tlug: Re: Transitioning to Linux/Linux in an MS World.

["Stephen J. Turnbull" <turnbull@example.com>]

>>>>> "tjh" == tjhaslam  <tjhaslam@example.com> writes:

    tjh> Marcus Metlzer writes:
    >> Seems like the problem is with the customers who want Word
    >> files. If they would shift to Linux ...

    tjh> But I have to believe that the problem is distinctly NOT with
    tjh> the customers who want Word files.

Sure it is.  Just like it's free-basers in Washington DC who are the
_real_ drug problem in Colombia.

    tjh> ...  This is not--I repeat NOT--a technical debate about what
    tjh> is superior.

Arguable.  Not because "the customer is right" is false; it's not.
But because it's not clear to me that the Linux community should
expend effort supporting people who pander to the necessary evil.  I
for one won't, although I won't tell anyone who wants to to stop.

Sorry, John, but if you are providing technical documentation in Word
format, you are probably providing bad technical documentation.  How
do you and your clients do revision and release control?  Not with
CVS, I bet.  Word, in my personal experience, is one of the biggest
technical obstacles to getting quality (thesis-length) papers out of
students.  Although I must admit it's easier on my eyes than
handwritten Japanese....

I guess it's possible to do style sheets in Word; does anybody really
use them, or do they "just get the job done"?

    tjh> Enough ranting out of frustration and back to the issue at
    tjh> hand.  Simple answer to De Hoog: Don`t transition to Linux
    tjh> . . . yet.  The applications are just aren`t there.  At least
    tjh> don`t transition a number of standard--dare I say
    tjh> basic--enduser tasks.

Agreed.  Have a Linux box on hand, try to convince your customers that 
they want something better.  But not so hard that they go away :-P

    tjh> Right now, the knock-down superiority of Linux is as a
    tjh> server/sys adm machine.  If you have your own lan/intranet,
    tjh> server, et cetera, there you can make some effective and
    tjh> cost-saving moves.

Also for software-development-like tasks.  Like technical docs....  Of 
course, if the customer doesn't want revision control etc, ....

    tjh> Furthermore, if your documents have serious
    tjh> formatting--graphics, charts, and what not, I suggest you
    tjh> simply don`t risk it.  You`re getting paid to do a job:
    tjh> client wants it in Word, client goddamn gets it in Word.

But be ready for next week, 'cause she's gonna want it in XML with
DSSSL frosting.  And Word will once again be there with its
non-standard standard, taking 128MB of VM....  But will it do DocBook
right?  Will your client care?

I don't know.

    tjh> Difficult and even scary as it will be, Linux has a helluva a
    tjh> better future, finally, as an alternative/option to MS than
    tjh> as the poor man`s Unix.

Possibly.  But it could very well turn into the rich man's Unix, too,
if Eric Raymond is right.

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