Re: [tlug] google ditching windows and going for open source software

[Nguyen Vu Hung <vuhung16plus@example.com>]

Hi

On Thu, Jun 3, 2010 at 2:34 PM, scott <scott@example.com> wrote:
>
> Hi TLUG,
>
> Probably most people on the list have already read about Google moving
> all of their operating systems from Windows to Linux or Mac. I gotta
> admit I'm jealous. How cool would it be to work in an IT environment
> that's pro open source instead of totally subservient to Microsoft.

Disclaimer: I am not a MS hater.

>
> I'm curious how they are going to do it logistically- of course mail,
> web and file servers are easy to migrate because the user won't notice
> back end changes,
Yes, they won't, it varies from companies to companies but switching on
the server side is much more easier than the client side.

> but for the every day users there I wonder how they
> are going to roll it out.

Let's me share some things I know my very first one year re-discovery
in Vietnam.

The software piracy rate remains unchanged: 85% for successive 3 years.
This is the figure that BSA has been reported.

However, there is an issue of statistics. If we excluding the number of machines
that have license on NGO, FDI and public sector firms, the software piracy rate
will become extremely high.

IMO, the rate on mid-size and small size companies are nearly 99%.
Some reasons for such high rate are: Well, use get used to use it,
and: Windoze, M$ Office are nearly free ( .5$ for a CD-R and 1.2$ for a DVD-R)

Is there any benefit by switching from Windows + M$ Office to Linux +
OpenOffice?
For most of the companies, there are none: We face the problems of
training (to use the new combo), compatibility and such.

Myself have tried the conversions by 2 steps (in a small sized company):

# We have no problem on the server side: Samba + Google apps does it well.

1. Windows + M$ Office -> Windows + OpenOffice.
Rule 1: Documents used internally must be in ODF
Rule 2: To exchange documents with outside, PDF or Office XP file
formats are used.

2. Step 2:  Windows + OpenOffice -> Linux + OpenOffice.

I have failed miserably by the end of step 1 I didn't have to time to
try step 2.

By the way, some has critiqued me that I had done that for my ego,
and that by doing so, we may have to slip some M$ related projects.

--
Best Regards,
Nguyen Hung Vu [aka: NVH] ( in Vietnamese: Nguyễn Vũ Hưng )
vuhung16plus{remove}@example.com , YIM: vuhung16 , Skype: vuhung16plus
A brief profile: http://www.hn.is.uec.ac.jp/~vuhung/Nguyen.Vu.Hung.html