With Linux on the desktop going from a slow crawl to verging on an explosion, many have toiled with the question: How do we make this happen faster? A well-known Austin-based Linux Advocate thinks he has the answer.
[Your might recognize a few names in this article. :-) - Scott]
I caught up with Ken Starks aka helios on the phone when I first heard of this effort. I wanted to find out more about this effort that from my research, was to be a first. Of course Ken is no stranger to first-ever efforts. He was the co-founder of the Tux500 project. An effort to get Linux as a sponsor for an Indy 500 car. Despite many setbacks and controversies, Ken's effort came across the finish line. Unfortunately, his car didn't but that was just fodder for his critics. Ken accomplished what he set out to do. He and Bob Moore put Linux in front of hundreds of thousands of people for a month of media coverage and in over two dozen mainstream newspapers and magazines, Ken was able to get it done.
I combed the Internet, trying to find his phone number. I know I have run across it before but I couldn't seem to find it on this trek. Then it hit me...try the phone book. To my surprise, there he was, easily accessible to anyone who bothered to look.
My "few minutes of your time" expanded to over an hour of conversation with Ken and I was able to fully flesh out what it is he is attempting here. I will even try to mimic his well-known writing style.
I think his idea is brilliant.
The brilliance lies partially in fact, partly in our culture's psychology and mostly in determination and grit. Ken has been buffeted by some cruel winds in the past. Some were self-produced, some were slammed into him by envious community members but through it all, Ken has remained steadfast in both his devotion and his determination. Let me emphasize the determination part.
Here's the deal. Ken has come to the correct conclusion that the majority of people who use a computer haven't a clue that they have a choice in how it's operated. Enter the GNU/Linux Operating System. During his time as a level 3 tech support specialist, Ken heard hundreds of horror stories first-hand and he knows what problems Windows Users face. Ken began a company called HeliOS Solutions to meet the need of long-suffering market.
With the invaluable assistance of Sander Marechal of Lone Wolves Foundation, based in the Netherlands, Ken was able to hang out his digital shingle at www.fixedbylinux.com. HeliOS Solutions offers several services but the "prime mover" of his company is in-home Linux installations. They also offer consultations for businesses interested in migrating to Linux. An added income source comes from Ken's experience in retrieving data from corrupted hard drives. For those intrepid few, HeliOS Solutions even offers a Do-It-Yourself kit, complete with instruction manual for that distro and a week's free telephone and email support.
Once the pleasantries were exchanged, I launched right into my quickly-scribbled questions. I had a lot of ground to cover with him.
Q. From what I can research, HeliOS Solutions is offering a first-of-its-kind service. How does it feel to set the standard and not follow it?
A. You know, I didn't think about that until well after we launched our service. How does it feel? I don't know...I suppose I should be nervous about it but I've been doing this for so long as an advocate, it really doesn't bother me.
Q. OK, well that being said, how did you organize the effort and how long do you think it will be until you are profitable?
A. Profitable? Well, I don't know if that's applicable here. HeliOS Solutions wasn't designed as a regular enterprise. I began HeliOS Solutions as a way to offset the lack of donations for our Komputers4Kids effort. People in Bamberg Germany or Seoul Korea don't give a flip about kids in Austin Texas having a computer. Neither do people in Chicago. I don't really blame them. This is a local effort so I needed to devise a way to fund it. If we are wildly successful and we start having to stuff money in pillow cases, then yeah, I'll quit my job and do this full time. But as of now, it's mainly a way to fund my charity.
Q. Didn't you have corporate funding at one time?
A. I don't want to get into that. It doesn't serve any purpose to bring it up.
Q. Well, it does Ken. If you had corporate support, things might be a bit easier.
A. Yeah, we had two companies supporting us at one time. FI WebDesign and Forester Industries donated on a quarterly basis. One guy owns both businesses. Unfortunately, there were some unfounded accusations of fraud and scam during the Tux500 project and the guy said he couldn't risk an affiliation with Lobby4Linux jeopardizing his business. I mean, he was real apologetic about it but business is business and I understand why he did it. The funny part? Right after I got that phone call from him, he personally donated 1000 dollars to Tux500. Go figure.
Q. How much did you lose?
A. Lose? You mean in his donations?
Q. Yeah.
A. Six thousand dollars as year.
Q. Did you pursue this? I mean, legally?
A. No...I no longer refer to us as "The Linux Community", but for a lack of a better term, I felt the Community didn't need the added turmoil of a public civil suit. Distro flame wars are tearing it apart enough thank you. Besides...even if the libel was provable, and it was; we had 4 lawyers solicit us to take the case...I mean out of the blue. the only money made in any libel suit is by the lawyers. It just wasn't worth the hassle. Can we move on...this is a dead horse.
Q. OK. So who makes up HeliOS Solutions.
A. Well, obviously myself. Debbie, my wife is our accountant and appointment setter when I am not available by cell phone. Ryan Sommers is our hardware guy. He gets the specs on the customer's computer and matches the distro to that machine so we don't have any ugly surprises when we get there. The last thing you want to see is a shiny new Lexmark printer sitting beside the computer when you walk in the door.
Q. Lexmark...is that a bad thing?
A. Ya think? Lexmark is legendary in their refusal to release Linux drivers. Even Canon is getting the religion so to speak. Lexmark has pretty much told us to go P.U.A.R.
Q. P.U.A.R.
A. Piss up a rope.
Q. (laughter) I've never heard that expression before but I get the picture. So just how much is the lack of Linux hardware support hindering you.
A. Not much. The people that choose to develop drivers and packages for Linux are brilliant. Most of the problems from as little as a year ago are solved. There are few stumbling blocks left for Linux as far as hardware goes. Lexmark is just the worst at this time.
Q. Any issues with video adapters?
A. Not really. We still have trouble with the Intel 810/845/945 chipsets but it's not an insurmountable problem, just a pain in the ass. We've run into a few laptops that had to be started with the vesa command. Other than an extra few steps, it hasn't been too bad.
Q. You mentioned matching distros to hardware. That's a pretty smart move. What distros do you find yourself using more than others.
A. Did I mention that distro wars were pretty damaging to us? Now you want me to start one (helios laughs and is silent for a moment) It really depends on the hardware, like I said. I don't have a real favorite or a "go-to": distro I use all the time. Some time Mepis works well and at times Mint is the answer. There are instances where the user is so new and so computer-illiterate that we put something real simple on it like PCLinuxOS or a DVD remake of it called Granular. Granular is a nice effort. Since we offer two weeks free phone support, we want to make sure the distro out-matches the user's ability to screw it up. We've received phone calls less than one hour later because someone has tried a new driver or inadvertently messed up the bootloader.
Q. What do you do in those cases?
A. I ask them, "do you remember I told you to pay particular attention to me while I install this." They generally say yes then I tell them. "OK, take the disk I gave you and do just like I did."
Q. Really? You tell them that?
A. No, but I would like to sometimes. I make sure there is a good copy of the bootloader and the xorg.conf on a cd. I do that before I leave and give it to them as part of their "recovery disk set." All they have to do is put in the live cd, boot it to RAM then put in the cd with the backup conf files and they are back in action.
Q. That's pretty smart.
A. No, that's a hedge against me becoming dependent on mood-altering drugs.
Q. So who else works with HeliOS Solutions?
A. I just hired Tom King. I've known Tom for a few years via the internet. We became friends when he took an interest in blog of helios and began leaving comments. His job brought him and his family to Austin about a year ago and when I found out he was a Linux/Windows Network Guru, I hired him on the spot. Our business model is dependent upon small and medium business Linux Migrations so I figured I better have someone who knows what they are doing. So far, I've been more lucky than talented...I mean in the migrations I've pulled off. They've been relatively easy. I can't be lucky forever. Tom is a brilliant network guy and we're going to need him. It's good to have him aboard. Tom King was at the right place when we needed him...That's where luck plays it's small role in business.
Q. So that's the employee list of HeliOS Solutions.
A, Here in Austin? Yeah. We also have an office on the Central California coast between Santa Cruz and San Jose. Larry Cafiero, the editor of The Open Source Reporter runs that operation. We call it the "HeliOS Solutions Western Division" and it serves the entire Central California Coastline. I mean if you have an office on the California coast, you gotta be big, right? Sander. If you read this, email me about getting that office info added to the site.
Q. Sander?
A. Yeah, Sander Marachel. He's the brilliance behind the HeliOS Solutions website. We wouldn't be where we are without him. Sander built www.fixedbylinux.com from scratch and from a template he designed himself. I am so indebted to him for his hard work. As well, I really have to mention a guy named Qbashi. He is responsible for many of the graphics you will see on the website. This poor guy, he is really chapped at me.
Q. Chapped? you mean angry?
A. Yeah. I asked him if I could repay him for his work and he said to just send him a Wacom tablet. Well, that was cheap enough so I did. That was in September. Between Thanksgiving and New Year I came home to find a package at my doorstep. I say it was a package. It used to be anyway. It looked more like something that had went through a trash compactor. It was Qbashi's Walcom with an official form on it saying that any complaints from damage should be filed with the USPS and that sending this type of equipment overseas violated some security rule initiated by Homeland security. How it got completely mangled, I have no idea. I emailed Qbashi with pictures attached and a scan of the form they left but the email bounces. I am guessing I am blocked. The poor guy thinks I stiffed him. I hope he reads this and finds out what really happened.
Q. Another justification for raised postal rates, huh? About this California office. What does it do?
A. Do? The office? It just sits there. But Larry Cafiero, the guy who goes in and out of it constantly does a lot. He is the person who is single handedly arranging "Tux Takes A Town." We call it T-tat for short.
Q. What is that all about?
A. Well, it really has nothing to do with HeliOS Solutions. We are arranging for a small town in California to agree to go "Microsoft free" for a period of time. Maybe a month, maybe only a week. The idea is to draw massive media attention to the effort and therefore introduce America in particular to Linux. We are going to gather some priceless information from this project.
Q. How is that going.
A. Well, we really haven't officially announced it yet. I mean, I guess now we have (laughter). We have to iron out some small details with the town folks first, then we'll announce it.
Q. What small details?
A. Like if they're going to do it or not.
Q. Oh...so it's not a done deal?
A. Not by a long shot. You have one man there trying to talk to 1200 folks between working and raising a family...it can be slow going.
Q. Have you thought about asking the "Community" to help.
A. That's funny. You definitely have a career in stand-up comedy.
Q. What do you mean?
A. Look, at the risk of pissing a few million people off, this is the way it is. I've spent three years banging on this issue. We hold the key of Freedom for tens of millions of people and that freedom is Linux. I've done everything I can think of to raise awareness within those who use Linux. I've stood on street corners and handed out disks. I've infiltrated businesses in order to migrate them, I've even went into Senior Retirement Centers and turned sweet old ladies into music pirates. I've documented it all, and not only documented it, I've been specific about how others can do it. Most of this has been met with yawns or STFU comments on my blog. No, the majority of the "Linux Community" could give a shit less about the freedom of others, at least in my experience. A good example of the impact Linux can have on the uninitiated is annotated in my latest blog. Yanking-the-Window-Shade
Q. So you've given up on others supporting your effort?
A. No, not completely. There are people like Ken Jennings, Sum Yung Gai, John Jardine, Richie Chapman and Gene and Wanda Lake...geez, I'm sure to anger some because I can't bring them to mind right now. There have been many people contribute to our efforts, but measured against the thousands of Linux Users that are aware of our efforts, it's pretty sad. Now in defense, I do take into consideration the sheer number of "causes" within Linux. Because someone isn't donating to mine doesn't mean they are not contributing to others. Maybe I just haven't "marketed" my cause well enough. Regardless, we had to do something to fund K4K and that something is HeliOS Solutions.
Q. Oh, that brings up something I was asked to ask you. Helios...how did you come to call yourself helios. I also note that you never capitalize helios either. Why?
A. It was the code name of an operation during a certain conflict in the 90's. I was the squad leader in a combat engineer platoon and our job was to go out and find abandoned and functional enemy armor then blow it up in place. I mean it was pretty much junk anyway. Mostly old soviet T-72's and the such. They came apart with 2 lbs of c-4 and a favorable tail wind. While we were out on a mission, my unit got deployment orders and moved without radioing us about the move. Operation Helios was the operation launched to find us. (Ken laughs softly) You know...my parents did the same thing once after they sent me to the movies.
Q You're making that up right?
A. Yeah...an army unit would never leave their men.
Q. What?
A. Dumb joke, never mind. I don't capitalize helios because the last thing I need is a pissed-off sun god knocking at my door demanding respect.
Q. OK. So about this T-Tat project. When can we expect to hear more about it?
A. I'm not sure. I need to get with my partner in Felton and see where he is with it. We are going to need to get some tangible agreement from the town pretty soon. Maybe run an ad in the local newspaper, maybe have a town meeting. I'm not sure. From what Larry is telling me, more than half the people in the town are agreeable to this. Heck, there are some businesses there that are already running Red Hat. We'll just have to see.
Q. Do you think maybe the folks outside the US might take an interest in this project? I seem to remember that many people in Europe didn't feel the Tux500 project would benefit them.
A. You know, that's the damndest thing and it goes right back to my criticism of "the community". Many will criticize an effort due to its location or its philosophy not matching theirs but they won't lift a finger to duplicate it or start anything like it in their area.
Q. What do you mean philosophy?
A. Take the old tired argument of calling it Linux vs GNU/Linux. You will note that I referred to GNU/Linux once or twice here already but that's all. There has been a tempest in a teapot over this stupid issue. Some folks in Europe are "first-generation Free". They GET freedom...their parents or even they have experienced governmental oppression so they really appreciate Freedom. We here in the states are too worried about Brittney's mental illness or who gets kicked off Big Brother this week to know just how sweet freedom is. Hence, the philosophy of GNU/Linux actually means something to those people over there. That's why you see such staunch adherence to the GNU addition to the term Linux. They know what freedom means....we just take it for granted.
Q. Weren't you involved in a flame war with Nuxified over this issue?
A. Flame war? Geek please. Danjiel and I might have had some spirited discussion on the matter but that's as close to a flame war as it ever got. Nuxified has been a close, close ally in what we do. In fact, we are working toward a project now that is sure to raise some eyebrows. That's fine, as long as we raise awareness as well.
Look, my counterpart in California spelled it out best. You don't call a chevrolet a chevrolet every time you say it. Here in the states, it is most often abbreviated to "chevy". Same with Ford. You don't always refer to a ford as a Ford/Lincoln/Mercury do you? It's the same with Linux. There is no one being slighted when I insist on referring to it as just Linux. I'm a lazy American...I do things like that. I'm not slamming the Open Source Philosophy or anyone at all by calling it Linux. Besides, it confuses the crap out of new Linux Users. I've had people email me asking: "Do you think I should use GNU/Linux or just plain Linux? Which one is better?" I think I will forward those emails in the future to those who insist on the GNU preface.
Q. Fair enough. So given that HeliOS Solutions exists so Komputers4Kids can survive, tell me your prime motivations behind starting Komputers4Kids.
A. In the 90's Apple went on a public school system give-away binge with their computers. Their idea was to get the little mouse-twitchers used to Macs and they would purchase them as adults. That's a great plan except they forgot the fact that MS would later come in and strike a deal with the schools to replace the aging machines with new ones, running Windows...with the stipulation that they sign an agreement to use only Windows PC's in the future.
Linux has no real price tag and stop right there...the total cost of ownership crap is Microsoft-funded fud, thats already proven, so I don't want to hear about it. If we get kids using Linux machines, MS really has no leverage. MS will have to give away every machine and system from here on in to beat the Linux affect.
There is another motivation for K4K as well and it's probably as strong as my initial motives. When I learned of the number of computers hitting the bottom of dumpsters enroute to our landfills, I sat up and took notice. I am not a tree-hugger...in fact I am about as far from one as you can get but you can't deny a fact to justify a political belief. Computers in our landfills are poisoning our land and water. If I can recycle enough of them, even a few, that's just that many that won't be tainting our land. I think that in itself is important..
Q. Ken, where do you see HeliOS Solutions in a year from now.
A. We have some pretty ambitious plans. We are in the planning stages of putting together a "mobile Tux Lab". We are negotiating with the Library system and a few businesses in order to hold our labs there. They will be either one day or three day labs and we will set up computers at designated places when we have 10 people wanting to attend. Ten is a good number and our good friends at Zareason will be the people we purchase those machines from. They have been staunch supporters of our efforts from the beginning.
Q. Ah, they are your sole means of income for your blog, right?
A. No. I don't sell advertising to anyone at any price. I won't let any ghost of influence taint people's perception of what we do. I made the mistake early on of throwing in with one particular distro and to this day, two years after I stopped doing so, I'm still referred to as a "PCLinuxOS guy". Hey, it's a great distro and I will put it on a few computers for the newest of the new Linux users but I've learned my lesson. The same applies with advertisers. I carry the Zareason banner because I believe in what they do and how they are doing it. Earl and Cathy Malmrose are pioneers in the Open Source Business model and anything I can do to help them along, I will do it. But no...I don't receive a penny for carrying their ad.
Q. Who else has been an influence in what you do?
A. Influence? Yeah, there's been a few. Derrick Devine comes to immediate mind as does Roy Schestowitz, Tom Adelstein and Stephen J. Vaughn-Nichols. I've left many out but only because I haven't been given much time to think about it. These people are the ones that stay in the trenches when the trenches get full of flaming crap. They don't let FlameThrowers or public opinion sway them and they stand their ground. I've learned a lot from them, especially about courage and Integrity.
Q. It's funny to hear you talk about others having courage. I have read about some of your personal and physical struggles. Can we talk about those. I understand you are a decorated combat veteran.
A. So are thousands of other men and women. No.
Q. Some things need to be talked about Ken. I understand...
A. No. We're not going to talk about it.
Q. Well, that sounds pretty firm so I won't push it any more. Is there anything else you might want to mention that I haven't covered? For those that want to help your foundation and your projects, how do they do so?
A. At www.blog.lobby4linux.com. there is a graphic there that takes donations straight into the Komputers4Kids project. Aside from that, there's not much left to say. If anything, I want Linux Users to know that Freedom isn't Free. As trite and worn as that statement has become, it remains true. Richie Chapman, a good friend of Lobby4Linux and K4K stated it well and I have to paraphrase since I'm not around a terminal. He said that he installs Linux on others computers for free not because he's such a nice guy, which he actually is. He does it out of fear that if enough people aren't using Linux when Microsoft makes their "big move", then we will be just that easy to sweep away with the next DMCA-type midnight bill passage. People need to wake up and get involved. If not in my effort, than in someones. It's getting to the point where Microsoft is going to have to do something drastic to get rid of Linux as a competitor. Large numbers of users who are not afraid to stand up to a giant would be a good place to start.
Q. Ken, thanks for your time. I wish you luck.
A. Not Luck...luck has little to do with it. It going to take hard work and some sacrifice to make this work but if I want to keep giving Linux Computers away, it's just something that has to be done. I've got some excellent players on my team.
Q. Thanks Ken.
A. You Bet...anytime.
So. Courage indeed. I walked away from this interview with a whole new perspective on the man known as helios. I hope those who bother to slog through this interview will do the same. You can contact Ken at helios@fixedbylinux.comif you wish to assist him.
Or hell, just look him up in the Austin phone book. He's there.
A special thanks to Ronnie James, Ryan Foster, Amie Meyers and Frank Renkins for transcription and fact checking. A special thanks to Mrs. Debbie Starks. She has suffered much for the cause...We're just glad she got her clock back. ;-)
[Your might recognize a few names in this article. :-) - Scott]
I caught up with Ken Starks aka helios on the phone when I first heard of this effort. I wanted to find out more about this effort that from my research, was to be a first. Of course Ken is no stranger to first-ever efforts. He was the co-founder of the Tux500 project. An effort to get Linux as a sponsor for an Indy 500 car. Despite many setbacks and controversies, Ken's effort came across the finish line. Unfortunately, his car didn't but that was just fodder for his critics. Ken accomplished what he set out to do. He and Bob Moore put Linux in front of hundreds of thousands of people for a month of media coverage and in over two dozen mainstream newspapers and magazines, Ken was able to get it done.
I combed the Internet, trying to find his phone number. I know I have run across it before but I couldn't seem to find it on this trek. Then it hit me...try the phone book. To my surprise, there he was, easily accessible to anyone who bothered to look.
My "few minutes of your time" expanded to over an hour of conversation with Ken and I was able to fully flesh out what it is he is attempting here. I will even try to mimic his well-known writing style.
I think his idea is brilliant.
The brilliance lies partially in fact, partly in our culture's psychology and mostly in determination and grit. Ken has been buffeted by some cruel winds in the past. Some were self-produced, some were slammed into him by envious community members but through it all, Ken has remained steadfast in both his devotion and his determination. Let me emphasize the determination part.
Here's the deal. Ken has come to the correct conclusion that the majority of people who use a computer haven't a clue that they have a choice in how it's operated. Enter the GNU/Linux Operating System. During his time as a level 3 tech support specialist, Ken heard hundreds of horror stories first-hand and he knows what problems Windows Users face. Ken began a company called HeliOS Solutions to meet the need of long-suffering market.
With the invaluable assistance of Sander Marechal of Lone Wolves Foundation, based in the Netherlands, Ken was able to hang out his digital shingle at www.fixedbylinux.com. HeliOS Solutions offers several services but the "prime mover" of his company is in-home Linux installations. They also offer consultations for businesses interested in migrating to Linux. An added income source comes from Ken's experience in retrieving data from corrupted hard drives. For those intrepid few, HeliOS Solutions even offers a Do-It-Yourself kit, complete with instruction manual for that distro and a week's free telephone and email support.
Once the pleasantries were exchanged, I launched right into my quickly-scribbled questions. I had a lot of ground to cover with him.
Q. From what I can research, HeliOS Solutions is offering a first-of-its-kind service. How does it feel to set the standard and not follow it?
A. You know, I didn't think about that until well after we launched our service. How does it feel? I don't know...I suppose I should be nervous about it but I've been doing this for so long as an advocate, it really doesn't bother me.
Q. OK, well that being said, how did you organize the effort and how long do you think it will be until you are profitable?
A. Profitable? Well, I don't know if that's applicable here. HeliOS Solutions wasn't designed as a regular enterprise. I began HeliOS Solutions as a way to offset the lack of donations for our Komputers4Kids effort. People in Bamberg Germany or Seoul Korea don't give a flip about kids in Austin Texas having a computer. Neither do people in Chicago. I don't really blame them. This is a local effort so I needed to devise a way to fund it. If we are wildly successful and we start having to stuff money in pillow cases, then yeah, I'll quit my job and do this full time. But as of now, it's mainly a way to fund my charity.
Q. Didn't you have corporate funding at one time?
A. I don't want to get into that. It doesn't serve any purpose to bring it up.
Q. Well, it does Ken. If you had corporate support, things might be a bit easier.
A. Yeah, we had two companies supporting us at one time. FI WebDesign and Forester Industries donated on a quarterly basis. One guy owns both businesses. Unfortunately, there were some unfounded accusations of fraud and scam during the Tux500 project and the guy said he couldn't risk an affiliation with Lobby4Linux jeopardizing his business. I mean, he was real apologetic about it but business is business and I understand why he did it. The funny part? Right after I got that phone call from him, he personally donated 1000 dollars to Tux500. Go figure.
Q. How much did you lose?
A. Lose? You mean in his donations?
Q. Yeah.
A. Six thousand dollars as year.
Q. Did you pursue this? I mean, legally?
A. No...I no longer refer to us as "The Linux Community", but for a lack of a better term, I felt the Community didn't need the added turmoil of a public civil suit. Distro flame wars are tearing it apart enough thank you. Besides...even if the libel was provable, and it was; we had 4 lawyers solicit us to take the case...I mean out of the blue. the only money made in any libel suit is by the lawyers. It just wasn't worth the hassle. Can we move on...this is a dead horse.
Q. OK. So who makes up HeliOS Solutions.
A. Well, obviously myself. Debbie, my wife is our accountant and appointment setter when I am not available by cell phone. Ryan Sommers is our hardware guy. He gets the specs on the customer's computer and matches the distro to that machine so we don't have any ugly surprises when we get there. The last thing you want to see is a shiny new Lexmark printer sitting beside the computer when you walk in the door.
Q. Lexmark...is that a bad thing?
A. Ya think? Lexmark is legendary in their refusal to release Linux drivers. Even Canon is getting the religion so to speak. Lexmark has pretty much told us to go P.U.A.R.
Q. P.U.A.R.
A. Piss up a rope.
Q. (laughter) I've never heard that expression before but I get the picture. So just how much is the lack of Linux hardware support hindering you.
A. Not much. The people that choose to develop drivers and packages for Linux are brilliant. Most of the problems from as little as a year ago are solved. There are few stumbling blocks left for Linux as far as hardware goes. Lexmark is just the worst at this time.
Q. Any issues with video adapters?
A. Not really. We still have trouble with the Intel 810/845/945 chipsets but it's not an insurmountable problem, just a pain in the ass. We've run into a few laptops that had to be started with the vesa command. Other than an extra few steps, it hasn't been too bad.
Q. You mentioned matching distros to hardware. That's a pretty smart move. What distros do you find yourself using more than others.
A. Did I mention that distro wars were pretty damaging to us? Now you want me to start one (helios laughs and is silent for a moment) It really depends on the hardware, like I said. I don't have a real favorite or a "go-to": distro I use all the time. Some time Mepis works well and at times Mint is the answer. There are instances where the user is so new and so computer-illiterate that we put something real simple on it like PCLinuxOS or a DVD remake of it called Granular. Granular is a nice effort. Since we offer two weeks free phone support, we want to make sure the distro out-matches the user's ability to screw it up. We've received phone calls less than one hour later because someone has tried a new driver or inadvertently messed up the bootloader.
Q. What do you do in those cases?
A. I ask them, "do you remember I told you to pay particular attention to me while I install this." They generally say yes then I tell them. "OK, take the disk I gave you and do just like I did."
Q. Really? You tell them that?
A. No, but I would like to sometimes. I make sure there is a good copy of the bootloader and the xorg.conf on a cd. I do that before I leave and give it to them as part of their "recovery disk set." All they have to do is put in the live cd, boot it to RAM then put in the cd with the backup conf files and they are back in action.
Q. That's pretty smart.
A. No, that's a hedge against me becoming dependent on mood-altering drugs.
Q. So who else works with HeliOS Solutions?
A. I just hired Tom King. I've known Tom for a few years via the internet. We became friends when he took an interest in blog of helios and began leaving comments. His job brought him and his family to Austin about a year ago and when I found out he was a Linux/Windows Network Guru, I hired him on the spot. Our business model is dependent upon small and medium business Linux Migrations so I figured I better have someone who knows what they are doing. So far, I've been more lucky than talented...I mean in the migrations I've pulled off. They've been relatively easy. I can't be lucky forever. Tom is a brilliant network guy and we're going to need him. It's good to have him aboard. Tom King was at the right place when we needed him...That's where luck plays it's small role in business.
Q. So that's the employee list of HeliOS Solutions.
A, Here in Austin? Yeah. We also have an office on the Central California coast between Santa Cruz and San Jose. Larry Cafiero, the editor of The Open Source Reporter runs that operation. We call it the "HeliOS Solutions Western Division" and it serves the entire Central California Coastline. I mean if you have an office on the California coast, you gotta be big, right? Sander. If you read this, email me about getting that office info added to the site.
Q. Sander?
A. Yeah, Sander Marachel. He's the brilliance behind the HeliOS Solutions website. We wouldn't be where we are without him. Sander built www.fixedbylinux.com from scratch and from a template he designed himself. I am so indebted to him for his hard work. As well, I really have to mention a guy named Qbashi. He is responsible for many of the graphics you will see on the website. This poor guy, he is really chapped at me.
Q. Chapped? you mean angry?
A. Yeah. I asked him if I could repay him for his work and he said to just send him a Wacom tablet. Well, that was cheap enough so I did. That was in September. Between Thanksgiving and New Year I came home to find a package at my doorstep. I say it was a package. It used to be anyway. It looked more like something that had went through a trash compactor. It was Qbashi's Walcom with an official form on it saying that any complaints from damage should be filed with the USPS and that sending this type of equipment overseas violated some security rule initiated by Homeland security. How it got completely mangled, I have no idea. I emailed Qbashi with pictures attached and a scan of the form they left but the email bounces. I am guessing I am blocked. The poor guy thinks I stiffed him. I hope he reads this and finds out what really happened.
Q. Another justification for raised postal rates, huh? About this California office. What does it do?
A. Do? The office? It just sits there. But Larry Cafiero, the guy who goes in and out of it constantly does a lot. He is the person who is single handedly arranging "Tux Takes A Town." We call it T-tat for short.
Q. What is that all about?
A. Well, it really has nothing to do with HeliOS Solutions. We are arranging for a small town in California to agree to go "Microsoft free" for a period of time. Maybe a month, maybe only a week. The idea is to draw massive media attention to the effort and therefore introduce America in particular to Linux. We are going to gather some priceless information from this project.
Q. How is that going.
A. Well, we really haven't officially announced it yet. I mean, I guess now we have (laughter). We have to iron out some small details with the town folks first, then we'll announce it.
Q. What small details?
A. Like if they're going to do it or not.
Q. Oh...so it's not a done deal?
A. Not by a long shot. You have one man there trying to talk to 1200 folks between working and raising a family...it can be slow going.
Q. Have you thought about asking the "Community" to help.
A. That's funny. You definitely have a career in stand-up comedy.
Q. What do you mean?
A. Look, at the risk of pissing a few million people off, this is the way it is. I've spent three years banging on this issue. We hold the key of Freedom for tens of millions of people and that freedom is Linux. I've done everything I can think of to raise awareness within those who use Linux. I've stood on street corners and handed out disks. I've infiltrated businesses in order to migrate them, I've even went into Senior Retirement Centers and turned sweet old ladies into music pirates. I've documented it all, and not only documented it, I've been specific about how others can do it. Most of this has been met with yawns or STFU comments on my blog. No, the majority of the "Linux Community" could give a shit less about the freedom of others, at least in my experience. A good example of the impact Linux can have on the uninitiated is annotated in my latest blog. Yanking-the-Window-Shade
Q. So you've given up on others supporting your effort?
A. No, not completely. There are people like Ken Jennings, Sum Yung Gai, John Jardine, Richie Chapman and Gene and Wanda Lake...geez, I'm sure to anger some because I can't bring them to mind right now. There have been many people contribute to our efforts, but measured against the thousands of Linux Users that are aware of our efforts, it's pretty sad. Now in defense, I do take into consideration the sheer number of "causes" within Linux. Because someone isn't donating to mine doesn't mean they are not contributing to others. Maybe I just haven't "marketed" my cause well enough. Regardless, we had to do something to fund K4K and that something is HeliOS Solutions.
Q. Oh, that brings up something I was asked to ask you. Helios...how did you come to call yourself helios. I also note that you never capitalize helios either. Why?
A. It was the code name of an operation during a certain conflict in the 90's. I was the squad leader in a combat engineer platoon and our job was to go out and find abandoned and functional enemy armor then blow it up in place. I mean it was pretty much junk anyway. Mostly old soviet T-72's and the such. They came apart with 2 lbs of c-4 and a favorable tail wind. While we were out on a mission, my unit got deployment orders and moved without radioing us about the move. Operation Helios was the operation launched to find us. (Ken laughs softly) You know...my parents did the same thing once after they sent me to the movies.
Q You're making that up right?
A. Yeah...an army unit would never leave their men.
Q. What?
A. Dumb joke, never mind. I don't capitalize helios because the last thing I need is a pissed-off sun god knocking at my door demanding respect.
Q. OK. So about this T-Tat project. When can we expect to hear more about it?
A. I'm not sure. I need to get with my partner in Felton and see where he is with it. We are going to need to get some tangible agreement from the town pretty soon. Maybe run an ad in the local newspaper, maybe have a town meeting. I'm not sure. From what Larry is telling me, more than half the people in the town are agreeable to this. Heck, there are some businesses there that are already running Red Hat. We'll just have to see.
Q. Do you think maybe the folks outside the US might take an interest in this project? I seem to remember that many people in Europe didn't feel the Tux500 project would benefit them.
A. You know, that's the damndest thing and it goes right back to my criticism of "the community". Many will criticize an effort due to its location or its philosophy not matching theirs but they won't lift a finger to duplicate it or start anything like it in their area.
Q. What do you mean philosophy?
A. Take the old tired argument of calling it Linux vs GNU/Linux. You will note that I referred to GNU/Linux once or twice here already but that's all. There has been a tempest in a teapot over this stupid issue. Some folks in Europe are "first-generation Free". They GET freedom...their parents or even they have experienced governmental oppression so they really appreciate Freedom. We here in the states are too worried about Brittney's mental illness or who gets kicked off Big Brother this week to know just how sweet freedom is. Hence, the philosophy of GNU/Linux actually means something to those people over there. That's why you see such staunch adherence to the GNU addition to the term Linux. They know what freedom means....we just take it for granted.
Q. Weren't you involved in a flame war with Nuxified over this issue?
A. Flame war? Geek please. Danjiel and I might have had some spirited discussion on the matter but that's as close to a flame war as it ever got. Nuxified has been a close, close ally in what we do. In fact, we are working toward a project now that is sure to raise some eyebrows. That's fine, as long as we raise awareness as well.
Look, my counterpart in California spelled it out best. You don't call a chevrolet a chevrolet every time you say it. Here in the states, it is most often abbreviated to "chevy". Same with Ford. You don't always refer to a ford as a Ford/Lincoln/Mercury do you? It's the same with Linux. There is no one being slighted when I insist on referring to it as just Linux. I'm a lazy American...I do things like that. I'm not slamming the Open Source Philosophy or anyone at all by calling it Linux. Besides, it confuses the crap out of new Linux Users. I've had people email me asking: "Do you think I should use GNU/Linux or just plain Linux? Which one is better?" I think I will forward those emails in the future to those who insist on the GNU preface.
Q. Fair enough. So given that HeliOS Solutions exists so Komputers4Kids can survive, tell me your prime motivations behind starting Komputers4Kids.
A. In the 90's Apple went on a public school system give-away binge with their computers. Their idea was to get the little mouse-twitchers used to Macs and they would purchase them as adults. That's a great plan except they forgot the fact that MS would later come in and strike a deal with the schools to replace the aging machines with new ones, running Windows...with the stipulation that they sign an agreement to use only Windows PC's in the future.
Linux has no real price tag and stop right there...the total cost of ownership crap is Microsoft-funded fud, thats already proven, so I don't want to hear about it. If we get kids using Linux machines, MS really has no leverage. MS will have to give away every machine and system from here on in to beat the Linux affect.
There is another motivation for K4K as well and it's probably as strong as my initial motives. When I learned of the number of computers hitting the bottom of dumpsters enroute to our landfills, I sat up and took notice. I am not a tree-hugger...in fact I am about as far from one as you can get but you can't deny a fact to justify a political belief. Computers in our landfills are poisoning our land and water. If I can recycle enough of them, even a few, that's just that many that won't be tainting our land. I think that in itself is important..
Q. Ken, where do you see HeliOS Solutions in a year from now.
A. We have some pretty ambitious plans. We are in the planning stages of putting together a "mobile Tux Lab". We are negotiating with the Library system and a few businesses in order to hold our labs there. They will be either one day or three day labs and we will set up computers at designated places when we have 10 people wanting to attend. Ten is a good number and our good friends at Zareason will be the people we purchase those machines from. They have been staunch supporters of our efforts from the beginning.
Q. Ah, they are your sole means of income for your blog, right?
A. No. I don't sell advertising to anyone at any price. I won't let any ghost of influence taint people's perception of what we do. I made the mistake early on of throwing in with one particular distro and to this day, two years after I stopped doing so, I'm still referred to as a "PCLinuxOS guy". Hey, it's a great distro and I will put it on a few computers for the newest of the new Linux users but I've learned my lesson. The same applies with advertisers. I carry the Zareason banner because I believe in what they do and how they are doing it. Earl and Cathy Malmrose are pioneers in the Open Source Business model and anything I can do to help them along, I will do it. But no...I don't receive a penny for carrying their ad.
Q. Who else has been an influence in what you do?
A. Influence? Yeah, there's been a few. Derrick Devine comes to immediate mind as does Roy Schestowitz, Tom Adelstein and Stephen J. Vaughn-Nichols. I've left many out but only because I haven't been given much time to think about it. These people are the ones that stay in the trenches when the trenches get full of flaming crap. They don't let FlameThrowers or public opinion sway them and they stand their ground. I've learned a lot from them, especially about courage and Integrity.
Q. It's funny to hear you talk about others having courage. I have read about some of your personal and physical struggles. Can we talk about those. I understand you are a decorated combat veteran.
A. So are thousands of other men and women. No.
Q. Some things need to be talked about Ken. I understand...
A. No. We're not going to talk about it.
Q. Well, that sounds pretty firm so I won't push it any more. Is there anything else you might want to mention that I haven't covered? For those that want to help your foundation and your projects, how do they do so?
A. At www.blog.lobby4linux.com. there is a graphic there that takes donations straight into the Komputers4Kids project. Aside from that, there's not much left to say. If anything, I want Linux Users to know that Freedom isn't Free. As trite and worn as that statement has become, it remains true. Richie Chapman, a good friend of Lobby4Linux and K4K stated it well and I have to paraphrase since I'm not around a terminal. He said that he installs Linux on others computers for free not because he's such a nice guy, which he actually is. He does it out of fear that if enough people aren't using Linux when Microsoft makes their "big move", then we will be just that easy to sweep away with the next DMCA-type midnight bill passage. People need to wake up and get involved. If not in my effort, than in someones. It's getting to the point where Microsoft is going to have to do something drastic to get rid of Linux as a competitor. Large numbers of users who are not afraid to stand up to a giant would be a good place to start.
Q. Ken, thanks for your time. I wish you luck.
A. Not Luck...luck has little to do with it. It going to take hard work and some sacrifice to make this work but if I want to keep giving Linux Computers away, it's just something that has to be done. I've got some excellent players on my team.
Q. Thanks Ken.
A. You Bet...anytime.
So. Courage indeed. I walked away from this interview with a whole new perspective on the man known as helios. I hope those who bother to slog through this interview will do the same. You can contact Ken at helios@fixedbylinux.comif you wish to assist him.
Or hell, just look him up in the Austin phone book. He's there.
A special thanks to Ronnie James, Ryan Foster, Amie Meyers and Frank Renkins for transcription and fact checking. A special thanks to Mrs. Debbie Starks. She has suffered much for the cause...We're just glad she got her clock back. ;-)
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