tlug: To Applix E/J from MS Office

[Thomas Joseph Haslam <tjhaslam@example.com>]

At 09:23 AM 09/10/98 +0900, Scott Stone wrote:

>me too - and it [Applix] used to kind of suck... from what I recall.  The E/J
>version that we've got now seems to have those problems fixed - must be a
>newer code release or something.  I'll try to get a demo copy for TLUG and
>bring it to the nomikai, if Cliff agrees.  

Haven't had any difficulties with my English version yet--and think it's
really pretty good all told for $100.  

But the reason for my post is as follows: I have some friends who are
considering a move from Windows NT J/ MS Office J to Linux J/Applix J.  As
far as the end-users go, the commitment is not so much to NT as MS Office.
When you have X amount of files over X years in Word and Excel, and when
you're constantly interacting with a larger MS NT/MS Office corporate
eniviroment, compatabilty and co-existence are major issues.  Applix E has
filters to and fro MS Office: no  major problem there, although file
conversion would be on an individual basis (a potential problem later).  I
assume Applix E/J the same filters, but 

1. Regarding Applix E/J, do you guys @ PHT have or know of any press?  By
that I mean reviews, press releases, et cetera?  Preferably in Japanese
(which btw I myself do not in any meaningful sense read.  But I would put
this immediately in the hands of interested people who actually make the
decisions and spend the money.)

2.  Back in July, <www.linux.org> published an excellent study by John
Kirch, "Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 versus UNIX," which expertly
detailed the advantages that Linux (as well as Unix) has over NT for
general Intra- and Inter- Net purposes.  (I assume this study is still
available on their site, although now archived).  Is there anything similar
for the programs that end-users typically run (wp, spreadsheets, basic
graphics and video editing, e-mail, and web-browsing)?  It seems to me that
Applix replaces not only MS Office but also MS Frontpage and Outlook among
others, and hence a savings of at least $500, but is there a comparison or
study out there that anyone knows about?  Something *seemingly* objective
that I could show to people?

3.  Joe Marchak mentioned that he wrote a PERL script that more speedily
and easily renders Word documents useable by Applix.  Does anyone else have
or know of similar tools?  I could get converts to Linux in Singapore, USA
and JP, if I could assure them that the transition from Win 9?--NT/MS
Office to Linux/Applix (or an equivalent Office suite) is or can be
relatively brainless and seamless.  

I know that much of the TLUG mailing list is against anything being
brainless and seamless, but as a former MAC user I am not (necessarily);
and the people I have in mind are small business owners, corporate
professionals, and academics--all of whom are more than smart and competent
enough at their day jobs, as well as pretty decent folks. They're
considering alternatives to MS for many good reasons, but they still have
to be able to co-exist with what remains largely an MS world.

Advice, comments, & info appreciated; flames to Bill Gates and the DOJ.

Best to all with the usual and the unusual,
TJH
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