Trev
This is more of something that I can contribute to. Its a simple cost
trade study. You have a bunch of computers. You want to consider an
alternative OS (ie Mandrake 7.0 and say Redhat 6.2 both very good)
Take a typical work computer, load each OS on it and try it. You have a
problem, resolve it! You have WD or seagate drives and the install
bombs, that means you can consider upgrading the drives to say ibm
deskstar 34GXP (min size 13.5 gb but why waste the money add $20 and get
a 20gb for about $170 each delivered to your door and that was the
price last week) Now you have an OS that works with your hardware (if
that's all that broke). How much did you save getting rid of MS, how
much downtime do you avoid, no more antivirus software, boots faster,
etc etc etc --> put this in the spreadsheet. Then how much do you add to
each machine, buy a max cost copy of new OS from whoever to get their
phone support or better yet since you're a company, buy an unlimited
phone support contract (means you'll have to call them for a price but
the max is probably $30 a month), you get upgraded hardware across the
board at work AND some of the hardware problems that have been crashing
MS OS and you could not see will disappear, plus any other items that
you can think up for the costs of the new OS. Now you have a trade study
with costs and your boss can look at this and make a decision. Simple,
takes a little time to work up all the details so that the business case
is straight forward for the mba in the front office (you have to feed
these guys in a language that they are trained in and they are no
different from you, me or a monkey in the zoo, all the same thing just
different set of rules (or language or ...) ). You get to work the
details, all of them, but the study may point to waiting for six months
or maybe it will compelling enough to go for today. I don't know and
won't know until you finish all the details of the study and committed
it to the spreadsheet for costs and listed the advantages/disadvantages
for your particular situation.
Have fun.
Tom
All of life is your interpretation of life's events by you.
Interpretations are something that you create, always. What
interpretations, that you make up, do you want to let run your life?
Trevor Farrell wrote:
>
> Tom Berkley wrote:
>
> > Trevor
> >
> > Its a bit difficult for me to relate to your problems. I have two
> > machines, one a dual celeron and the other a laptop, both installed and
> > run Mandrake 7.0 (GL edition) without any hassles except for a minor
> > problem with the pcmcia modem initialization that has to do with an
> > interrupt assignment. If you want to use linux then I recommend that you
> > have a disk drive(s) big enough for at least two installs. The reliable
> > one that you work with and another where you install and play until that
> > becomes the better system and then you switch. My other system
> > (/dev/hdb7 on the dual celeron) now runs redhat 6.2 but it started as
> > 6.1 and grew thru 6.2beta and now 6.2 with some additional mods. Its not
> > a reliable system but it gets better each time I play with it. Playing
> > equals learning for me.
>
> I agree, playing = learning for me too, & I wish I had the resources to run 2
> systems at home, just as you suggest. But my resources are limited (tightly!)
> hence my buying "el cheapo" in the first place. And in a work environment,
> the reliable one is your server that MUST be up all the time. So a second
> machine is essential to do what you suggest.
>
> > Mostly what you bitch about is probably
> > something that you are ignorant about and that is fixable. Tossing a
> > linux cd in the trash is just an act of surrendering to that ignorance.
>
> NO! It is an acknowledgement that the product is not up to the standard
> necessary for implementation, and that the employer is not paying us to do
> Linux development.
>
> >
> > Now you can chose to overcome that state of mind or not. The choice is
> > yours, in fact its everyone's choice. Best of luck and hope you choose
> > the path of learning.
> >
> > Best regards
> >
> > Tom Berkley
> >
> > ______________________________________________________________________
>
> Tom,
>
> I have two distinct situations here:
>
> 1) When I am at work, I am not paid to do Linux development, and I simply
> don't have time to! We are (unfortunately) primarily a M$ site (with some
> Novell servers) and that is what I am paid to administer, BUT, I am working
> to try to implement Linux in my workplace as I believe it is a better
> solution. To convince management, I need a product that is up to a standard
> which poorly trained staff (the only kind we have!) can install and
> administer. They only look at $$$ - it must be cheaper, and, of course, work
> better!
>
> 2) At home, yes, there I am the enthusiast, who will play & learn to the
> limits of my ability, time, money, and other responsibilities.
