hi dinesh, nice to see that people like you are encouraging the hardware venders to install linux and help common man get freedom and I don't mind if some one earns good livelyhood on free software, rather it is very good indeed. now for the problems you pointed out. 1. openoffice has almost no compatibility issue with .doc or .xls files but I wont recommend people to use .doc or .xls files because they are non standard files and really speaking may or may not carry macro based viruses and yes don't forget microsoft robbs information from your doc and excel files specially on windows. so I strongly recommend not to use .doc and .xls for confidential data. use either .rtf or pdf is the best choice and as one knows open office is one step ahead in this matter (generally free software is always one step ahead ), pdf files can be directly created from open office which is by no ways possible in m$ office. and I almost import more than 50 files a day from other people which are .doc and convert it to .odt for my personal use and .pdf for general public. I am yet to come across a doc file that did not work with openoffice and a few months back I did create doc files as well and never had problems with it too. but kindly don't use the doc format which is non standard and only used by microsoft for doing "chori " of your information because only they can decode your information and if you want to they will give you some api but you have to sine a non decleration contract and still not be sure that what you have is safe. secondly, apt-on cd is a wonderful tool so you can even carry mp3 codecs and g-streemer etc. I have a very good collection of codecs and other softwares on a cd which can be used by those who don't have good internet connection . I cam help you get freedom in your computing needs and make your life better if you want that cd. your next point is some thing tricky. let me give you an example. if I give you a mobile handset and say that only huch will work on this and no airtell will you buy such a phone? so if the hardware vender says "this can only run windows and not linux " don't buy it because I feel that this is a falty hardware. you see, hardware has to be software nutral. I will go one step further and say if some one says "this hardware only works good with linux and not windows " it is still a bad thing. I know this will never happen but I wanted to make my point clear. and by the way, if I have to buy hardware any ways and if my money will be shelled out any ways then why not buy an all compatible mobo and processor etc? I don't think I have to spend more money for a mobo that works with linux? if one costs 3500 for a motherboard I wont need to pay 350000 for having linux work on that? so friends if one needs to buy hardware or if you are selling hardware do go through the checklist for linux because I am sure the cost is not at all an issue here. this has been discussed by many people like roni time and time again so I wont start a thread for a new checklist *smile * but do read through the list frequently. and amongst all things letec is the best formatting and documenting tools I suppose no m$ office or open office for that matter can beat it. one can creat amaisingly beautiful pdf files and presentations, reports, books, and publications etc with letec. so that's another solution for the office work. regards, Krishnakant.
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