Subject: Re: Linux in the NY Times today
From: minion (minion@mtaonline.net)
Date: Fri Sep 06 2002 - 09:33:55 AKDT
Tom wrote:
> On Thu, 5 Sep 2002, James Zuelow wrote:
> [snip the *real* message]
>
>>*[Offtopic]
>>In these days of serious budget shortfall for the State of Alaska, it might
>>be an interesting question to ask just how much money is going to Microsoft
>>every year, and how much of that would be saved by moving to a standard
>>workplace package like Mandrake & OpenOffice. The initial transition costs
>>would be high - consultants for retraining the IT staff, and a temporary
>>productivity loss due to users being unfamiliar with the new environment,
>>but long term you would not have to rotate equipment as often and the
>>licensing/tech support fees would be greatly reduced. There would be some
>>really hairy messes to clean up that would not happen overnight. Microsoft
>>Access seems to be very popular in State offices because it is so handy for
>>creating a small, customized database for a particular office's
>>requirements. There isn't a simple drop in replacement for it like Word or
>>Excel has with OpenOffice, AbiWord, Gnumeric, etc. So training people up on
>>one of the various SQL databases and a GUI admin tool would take time and
>>probably generate a lot of friction. I'm sure there are other similar
>>situations. (What does AkPAY run on - a *nix server somewhere?)
>>[/Offtopic]
>
>
> We at DNR already started looking at that. We seem to spend a decent
> amount on Windows and Office, although the entire network is *nix based
> except for a couple special-purpose servers. Some is unavoidable -
> AutoCAD is Windows-only, so the surveyors keep Windows - but people using
> Word and e-mail could easily switch.
>
> AKPAY is mainframe-based, in Juneau. The entire Land Admin System
> (covering *every* land sale, lease, etc.) is mainframe-based, in Juneau.
> Any TN3270 client can connect to those...
>
> This might be a good time to bring this up: Suggestions for a good distro
> to use to replace Windows? Something as close to a Windows install as
> possible - I know the hardware, but something that will install quickly
> and easily off CD, let me easily configure X (probably with KDE, but
> something with a Windows theme would be fine) and just *work*. I use
> Debian, which is *not* the right distro to use in this case (as much as it
> hurts to say that!).
>
> Suggestions? The hardware is 99% generic Dell or Gateway - ATI,
> Matrox or Nvidia video, SB16 PCI or ISA sound, 3com NICs, so very
> supported...
>
>
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>
I'm a hardware maintaince tech on subcontract through another outfit out
of the midwest that does a great deal of DoD repair at ft rich and eafb.
When a new version of the Mighty Works of Billy comes out I used to
almost cringe (what almost!), not only at the retraining involved (look
at XP) and some of the other stuff but just the shear cost of bug
swatting in an NOS environlment. The only folks that finally figured it
out (if you can believe it) is the army. They stopped at win95 and said
ain't gonna buy no mo' where it's not needed. Now I don't know if that
is just the general here or throughout the army, but it sure has saved
them a bunch on all counts. And no I haven't got a clue how they did
it. But all HD's come in preloaded/win95\office97. And I certainly
don't see much, if any, difference between what they put out and what
the usaf puts out.
I also don't think it matters if someone is looking at a propriatiory
peice of SW or open source. It's their nickle or need depending.
david
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This archive was generated by hypermail 2a23 : Fri Sep 06 2002 - 09:34:45 AKDT