Re: tlug: rpms

[Jonathan Byrne <j-byrne@example.com>]

Stephen J. Turnball (turnbull@example.com) wrote:

>     Simon> Chris Sekiya (lists.tlug):
>     >> If they can't deal with learning how things work, they
>     >> shouldn't be using the bloody system.
> 
>     Simon> While I mildly agree, and I have a very long rant prepared
>     Simon> on the subject, you've just walked past the line from
>     Simon> technocracy into elitism.  Walk back.
> 
> s/using/administering/
> 
> OK, now?


This is actually a very good point.  If you set up an office full
of Linux boxes running Gnome and necessary OA software for them
to work, but they do not have an adminisitrative access to
those machines, it doesn't really matter if they know much
or not.  You give them a graphical login and a desktop with
what they need to work.  They can't install any programs, delete
any programs, or even change their password if you chmod passwd.
What you, the administrator, get is fewer headaches than if they
were using Mac or Win9x machines, because they would have to
be working really hard and probably have to know something in order
to do any damage.  Or be really lucky, at least.

With the strong import capabilities of things like Star Office,
there's no reason why, at least in an English office environment,
you can't can all the 'doze systems and put Linux on them instead.
Japanese office environments have a longer way to go because of the
comparitive scarcity of Japanese apps and the lower quality of 
the IME (Atok for Linux was a huge leap forward, but that and
kinput2 still aren't as good as MS-IME, or Atok on Win).

Jonathan Byrne <j-byrne@example.com>               Engineering Division
Exodus Communications K.K./Global Online Japan      http://www.gol.com/
Tel:  +81 3-5334-1700   Fax: +81 3-5334-1702        Direct: +81 3-5334-1756

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