[ Date Index ] [ Thread Index ] [ <= Previous by date / thread ] [ Next by date / thread => ]
Keith Menadue wrote:
The nice people at lets-profit.org.uk have asked if I would talk /demo at a later date about Open Source and I have agreed to this.They are coming to see me next WednesdayI would like Linux and Open Source software like Open Office 2.0 to have a significant impact at this future talk
Hi Keith,i might be able to help with an event, even do a small talk if required or just be there for questions etc. We run linux servers with windows clients and also OSS apps on the windows clients. I see where we are as a kind of easy to acheieve target for a SME. We have saved a fortune by not having exchange servers with 10+ licences and IIS and all the other stuff needed for day to day business and it all *JUST* works and keeps working.
Don't forget thunderbird and firefox on the desktop, these are open source and are avaiable on windows and linux so like open office once people are use to them switching OS's is not so traumatic as the apps are famillar.
We've completly gone over to thunderbird company wide and it IMHO is very good.
There are 3 broad catogries os OSS adoption as i see it. 1) Chaning windows apps to OSS equilvents 2) Going to a OSS server 3) Going to OSS desktopsI think for many (3) is a bit scary and often there a bag full of proprity apps that always cause issues, (1) is quite a gental introduction to OSS software although I have seen resistance with OpenOffice because people can't be bothered to look for a function that was *here* in word etc. Mostly this can be solved with a company wide policy of "this is what we are doing". (People never like change anyway). (2) Can be very benifical as well but I think we need more support avaiable somehow? I think many SME's tend to have one person who knows a little about PC's and chucks some sort of file sharing server together if this is suddenly a *proper* server then there is no one to turn to if there is a problem.
The other issue i think is important to get across but will probably go over the heads or just bore the masses are licences. It is too easy for companies to just get an office CD and install it on multiple machines, this is a breach of the licence and is also a computer that *could* be running open office etc instead. I think that a point can be made that you can do a) pay a lot of money (for proprity sw)licences, b) break the law c) use OSS solutions so that you are all licence complient and can do the same work.
I also have some other plans for talks on OSS that i mentioned to Neil W a while a go but have not got any further with.
Regards Robin (Sorry got carried away there) -- The Mailing List for the Devon & Cornwall LUG Mail majordomo@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with "unsubscribe list" in the message body to unsubscribe. FAQ: www.dcglug.org.uk/linux_adm/list-faq.html