There are a lot of practical issues in linux adoption in offices mainly due to improper planning. I will try to explain with a concrete example.
A contact of mine runs a CA firm. What they mainly use computers for is 1. Tally for accounting. 2. Uploading forms to the MCA (Ministry of Corporate affairs E-governance portal) since he manages company matters mainly. Now AFAIK Tally doesn't work on linux and they are so dependent on Tally (All their clients use Tally) that they can't change. 2. The digital signature based system at mca site doesn't work on Linux.(There are some experimental projects which support the signature hardware (Aladin e-Token), but there is no official support yet) In fact that doesn't even work on any other browser that MS internet Explorer (That too some lower version , I think IE 6). More over this MCA http://www.mca.gov.in/ site is a host of all viruses and malware . This person is 100% ready to move to FOSS systems just due to this virus menace Infact he was trying to use Wine to use Tally and the IE!! . This whole system is done and supported by TCS. Also the stability of this system is laughable. Every year during the return filing date comes near, the system goes down for maintenance without warning since there are a lot of people accessing it. Now high availability in web applications is a highly solved problem, but still this system is remotely scalable. The incompetence of the people who did this system is unbelievable and the after effects that it makes -My friend is bound to use windows despite the virus menace and instability- is a true example of a technology disaster. -Deepak On Thu, Jul 1, 2010 at 12:07 PM, Shibu Basheer < [email protected]> wrote: > If you are trying to promote Linux desktops in your office, try to get the > buy in from management. Explain some advantages such as: > > 1. Save licensing fee. Create a estimate on money saved per year on the OS > and Office apps. > 2. Security - minimize virus and spyware attacks (create a cost estimate > based on productivity loss due to virus etc). > > Be prepared to accept that linux will not always be the ultimate solution > for all desktop needs. There may be applications that is critical to the > business that is not available in Linux yet. However for most general > office needs can be met with linux > > Thanks, > Shibu > > > On Thu, Jul 1, 2010 at 11:32 AM, John Joseph <[email protected]> wrote: > >> 1> >> It is easy to propagate Open Source , when user need a business /personal >> solution. And when we propose or advice/market , we need to be careful to >> raise the product features and its use. We did say what is needed for them , >> nothing more than that >> >> 2> First try out Open Source in the server side. The ant-opensource guys >> wont notice about it . They will always think "It is only for ....." . >> Nothing to worry about me >> >> 3> Purchase dep + user are comfortable with MS$$ . It is really difficult >> to enter this area >> >> Hope it is clear >> >> >> --- On Thu, 1/7/10, Siju George <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> > From: Siju George <[email protected]> >> > Subject: Re: [ILUG-Cochin.org] It is only for ........ >> > To: "This List discusses GNU/Linux & GNU, GPL Software" < >> [email protected]> >> > Cc: "TVM LinuxUsersGroup" <[email protected]> >> > Date: Thursday, 1 July, 2010, 9:57 AM >> > Hi I just didnt get what you were >> > intending to convey through this mail :-( >> > Could you please explain? >> > >> > thanks >> > >> > --Siju >> > >> > On Thu, Jul 1, 2010 at 9:48 AM, John Joseph <[email protected]> >> > wrote: >> > > Hi All >> > > When SQUID was used for internet sharing in All MS >> > enviornment respone was :- It is only in the server side , >> > and It is not doing much other than internet sharing. >> > > When using Linux OS for ORACLE erp . Explanation >> > Oracle works well with Linux >> > > When SAMBA was used for PDC. Explanation was was:- >> > It is only in the server side >> > > When Nagious /ZABBIX was used. Explanation was >> > was:- It is only for monitoring >> > > When SNORT was used. Explanation was :- It is only >> > for IDS >> > > When OpenVPN was used. Explanation was :- It is only >> > for VPN >> > > When ISPConfig was used. Explanation was :- It is >> > only for Web Site management >> > > when Joomla was used. Explanation was :- It is only >> > for Web Site hosting >> > > When Asterisk was used . Explanation was :- It is >> > only for Phone system >> > > When DOTproject was used. Explanation was :- It is >> > only for Project Management >> > > When UltraMonkey was used. Explanation was :- It is >> > only for Load Balancing >> > > When heartbeat was used. Explanation was :- It is >> > only for High Avaliablity >> > > When Amanda/BackuPC was used. Explanation was :- It >> > is only for Backup >> > > When Nuxeo was introduced[Not used live so far] :- It >> > is only for DM >> > > >> > > All the above projects when doing, we did not explain >> > anything other than what than addressing the requirement, >> > and It showed results >> > > >> > > Finding extremely difficult to push OS at desktop >> > level. MS office had made people addicts. They panic and >> > break thier head if they do not get the daily dose of MS >> > office . Some kind of treatment we are planning , very >> > sensitive area. >> > > thanks >> > > Joseph John >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > _______________________________________________ >> > > Indian Libre User Group Cochin Mailing List >> > > http://www.ilug-cochin.org/mailing-list/ >> > > >> http://mail.ilug-cochin.org/mailman/listinfo/mailinglist_ilug-cochin.org >> > > #[email protected] >> > > >> > >> > _______________________________________________ >> > Indian Libre User Group Cochin Mailing List >> > http://www.ilug-cochin.org/mailing-list/ >> > >> http://mail.ilug-cochin.org/mailman/listinfo/mailinglist_ilug-cochin.org >> > #[email protected] >> > >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Indian Libre User Group Cochin Mailing List >> http://www.ilug-cochin.org/mailing-list/ >> http://mail.ilug-cochin.org/mailman/listinfo/mailinglist_ilug-cochin.org >> #[email protected] >> > > > > -- > -- > Shibu Basheer > CTO, Cabot Solutions > > Phone : + 91 9446481825 (INDIA) , +1 (902) 476 4651 (US/Canada) > > Skype : shibu.basheer > Web : http://www.cabotsolutions.com > > _______________________________________________ > Indian Libre User Group Cochin Mailing List > http://www.ilug-cochin.org/mailing-list/ > http://mail.ilug-cochin.org/mailman/listinfo/mailinglist_ilug-cochin.org > #[email protected] > -- http://blog.deepak.dk/
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