Re: linux migration

On Fri, 2002-07-19 at 16:56, Jeremy Hogan wrote:
> 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:

If they need an outlook lookalike for their email and pim, Evolution is
the way to go. Also, Abiword and Gnumeric are pretty good for doing
documents and spreadsheets. I'm not a power user, but I am a successful
M$ convert. I dropped it on my desktop. I even found a pretty good
genealogy program to boot. 

> > 
> > MS Netmeeting
> > ---------------
> > Linux version: No
> > Alternatives:
> > Comments:

Gnomemeeting. www.gnomemeeting.org I think.



> > 
> > 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
> > 
> > 
> > 
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> 
> 
> 
> 
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-- 
-=/>Thom
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