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List:       suse-linux-uk-schools
Subject:    Re: [suse-linux-uk-schools] NHS Meeting, Blair and Gates
From:       Ian <ian.lynch2 () ntlworld ! com>
Date:       2001-12-06 22:53:02
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> Ruling the world? I think not...
>
> > > - they have such a monopoly through tough business
> >
> > practices and also
> >
> > There are "tough business practices" and there is
> > breaking the law. (Also when a business uses the
> > business practices of a gangster shouldn't it be
> > treated the same way as a business set up bg gangsters?)
>
> I dont think they use the practices of a gangster. Unfair
> competition...yes...mowing down people with guns and torturing your
> enemies...no.

Fraud and other economic crimes can do just as much damage. To keep it on 
thread :-) If money is diverted from the health service people do die. Not 
everyone gets the treatment they need and at the margins it is life or death, 
its just more anonymous.

> > > (believe it or not) through some decent products.
> >
> > Which products do you think are good, why do you think
> > they are good? Also do you still think they are good
> > for the environment of a school.
>
> I think MS Office is a good suite. It is well designed, works fairly
> well and gets kids using computers at an early age with a simple
> interface. 

Ever use a RISC OS machine 10 years ago :-). MS Office is only really special 
in that its widespread and has a lot of features, most of which most people 
don't actually use. Its comprehensive. Most people that think its wonderful 
have only really used similar products on Windows so they don't really know 
what it could have been like.

> IMHO kids need something that is simple to use and works as
> they expect it, 

Try Textease, its cross platform and at least as easy as MS Office.

> and Office is pretty much this way.

But its nothing special, its just as it should be.

> Also...most other
> office suites have pretty much replicated the interface (which is good
> IMHO). 

Its convenient because it is established as a standard way of doing things. 
Its not particularly ergonomically brilliant so again I would say it was 
average reather than particularly good.

> Yes it is expensive and yes it is closed and yes it is
> proprietary, but I am looking at the interface and the featureset here.

So we have an average everyday thing that is expensive and closed. Granted 
the featureset is comprehensive.

> > Lots of flaws does not necessarily imply "not viable".
> > It's more a question of can the "flaws" be addressed,
> > IME changing how open source software works is far
> > easier than with closed source.
>
> Lots of flaws for a Linux developer/advocate = viable
> Lots of flaws for a Linux newbie = not viable

We will not get Linux to be as widespread as Windows until people realise 
that it is not technical capability that really matters, its market 
perception. MS got a very big leg up because, ironically, industry was scared 
of proprietary systems and the IBM PC was open architecture. Unfortunately 
that was hardware but at the time, the OS was a much smaller proportion of 
the cost so it was conveniently ignored. Technically, much better office 
suites could be written but now they would have to be like MS office because 
its simply familiarity and branding. So best thing for Star Office is to be a 
clone until it gets a majority user base, then change and improve it. ie Star 
Office will not be established by being better but by being the same - 
identical even and cheaper.

> Like anything in life, there are varying levels of positive and
> negative. Microsoft does have its good points, and it does its bad
> points. Also, it is not like they are the only comptetitor out there for
> us.

They are the most significant one and given that resources are limited focus 
and priorities are required.


-- 
IanL

Open Source - save money - employ more teachers
Use Star Office the free replacement for Microsoft Office




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