While this approach has its merits (promotion of alt-OS's and
Free Software, stable
boxen for
newbies, new life to
older systems) what are you going to do when one of your
converts asks why they can't play that new game all their friends are raving about (and/or their systems don't work the same way as their office PC)? It seems that this "alternative OS's" campaign of yours would work better if you ASKED people to make an informed
choice, and then helped them implement it, even if they choose
Windows. Dual-boot if possible, but still, Windows fills a lot of people's needs.
One other thing. I REALLY hope that crack about the users not knowing their own root password was a joke. Yes, it's harder for them to hose their system, but if you're not the root on your own box, you might as well be running Windows.