Freedman's article- was Re: back for modem advice

Rick Sivernell res005ru
Wed Jun 7 19:15:37 PDT 2006


On Wed, 07 Jun 2006 05:49:37 -0700
"Bob Hemus" <ol.bob at sisqtel.net> wrote:

> The  isn't the best, but...
> I 'What's Next I ByDazvid H. Freedman
> 
> Tec lt geeks have long praised open-source software. Now's the time
> to see what the fuss is about
> 
> MICROSOFT'S RECENT ANNOUNCEMENT that the longanticipated new version of its 
> Windows operating system, Vista, has been delayed into January
> 2007 leaves several questions hanging. Will Vista offer enough benefits to 
> make it worth the cost of upgrading? Will those who hang on to the
> current version of Windows end up locked out of new software and 
> peripherals?
> A recent report by the research firm Gartner asserted that as many as half 
> of all pes will not be able to run many of Vista's most sophisticated
> features. Given that, is upgrading even a smart option? But if the 
> t'0nfusion over Windows is deepening, the opposite is true of Linux.
> Linux, of course, is the alternative to Windows that comes from the world of 
> open-source software-meaning no company owns it, it's available for free, 
> and
> it boasts a worldwide network of programmers constantly trying to perfect 
> it. For the most part, Linux has been used by geeks who enjoy rolling up 
> their sl
> eeves and getting under the hood of their software. Even the mention of 
> Linux is enough to pull most nontechie managers out of their comfort zone.
> But the notion that Linux is a complicated, alien, experts-only operating 
> system is no longer true. Not only is Linux becoming a mainstream product 
> that can be
> considered a reasonable alternative to Windows for just about anyone, it's 
> actually easy for nontechies to install. Linux looks pretty much like 
> Windows
> these days, so you won't face a steep learning curve in putting it to work. 
> And you'll probably never have to worry about a big-bang upgrade to a 
> radically
> new version because Liriux gets updated routinely every six months or so, 
> incrementally, at little or no cost.
> I'm not suggesting that switching an entire company over to Linux and other 
> open-source software is a no-brainer. There are pros and cons that need to 
> be assessed by a
> smart tech person. On the plus side:
> You'll save money on computing costs with Linux, you won't be locked into 
> Microsoft (or Apple), and your computers will be safer from hackers and 
> viruses. On the other hand, you'll have fewer options in application 
> software than with Windows, and you'll need access to some new technical 
> expertise. But let's say you're at least mildly intrigued about this notion 
> ofless expensive software that leaves you free of Microsoft's strategies and 
> whims. Perhaps you've heard of other companies in your industry switching, 
> and you've had some of your own staff mention an interest in Linux. Why not 
> see for yourself what the fuss is about? The Linux world has come up with 
> some utterly painless and riskless ways for any average Joe to give Linux a 
> test drive-on your own PC, in as little as a few minutes, no expertise 
> required. Go for it. It's easy, it won't cost you anything, and if you're at 
> all in touch with your inner nerd you might actually have some fun. What's 
> more, it just might end up being the first small step in a revolution in the 
> way your company approaches technology. There are dozens of versions 
> ofLinux-called "distributions;' or "distros" -out there, but hold that 
> thought. Your more immediate decision is how to get it on your Pc. There are 
> three ways:
> 
> Live CD: If you want a truly riskless means for experiencing Linux, this is 
> the way to go. Just stick one of these CDs in your computer, restart it, and 
> Linux will fire up entirely from the CD, ignoring Windows. Until you turn 
> off your computer again, it will operate as a fully functional Linux 
> machine, albeit a very, very slow one. Pull out the CD, restart, and it will 
> be as if the entire trial were a dream. You can even run some distributions 
> ofLinux, such as Damn Small Linux, from one of those tiny USB drives.
> 
> Parallel installation: Some Linux distributions are easily downloaded and 
> installed on your PC's hard disk alongside Windows, so that each time you 
> turn on your computer you'll have a choice ofLinux or Windows. Your Windows 
> world will remain entirely separate and unaffected. You won't be able to 
> switch back and forth between the two operating systems while the computer 
> is running-it's one or the other between restarts-so this wouldn't be a 
> long-term solution for someone who really wants constant access to both.
> 
> But chances are you'll soon decide you want to either commit to Linux or 
> ditch it. Windows replacement: This is going whole hog. Windows is wiped 
> out, freeing up your whole disk, so you're all Linux, all the time. Going 
> back to Windows requires a full-on reinstalL
> 
> Now, on to the question of which distribution of Linux to try. An 
> exploration ofthe tradeoffs of the multitude ofLinuxes would take a small 
> book. But it's worth noting that while the majority of Linuxes are available 
> for free, a companywide move to Linux might best be undertaken via one of 
> the major vendors that offer business-oriented support, most notably Red Hat 
> and NovelL If you're also in the market for new PCs, consider buying them 
> with Linux preinstalled from HP, or on the cheap from upstart Koobox. If you 
> prefer to do business with a physical store, Micro Center carries Linspire 
> Linux, available with support. Some companies, including SpikeSource, offer 
> businesses third-party support for Linux and other open-source software. But 
> if your main interest is in giving Linux a test run, then you'll want a 
> distribution that provides a full range of installation options with the 
> least fuss. I recommend that you consider Ubuntu Linux. Though not yet 
> widely known outside the programming community, Ubuntu is winning raves for 
> ease of installation and use, as well as for its robust functionality. 
> Ubuntu will send you CDs for free, or you can download the program. You'll 
> have a choice of running it as a live CD or installing it either in parallel 
> with or instead of Windows. I tried Ubuntu both in the live and install 
> versions with a year-old Dell Dimen- sion 2400, a fairly standard desktop 
> PC, and I found it significantly easier to install than Windows XP Home. 
> Most notably, it did a better job than Windows did of automatically 
> recognizing my wireless network, local and network printers, and even an 
> off-brand external DVD burner that never quite worked right with Windows. 
> Equally impressive, it also installed and ran perfectly on an eccentric 
> four- year-old Sony Vaio laptop that's crash-prone under Windows Me and 
> nonfunctional under Windows XP.  Ubuntu fires up right to a Windows-like 
> desktop, complete with OpenOffice.org-a sophisticated clone of Microsoft 
> Office with word process- ing, spreadsheet, slide show, database, and 
> drawing software. Also included are an Outlook-like e-mail and calendar 
> program called Evolution, the Firefox browser, multimedia players, and many 
> other nifty programs. Most of these applications even worked with my 
> existing Windows files. Everything ran perfectly and intuitively. Did I 
> mention that all this is free? And when a new version of Ubuntu or anyone of 
> these programs comes out, you can pick that one up for free, too.  That 
> you're not in Windows-land anymore hits home when you want to install 
> software that is not included with Ubuntu-in my case, a program to play 
> DVDs, left out by Ubuntu to avoid legal hassles with entertainment 
> companies. Doing that and other things in Linux occasionally requires some 
> fancy tech footwork, and I was initially intimidated. But it took only a few 
> minutes on Ubuntu's extensive and well-organized online forums-you'll find 
> much the same for most major distributions ofLinux-to get a simple, 
> step-by-step recipe for the job. Even better, a new program called Automatix 
> automates the process of adding dozens of programs you might find handy. And 
> that's typical of the Linux world: By the time you wish for something, 
> someone else will already be working on providing it. And usually for free, 
> as I may have already pointed out. If you just can't see taking the time to 
> play around with Linux, you can dip your toe into open-source software 
> without leaving the comfort of Windows. There are versions of OpenOffice.org 
> and Firefox that run on Windows, and soon the e-mail and calendar 
> application Evolution should, too. No need to replace anything; try them out 
> in parallel with your current software and see if the open-source world does 
> anything for you. Oddly enough, you can even run Linux itself on Windows:
> 
> A version of Damn Small Linux is available for Windows, and others are in 
> the works. Conversely, there is software for running Windows programs under 
> Linux, including Wine and Code Weavers CrossOver Office. And newer PCs with 
> "dualcore" processors should be able to switch between operating systems 
> without having to reboot.
> 
> Maybe this sort of gentle approach to trying out Linux will convince you to 
> take a closer look at the idea of switching over your entire company. But 
> don't kid yourself. That sort of jump wouldn't be without its trials and 
> tribulations. The biggest potential hurdle: If you're reliant on 
> enterprisewide software such as a customer-relationship management system, 
> you might have trouble getting it to run on Linux PCs and you'd probably 
> have to replace it with a Linuxfriendly product.
> 
> That's a conversation to have with your top tech person, of course. But ifhe 
> or she pales at the mention of Linux and tries to get you to dismiss it out 
> of hand without clear reasons, you may want to consider the possibility that 
> it's not just your operating system that might need replacing.
> 
> David H. Freedman (whatsnext at inc.com), a Boston-based writer and Ine. 
> contributing editor, is the author of several books about business and 
> technology.
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Linux-users mailing list ( Linux-users at linux-sxs.org )
> Unsub/Password/Etc: http://mail.linux-sxs.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/linux-users
> 
> Need to chat further on this subject? Check out #linux-users on irc.linux-sxs.org !

Bob

  Is this food for thought, hmmm, I do think so. ell written but needs to check
grammer and spelling. It looks like something I could have written, bad grammer
and spelling that is.

Many thanks Bob, enjpyed it.

-- 
Rick Sivernell
Dallas, Texas  75287
972 306-2296
ricksivernell at verizon.net
Registered Linux User




More information about the Linux-users mailing list