of a source from whence to get them?

"The New LinuxCounter Project"

http://linuxcounter.net/main.html

[Joe Zeff]

On 12/04/2013 10:25 AM, Beartooth wrote:
> By this time, at an informed guess, the Boomers must be retiring
>
> in spates and floods. My subjective impression is that I see more fellow
> retirees than before, but I can't guess numbers. Does anyone here have
> such numbers, or know of a source from whence to get them?

All I can say is that I'm an early Boomer, I'm 64 and retired two years 
ago.  However, I've been playing with Linux since about '98 or so, 
although it wasn't my primary OS until about the time that F9 came out.

[Bob Marcan]

> On 12/04/2013 10:25 AM, Beartooth wrote:
> > By this time, at an informed guess, the Boomers must be retiring
> >
> > in spates and floods. My subjective impression is that I see more fellow
> > retirees than before, but I can't guess numbers. Does anyone here have
> > such numbers, or know of a source from whence to get them?

Age 63, retired 3 months ago, IT professional from 1976.
First Linux RH 4, if i remember properly, current F18, waiting F20.
BR, Bob

Sorry for top posting. This phone doesn't allow bottom posting.

I'm 57 years old and I have been using linux, more on than off, since 1997, and exclusively since 2003 or so.
I find it is more stable than either windows or macos and more usable than dos, even at the command prompt.

Hth

Dave

Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone powered by Mobilicity

-----Original Message-----
From: Beartooth 
Sender: [e-mail]
Date: Wed, 4 Dec 2013 18:25:02 
To: 
Reply-To: Community support for Fedora users 
Subject: Fedora's audience

Recent exchanges here and in related places have reminded me 
strongly of long discussions held on RedHat lists fifteen or twenty years 
ago.

Was (now is) RH/F, and Linux generally, *for* all & sundry? Or 
was/is it essentially a plaything of the Alpha Plus Technoids? Which 
*should* it be?

That distinction applied to shoes and ships and sealing wax, to 
cabbages and kings; i.e., all the way from designing new apps for GUI, 
for CLI only, or for some compromise -- to what sorts of posters and 
questions ought to be welcome or unwelcome on the public lists.

I remember pointing out repeatedly that when the Baby Boomers 
began to retire, and cease to be bound to their employers' systems, some 
fraction of them would take up Linux -- and it wouldn't need a very big 
fraction of their numbers to make a substantial difference to Linux.

To the best of my recollection, that issue never resolved into 
any consensus. RedHat changed its whole strategy, and suddenly many of us 
had far more urgent concerns than just the philosophic ones.

By this time, at an informed guess, the Boomers must be retiring 
in spates and floods. My subjective impression is that I see more fellow 
retirees than before, but I can't guess numbers. Does anyone here have 
such numbers, or know of a source from whence to get them?

[ergodic]

OK I am 82.  My first Fedora Core install was FC-3 and before that Red Hat 4 if 
my memory does not trick me.

Today running in different boxes, F-18, F-19, F-20beta.
Multibooting Debian Wheezy, F-19 and Windows 8.1.

My most sincere thanks to all the developers and contributors.
Well done.

M. A. MacLain

----- Original Message -----
> Sorry for top posting. This phone doesn't allow bottom posting.
>
> I'm 57 years old and I have been using linux, more on than off, since
> 1997, and exclusively since 2003 or so.
> I find it is more stable than either windows or macos and more usable
> than dos, even at the command prompt.
>
> Hth
>
> Dave
>
> Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone powered by Mobilicity
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Beartooth 
> Sender: [e-mail]
> Date: Wed, 4 Dec 2013 18:25:02
> To: 
> Reply-To: Community support for Fedora users
>
> Subject: Fedora's audience
>
> Recent exchanges here and in related places have reminded me
> strongly of long discussions held on RedHat lists fifteen or twenty
> years
> ago.
>
> Was (now is) RH/F, and Linux generally, *for* all & sundry? Or
> was/is it essentially a plaything of the Alpha Plus Technoids? Which
> *should* it be?
>
> That distinction applied to shoes and ships and sealing wax, to
> cabbages and kings; i.e., all the way from designing new apps for
> GUI,
> for CLI only, or for some compromise -- to what sorts of posters and
> questions ought to be welcome or unwelcome on the public lists.
>
> I remember pointing out repeatedly that when the Baby Boomers
> began to retire, and cease to be bound to their employers' systems,
> some
> fraction of them would take up Linux -- and it wouldn't need a very
> big
> fraction of their numbers to make a substantial difference to Linux.
>
> To the best of my recollection, that issue never resolved into
> any consensus. RedHat changed its whole strategy, and suddenly many
> of us
> had far more urgent concerns than just the philosophic ones.
> By this time, at an informed guess, the Boomers must be retiring
>
> in spates and floods. My subjective impression is that I see more
> fellow
> retirees than before, but I can't guess numbers. Does anyone here
> have
> such numbers, or know of a source from whence to get them?
>
> --
> Beartooth Staffwright, Neo-Redneck Not Quite Clueless Power User
> Remember I have precious (very precious!) little idea where up is.
>
> --
> users mailing list
> [e-mail]
> To unsubscribe or change subscription options:
> https://admin.fedoraproject.org/mailman/listinfo/users
> Fedora Code of Conduct: http://fedoraproject.org/code-of-conduct
> Guidelines: http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Mailing_list_guidelines
> Have a question? Ask away: http://ask.fedoraproject.org
> --
> users mailing list
> [e-mail]
> To unsubscribe or change subscription options:
> https://admin.fedoraproject.org/mailman/listinfo/users
> Fedora Code of Conduct: http://fedoraproject.org/code-of-conduct
> Guidelines: http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Mailing_list_guidelines
> Have a question? Ask away: http://ask.fedoraproject.org

[Frank McCormick]

On 04/12/13 03:47 PM, ergodic wrote:
> OK I am 82.  My first Fedora Core install was FC-3 and before that Red Hat 4 if
> my memory does not trick me.
>
> Today running in different boxes, F-18, F-19, F-20beta.
> Multibooting Debian Wheezy, F-19 and Windows 8.1.
>
> My most sincere thanks to all the developers and contributors.
> Well done.
>
> M. A. MacLain
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> > Sorry for top posting. This phone doesn't allow bottom posting.
> >
> > I'm 57 years old and I have been using linux, more on than off, since
> > 1997, and exclusively since 2003 or so.
> > I find it is more stable than either windows or macos and more usable
> > than dos, even at the command prompt.
> >
> > Hth
> >
> > Dave
> >
> > Date: Wed, 4 Dec 2013 18:25:02
> > To: 
> > Reply-To: Community support for Fedora users
> >
> > Subject: Fedora's audience
> >
> > Recent exchanges here and in related places have reminded me
> > strongly of long discussions held on RedHat lists fifteen or twenty
> > years
> > ago.

//snip//
> > By this time, at an informed guess, the Boomers must be retiring
> >
> > in spates and floods. My subjective impression is that I see more
> > fellow
> > retirees than before, but I can't guess numbers. Does anyone here
> > have
> > such numbers, or know of a source from whence to get them?
> > --

Guess all the 'younger' members are afraid to reply :)

I am 72 (73 next month ) and have been running Linux since 1997...Fedora 
since 2010. along with Debian Sid and
Windows 7.
Best of the season to all developers-contributors and users.

[Antonio Olivares]

> Guess all the 'younger' members are afraid to reply :)
>
> I am 72 (73 next month ) and have been running Linux since 1997...Fedora
> since 2010. along with Debian Sid and
> Windows 7.
> Best of the season to all developers-contributors and users.
>
> --

I am 38 yrs young and have been using linux since 2000/2001.  Fedora Core 2, Fedora 3 and up to now Fedora 18/19 & 20 :)
Using Slackware, Fedora and FreeBSD plus livecds Knoppix, SystemRescue, Slax, Gparted, etc.

Best Regards,

Antonio

____________________________________________________________
FREE 3D MARINE AQUARIUM SCREENSAVER - Watch dolphins, sharks & orcas on your desktop!
Check it out at http://www.inbox.com/marineaquarium

[Steven Rosenberg]

I always turn to Fedora when I have new hardware because it's the
easiest way to get the latest kernels, drivers and other bits that
give that hardware the best chance of working. If it matters, I'm 47.

--
Steven Rosenberg
http://stevenrosenberg.net/blog
http://blogs.dailynews.com/click
[e-mail]
[e-mail]

On Wed, Dec 4, 2013 at 2:14 PM, Antonio Olivares  wrote:
> > Guess all the 'younger' members are afraid to reply :)
> >
> > I am 72 (73 next month ) and have been running Linux since 1997...Fedora
> > since 2010. along with Debian Sid and
> > Windows 7.
> > Best of the season to all developers-contributors and users.
> >
> > --
>
> I am 38 yrs young and have been using linux since 2000/2001.  Fedora Core 2, Fedora 3 and up to now Fedora 18/19 & 20 :)
> Using Slackware, Fedora and FreeBSD plus livecds Knoppix, SystemRescue, Slax, Gparted, etc.
>
> Best Regards,
>
> Antonio
>
> FREE 3D MARINE AQUARIUM SCREENSAVER - Watch dolphins, sharks & orcas on your desktop!
> Check it out at http://www.inbox.com/marineaquarium
>
> --
> users mailing list
> [e-mail]
> To unsubscribe or change subscription options:
> https://admin.fedoraproject.org/mailman/listinfo/users
> Fedora Code of Conduct: http://fedoraproject.org/code-of-conduct
> Guidelines: http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Mailing_list_guidelines
> Have a question? Ask away: http://ask.fedoraproject.org

[Tim]

Allegedly, on or about 04 December 2013, Frank sent:
> Guess all the 'younger' members are afraid to reply :)

Oi!  <insert some rude/nice/amusing old person insult>  I'm middle-aged.

I've played with computers since before the PC days (sending punch cards
in the post), ignored the C64 but used alternatives in the same era, had
fun with the Amiga while avoiding the hideous DOS/Windows world that I
saw at the school I worked at, got into Linux with Red Hat Linux 6 (the
first one that would actually install on my hardware), then migrated
over to Fedora when Red Hat changed the gameplan (and that did annoy a
lot of people).

I've dabbled with other Linuxes and BSD, enough to think they're much of
a muchness (similar or balanced capabilities, limits, and annoyances),
but different enough that I stuck with what I got used to.

[David G. Miller (aka DaveAtFraud)]

Tim <ignored_mailbox <at> yahoo.com.au> writes:
> Allegedly, on or about 04 December 2013, Frank sent:
> > Guess all the 'younger' members are afraid to reply :)
>
> Oi!  <insert some rude/nice/amusing old person insult>  I'm middle-aged.
>
> I've played with computers since before the PC days (sending punch cards
> in the post), ignored the C64 but used alternatives in the same era, had
> fun with the Amiga while avoiding the hideous DOS/Windows world that I
> saw at the school I worked at, got into Linux with Red Hat Linux 6 (the
> first one that would actually install on my hardware), then migrated
> over to Fedora when Red Hat changed the gameplan (and that did annoy a
> lot of people).
>
> I've dabbled with other Linuxes and BSD, enough to think they're much of
> a muchness (similar or balanced capabilities, limits, and annoyances),
> but different enough that I stuck with what I got used to.

How about I'm 57 and started with Red Hat Linux 5.0 in 1998 as my first
Linux install.  Before that I worked on HP-UX, Solaris (and when it was
still SunOS), CDCs, VAXen and IBM big iron.  I still have a punch card
around here some place.

I run CentOS or Scientific Linux on the boxes I need stable and Fedora on
more recent hardware or where I need something closer to bleeding edge. 
Dabbled with Ubuntu, Mint and Gentoo.  Didn't like them.

Cheers,
Dave

[Cristian Sava]

Hi ALL,

I am 60 and am running Linux since RedHat 4.2, always RH/Fedora.
    I'm IT Professional since 1977 and I'm now using F19 on desktops and
servers with great success. I also use Centos but I'm more comfortable
with Fedora.
    Congrats to all of you making this wonderful distro!

Best Regards,
Cristian Sava

[Rick Stevens]

On 12/06/2013 05:51 AM, Cristian Sava issued this missive:
> Hi ALL,
>
> I am 60 and am running Linux since RedHat 4.2, always RH/Fedora.
>    I'm IT Professional since 1977 and I'm now using F19 on desktops and
> servers with great success. I also use Centos but I'm more comfortable
> with Fedora.
>    Congrats to all of you making this wonderful distro!
>
> Best Regards,
> Cristian Sava

I'm 56, still working. Started in electronics in 1971, became a "pro"
in 1976 as a "systems engineer" (both hardware and software). Started
out running DG Novas and various DEC platforms (PDP11s and Vaxen). I was
on the initial ANSI C and SCSI standardization committees back in the
day.

I've been using various Unix flavors since 1977 (SunOS, Solaris, Ultrix,
DG/UX, Irix, SVR3, SVR4 to name a few) and Linux since early Slackware
releases (kernel 0.5something) and I've been a RH/Fedora user since RH
4.x.

I, like many, laud the efforts of ALL Linux developers, but particular
kudos should go to the RH/Fedora gang. While I disagree with a lot of
what has been done (Gnome is a massive bloat and systemd buys you very
little, for example), overall it's a really good environment.

We use CentOS on our "live" platforms because we need the stability and
we don't really need Red Hat's tech support (if we did, we'd buy and
use RHEL). That being said, all our Linux development is done initially
on Fedora and backported to CentOS. It works and it works well.

I hereby raise a virtual glass to the Fedora team! Cheers, mates! Well
done!
----------------------------------------------------------------------
- Rick Stevens, Systems Engineer, AllDigital    [e-mail] -
- AIM/Skype: therps2        ICQ: 22643734            Yahoo: origrps2 -
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----------------------------------------------------------------------

[Neil Thompson]

55, In IT since 1980 (COBOL, punch cards, etc).

Linux - SLS (April(ish) 1994)
      - Slackware (Shortly afterwards)
      - Red Hat Mother's Day (May 1995) and been on Redhattish stuff ever since.

Currently chief linux geek at an engineering copmpany.