On Wed, 25 Feb 2004 11:50:30 +1300 Patrick Dunford <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> Steve Bell wrote: > > >Just thinking out loud here, but there's a big opportunity for the open > >source community within churches. > > > >Many churches use Powerpoint and a data projecter to project song lyrics for > >the congregation. And those who don't already, want to. > > > >Small churches often have a desire to grow, but a very small budget. They > >dream big dreams but can't afford to buy them. Morally, they can't use > >pirated software, and $$wise, they can't afford WinXP, and MS Office. > > > >I'm not sticking my hand up, just having an idea, but if someone invited > >local churches to an installfest with the goal of getting a working > >"Powerpoint" machine operating for "free"... > > > > > > > > > > > Personally I do not think this is a true representation of the > situation. A projector will cost around $3000 minimum of a suitable size > / light output. The computer will cost maybe second hand $500. > Powerpoint costs a few hundred dollars. The cost of powerpoint in those > scenarios is but a small part of the overall cost. And the reason we use > powerpoint is because everyone uses it. There's no scope for using some > other incompatible system that won't be able to read powerpoint files. > You don't need XP to run Powerpoint. Windows 98 is perfectly > satisfactory. And you don't need to buy a whole Office package. > while what you say has some validity, you maybe miss the following: 1. even win98 licenses cost money. I saw people trying to sell 95 & 98 licenses in the last Buy Sell Exchange. 2. even powerpoint licenses cost money. 3. linux/oenoffice (and indeed windows/openoffice) will open powerpoint documents. OOo is free. linux is free. the difference may enable the church to buy that projector, or buiya better one, or shout the congregation (over 16) to The Passion of Christ :-) Just because the software is not the most expensive bit, doesn't mean it is insignificant or should be ignored. And what if the chruch wants two or three or five licenses, so the parishioners can tap in new songs in their spare time? -- Nick Rout <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
