Try Linux Again`

[h90]

Try to establish Linux in the office again.

choose the weakest computer 256 MB something 600 Mhz Pentium something.

choose for the try ubuntu good idea???

All dox will be word and excel on a winxp server, hope open office can do that.

Printer brother on a winxp server.

the computer should be with linux more comfortable/faster than with winxp so I can get my staff to switch

Any recommendations?

I like the idea of Linux, but performance of the company is most important and price wise it does not make any difference in thailand

[fxm88]

Try to establish Linux in the office again.

I recommend you first come up with a business case for switching to Linux.

[h90]

Try to establish Linux in the office again.

I recommend you first come up with a business case for switching to Linux.

???????

[Gumballl]

MS-Office and Open Office are not fully 100% compatible because MS is always coming up with new ways to thwart that effort.

If you are looking to establish the Linux OS as the primary office tool at your office for preparing documents and spreadsheets, and you have a staff that is qualified with MS-Word and MS-Excel, then there should not be much of a learning curve.

The PC you chose (600 Mhz CPU and 256 MB RAM) is weak and I would recommend getting something with a little more horse power. If you plan to use it merely to store files (i.e. make a repository out of it), then it is ok. But for general day-to-day use as a workstation, I wouldn't bother... no more than I would bother to use something similar for Windoze.

It seems that many folks on this forum tend to like Ubuntu. Personally, I have not used it. I instead rely on Fedora Core, which is very similar to Red Hat. Either one you choose, I believe they are free and that you can download ISO image(s) to make your personal installation DVD(s).

Btw, I have a notebook PC, 1.4 MHz Pentium-M (Intel Centrino), 512 MB RAM, that is running Fedora Core 5 and nothing else (i.e. no MS-Win). I use this notebook at work for developing software and writing documents. I also use it for browsing the web and writing posts to the TV forum as I am doing now.

Edited February 28, 2007 by Gumballl

[fxm88]

Try to establish Linux in the office again.

I recommend you first come up with a business case for switching to Linux.

???????

I think Linux is great, but your description reads like you're planning to fail:

• "Try to establish Linux in the office again." [again?!]
  
• ... choose the weakest computer..."
  
• "...performance of the company is most important and price wise it does not make any difference..."
  

If you just want to mess around with Linux that's fine, but don't be disappointed (and don't blame Linux) when you're encouraged to stop wasting time and get back to work.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Business_case :

A business case is a structured proposal for business change that is justified in terms of costs and benefits. It is a typical prerequisite for the initiation of a large project and is explicitly required by many Project Management Methodologies.

The Business Case addresses, at a high level, the business need that the project seeks to resolve. It includes the reasons for the project, the expected business benefits, the options considered (with reasons for rejecting or carrying forward each option), the expected costs of the project, a gap analysis and the expected risks.

In almost all cases the option of doing nothing should be included with the costs and risks of inactivity along with the differences (costs, risks, outcomes etc) between doing nothing and the proposed project.

It is from this that the justification for the project is derived.

...

[h90]

MS-Office and Open Office are not fully 100% compatible because MS is always coming up with new ways to thwart that effort.

If you are looking to establish the Linux OS as the primary office tool at your office for preparing documents and spreadsheets, and you have a staff that is qualified with MS-Word and MS-Excel, then there should not be much of a learning curve.

The PC you chose (600 Mhz CPU and 256 MB RAM) is weak and I would recommend getting something with a little more horse power. If you plan to use it merely to store files (i.e. make a repository out of it), then it is ok. But for general day-to-day use as a workstation, I wouldn't bother... no more than I would bother to use something similar for Windoze.

It seems that many folks on this forum tend to like Ubuntu. Personally, I have not used it. I instead rely on Fedora Core, which is very similar to Red Hat. Either one you choose, I believe they are free and that you can download ISO image(s) to make your personal installation DVD(s).

Btw, I have a notebook PC, 1.4 MHz Pentium-M (Intel Centrino), 512 MB RAM, that is running Fedora Core 5 and nothing else (i.e. no MS-Win). I use this notebook at work for developing software and writing documents. I also use it for browsing the web and writing posts to the TV forum as I am doing now.

the usual task is a one page Word or Excel document, that works fine with WinXP (I turned off a couple of not necessary services).

I tried ubuntu 6.10 amd64 version on my computer and it didn't detect most of my hardware, neither the cpu, not the graphiccard, nor the sound, so I may give fedora a try. I really don't understand why I could make hugh documents with on a 486 with 66Mhz and 8 MB Ram and now 600 Mhz and 256 MB Ram can't do the same.

Checking Fedoras Homepage now....

[Gumballl]

the usual task is a one page Word or Excel document, that works fine with WinXP (I turned off a couple of not necessary services).

I tried ubuntu 6.10 amd64 version on my computer and it didn't detect most of my hardware, neither the cpu, not the graphiccard, nor the sound, so I may give fedora a try. I really don't understand why I could make hugh documents with on a 486 with 66Mhz and 8 MB Ram and now 600 Mhz and 256 MB Ram can't do the same.

Checking Fedoras Homepage now....

The Fedora homepage (website) won't probably tell you too much. If you are in need of a system that can provide you with the ability to generate small (one page) documents, then perhaps Win-98 will serve. I was under the impression that you needed something for an office environment that was "busy" and required a server.

I also get the impression that you are not PC savvy, either with Windoze or Linux. You may want to consider distancing yourself from Linux at this time until you are very familiar with managing a system. And Windows, although replete with problems, has a better user interface (and user base) than Linux when it comes to managing a system. But still, Windoze is a pain in the gluteus maximus to keep safe from viruses and other malware.

If you still want to pursue Linux, consider downloading and then creating a DVD (or multiple CD-Rs) of Knoppix. Once this bugger is created, you can attempt to boot into your PC and it will determine for you if your PC is indeed compatible with Linux (i.e. detect your sound card, ethernet card/chipset, etc). But even then, it is still an ordeal to get Linux setup to one's expectations.

Bottom line is if you do not have the time and drive to pursue the necessary research into Linux, then don't bother considering it as a business system. I personally do not understand why most people rave about it. It seems that they have a chip on their shoulder concerning Microsoft. I use it for something practical... software development for an embedded Linux system that is reliable (something that Windoze can't offer).

Cheers.

[autonomous_unit]

Just like with Windows, newer Linux distributions tend to be much more resource-demanding than old releases. The problem is that in the end, software is really only tested on systems that contemporary users and developers are using, so nobody notices or cares when something becomes too slow or fat for an old machine.

Both KDE and Gnome desktop environments consume an absurd amount of RAM and CPU power, if you think in absolute scales. But they consume a modest percentage of what is considered "typical" equipment for a PC today, so nobody bothers to tune it up. There are alternative window managers, etc., which use much less RAM. XFCE is a currently reasonable mixture of fast and usable... but this will not make OpenOffice any less of a RAM and CPU hog.

I also use Linux exclusively for my work which was software development at one point, but which is almost exclusively just email and document writing now... my most common "programming" is to write scripts to support my complicated email usage, or build scripts for very complex sogtware design documents written in LaTeX! And my most commonly open programs are my email reader (mutt), xterms, and web browser.

I do once in a while reminisce about the days when I could do all my software development in a graphical environment on Linux with a 386 PC that only had 20MB of RAM and 80MB of disk space. Now, my cell phone has more speed and RAM, and I recall that such a PC cost $1000 and I think it is easier to go out and pay $700 for a 2 GHz Athlon64, 1-2GB of RAM, and more disk than I know what to do with... as usual, I spend more on the monitor because that is the part I actually have to look at every day.

[h90]

the usual task is a one page Word or Excel document, that works fine with WinXP (I turned off a couple of not necessary services).

I tried ubuntu 6.10 amd64 version on my computer and it didn't detect most of my hardware, neither the cpu, not the graphiccard, nor the sound, so I may give fedora a try. I really don't understand why I could make hugh documents with on a 486 with 66Mhz and 8 MB Ram and now 600 Mhz and 256 MB Ram can't do the same.

Checking Fedoras Homepage now....

The Fedora homepage (website) won't probably tell you too much. If you are in need of a system that can provide you with the ability to generate small (one page) documents, then perhaps Win-98 will serve. I was under the impression that you needed something for an office environment that was "busy" and required a server.

I also get the impression that you are not PC savvy, either with Windoze or Linux. You may want to consider distancing yourself from Linux at this time until you are very familiar with managing a system. And Windows, although replete with problems, has a better user interface (and user base) than Linux when it comes to managing a system. But still, Windoze is a pain in the gluteus maximus to keep safe from viruses and other malware.

If you still want to pursue Linux, consider downloading and then creating a DVD (or multiple CD-Rs) of Knoppix. Once this bugger is created, you can attempt to boot into your PC and it will determine for you if your PC is indeed compatible with Linux (i.e. detect your sound card, ethernet card/chipset, etc). But even then, it is still an ordeal to get Linux setup to one's expectations.

Bottom line is if you do not have the time and drive to pursue the necessary research into Linux, then don't bother considering it as a business system. I personally do not understand why most people rave about it. It seems that they have a chip on their shoulder concerning Microsoft. I use it for something practical... software development for an embedded Linux system that is reliable (something that Windoze can't offer).

Cheers.

I don't want to start with the server. The server runs OK at the moment. just the more public computer tend to get pretty dirty over time.

I don't know how, but even with restricted accounts it is possible to install some games on winxp, found in the past tons of p*orn and so on.

First step was taking out the CD/Floppy drives, that helped a lot. Next step was bios password and turning off USB. Next step was my wife kicking out the most crazy staff. So for the moment there is no problem, but I know when we are not in the office, shady person come, ex staff who want to say hello and ask if they can print out something from their USB stick, try to connect their laptop to the network to print something..... I never saw a company where such things are possible in europe, but here it just happens.

Linux gives me more power on what accounts can do and what not and there are not many people arround who can hack Linux, but everyone has some ideas on windows...

[lost_in_space]

You may want a distro that looks like Windows but doesn't act like it down deep.

linux mint, pclinuxos, & freespire come to mind, or maybe their xfce equivalents.

Gumball and others had good points....

maybe it's more of a personnel issue in your situation.

[Cyberstar]

I like the idea of Linux, but performance of the company is most important and price wise it does not make any difference in thailand

Since all the software needed for most office networks comes in shape of free OSS on Linux, I take it that your office is equipped with bootleg WinXP and MS-Office throughout?

[h90]

I like the idea of Linux, but performance of the company is most important and price wise it does not make any difference in thailand

Since all the software needed for most office networks comes in shape of free OSS on Linux, I take it that your office is equipped with bootleg WinXP and MS-Office throughout?

of course bootleg, worked for several companies here and never saw one original somewhere......

[Crushdepth]

Ubuntu is by far the easiest Linux I've found for the new user (ie. me).

I agree you might want to try and find a slightly more modern computer though. I have it installed on an 800MHz laptop with 256MB RAM and while it is tolerable, it is slow (slower than Windows XP which is dual boot on the same machine). More RAM will probably make a big difference. When I first installed Ubuntu I only had 128MB and it was appallingly slow. I think 512 would make life much more pleasant if you can find it.

I think Open Office is a quite viable alternative to M$ - so long as you don't need to collaborate with M$ users in the writing of documents with complex formatting, but there are ways around that too.

[cdnvic]

I'm using Ubuntu on a PIII with 512mb of sdram and it flies

If you take some time to change the appearance of the desktop to make it look more windows-like, the psychological change won't be so profound on your staff. For this Kubuntu may be a bit better.

[jgbc]

Hi all,

If I might throw in a suggestion...

I'm using suse 10.2 at the moment which is running much better than my XP for sure...however I still find the office packages not as good 'yet' as MS office.

Have you looked at Crossover Office which enables you to run MS Office apps on Linux?

I've got to say I'm very impressed with it...it can also be found if you look on Demonoid and is only around 40Mb download.

Best of luck

jgbc

[makloey]

MS-Office and Open Office are not fully 100% compatible because MS is always coming up with new ways to thwart that effort.

If you are looking to establish the Linux OS as the primary office tool at your office for preparing documents and spreadsheets, and you have a staff that is qualified with MS-Word and MS-Excel, then there should not be much of a learning curve.

The PC you chose (600 Mhz CPU and 256 MB RAM) is weak and I would recommend getting something with a little more horse power. If you plan to use it merely to store files (i.e. make a repository out of it), then it is ok. But for general day-to-day use as a workstation, I wouldn't bother... no more than I would bother to use something similar for Windoze.

It seems that many folks on this forum tend to like Ubuntu. Personally, I have not used it. I instead rely on Fedora Core, which is very similar to Red Hat. Either one you choose, I believe they are free and that you can download ISO image(s) to make your personal installation DVD(s).

Btw, I have a notebook PC, 1.4 MHz Pentium-M (Intel Centrino), 512 MB RAM, that is running Fedora Core 5 and nothing else (i.e. no MS-Win). I use this notebook at work for developing software and writing documents. I also use it for browsing the web and writing posts to the TV forum as I am doing now.

the usual task is a one page Word or Excel document, that works fine with WinXP (I turned off a couple of not necessary services).

I tried ubuntu 6.10 amd64 version on my computer and it didn't detect most of my hardware, neither the cpu, not the graphiccard, nor the sound, so I may give fedora a try. I really don't understand why I could make hugh documents with on a 486 with 66Mhz and 8 MB Ram and now 600 Mhz and 256 MB Ram can't do the same.

Checking Fedoras Homepage now....

amd64 version won't work on that computer, try the i386 version. If you can find an extra 256Mb RAM, that machine should do fine. For simple documents openoffice is 100% compatible with msoffice.