Re: linux migration

On Mon, 2002-07-15 at 02:28, [email protected] wrote:
> Our company is considering to migrate some Desktop PC¡¯s to Linux. To
> rephrase: I have to prove how far the development of Linux is feasible in
> our company!
> 
> I have a checklist about the programs which are used in our company. Most
> of the vendors of these programs don¡¯t support Linux solutions/Clients
> (hopefully it will change as soon as possible). Therefore I am looking for
> alternatives by taking into account the compatibility to our existing
> programs, because we will not migrate all PC¡¯s.
> 
> I hope you can fill in my list. If this is no subject for this mailing
> list, please let me know or maybe you just prefer it to send it to my
> private email address, it would be nice! If you have already experienced
> alternative products playing/working with the common windows based
> products, please write down a mark between 1-6 (¡°1 ¨C very well¡± to ¡°6 -
> very bad¡±) in brackets behind the certain program and if u don¡¯t mind with
> a short explanation of pros and cons, just insert with a comma and use a
> ¡°P:¡± for pros and a ¡°C:¡± for cons!
> For example: Alternative: openoffice(3,P:faster, more stable, C:" not
> compatible to Microsoft excel 2000 sheets), staroffice (2)
> 
> 
> Following the list of the programs my company used:
> MS Office 97/2002
> ------------------
> Linux version: No

Runs in certain versions of Wine (like WineX), CodeWeavers crossover
office.

> Alternatives: openoffice(), star office()
> Comments:
> 
> MS Netmeeting
> ---------------
> Linux version: No
> Alternatives:
> Comments:
> 
> Power Archiver (Free compression tool)
> -------------------------------------
> Linux version: No
> Alternatives:
> Comments:

tar, zip...

> 
> Irfan View
> ----------
> Linux version: No
> Alternatives:
> Comments:

Too many alternatives to list, if my understanding of IrfanView is
correct.

For viewing, ElectricEyes, GhostView, GQview, KuickShow, Kview and
ImageMagick

For simple edits (the only other thing Irfan seems to do.):
Gimp

> 
> Adobe Photoshop, Corel Draw
> ----------------------------
> Linux version: No/yes (PhotoPaint)
> Alternatives: Gimp(), PhotoPaint()
> Comments:

Gimp is good, I want to say Adobe works pretty well in a version or two
of commercial Wine.

> 
> Lotus Notes Domino 5
> ---------------------
> Linux version: No
Actually works fine, we even squished R5 onto a Cobalt RAQ two years ago
for giggles.

Current info at:
http://www.lotus.com/home.nsf/welcome/dominolinux

> Alternatives:
> Comments:
> 
> SAP
> ----
> Linux version: mySAP
> Alternatives:
> Comments:
> 
> Adobe Acrobat Reader
> Linux version: yes
> Alternatives:
> Comments:
> 
> And last but not least one question:
> If we come to the conclusion to migrate to Linux which Operating system
> would you choose for a Desktop solution and WHY !?!?

That depends on your users and your needs. If you have users, who only
need the usual productivity tools and don't freak out over the very
thought of change you'll be fine on Linux. If you have Windows only
apps, try these alternatives listed above and by others, try wine, try
Lindows, try codeweavers, etc.

Remember, you can overcome their resistance to change by testing your
solution in a small segment, learning from it, and rolling out broader
with technical (and moral) support.

Why? 

-Licensing.

If you stay M$, and go the .NET and "new" licensing route, you are going
to lock yourself in long term. You will continue to pay for software
you've already "bought", you will have mandatory points of upgrade or
lose functionality or even any sort of use.

Perhaps, one day XP will no longer boot b/c ZP (or what have you is
out), and you will be forced to pay whatever they wish just in order to
stay productive. Today at least, you are able to use 95/98 and they
can't *force* you to go to xp/2000. Yet. This is the company that
threatened to ship old versions of AOL to force users to use MediaPlayer
instead of RealPlayer. This is the company that told AOL and RealMedia
"it may not work properly" on their products going forward.

Think about this: no more threats to suddenly stop supporting a language
or application you depend on, in order to force you to use their
version. No more spontaneous audits, no more scrambling for official
copies, no more coming back for more money b/c they need it to continue
growth for the sake of growth. No more vaporware, no more bogus
benchmarks, no more strong arm leveraging of the market to perpetuate
itself (ie Innovation comes back into play) 

Free upgrades forever. No, really. 

-Freedom.

To tweak, re-write, adapts, modify, deploy and maintain in whatever
manner you *choose*. Freedom to buy support if need be, rather than have
it rolled into the price of the product, and having no reduced price
version for those who don't need their support.

-Performance.

Linux will smoke Windows in any capacity of throughput, memory
management, disk I/O, etc. It uses the hardware to it's fullest
capacity, it doesn't take a static amount of valuable RAM "just in case
the OS needs it" leaving precious little for your apps. I can have four
desktops FULL of stuff that individually would grind an average Windows
box to a halt.

-Stability.

Nuff sed.

-Security.

Ditto.

If you have less rampaging virii, that pays for itself. If you can
increase your uptime (and hence productivity) you improve your margins.
If your users can't erroneously infect themselves and your network.

Now, my last question. 

Why Not? 

:-)

> 
> That¡¯s it! Thanks a lot!

No problem, keep it up!

--jeremy

> 
> If you find any mistakes in my listing your are welcome to correct ! ;-)
> 
> Cheers Jonas
> 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Redhat-list mailing list
> [email protected]
> https://listman.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/redhat-list