Linux At Work

DARREN BROWN plug-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us
Wed, 3 Jul 2002 23:01:53 -0700


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Charlie,

This is the kind of story I love to hear about.

I am still new to Linux, but have a good understanding about computers an=
d how to use them.  What I am having trouble seeing is the differences be=
tween what is good and/or what is bad with the programs our co-workers us=
e on the daily basis.  What they use, is what they have learned to use.  =
It is how they perform their daily task of working at a business and prod=
ucing a profit for that business.

What is really good for the co-workers to use?  Is the time to unlearn th=
e co-workers, out weighed by, what they are using now with all the headac=
hes?  Yes, I know the great advantage of not having to think about licens=
ing issues, so let's not use that point here.  You see, I detail with peo=
ple on a daliy basis who do not what to understand how this works.  Just =
that they can continue to use, what they have been using.

I am not taking sides here, I just do not see the light at this point.  I=
 know the light will appear, when the puzzle is complete.  Maybe if I und=
erstand what are some the typical functions your colleagues doing and how=
 this relates to M$ programs.  Then may be I can complete this puzzle.


Regards,
Darren

----- Original Message -----
From: charlie bullen
Sent: Wednesday, July 03, 2002 11:41 AM
To: plug-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us
Subject: Linux At Work

This morning I came in to find a whole office of aprox 15 co workers not =20
working. We depend on 3 things to work, Email, various browser based prog=
rams =20
running on our intranet and various browser based programs running on the=
 =20
public internet . Of course, my computer (Suse 8.0 KDE 3.0 desktop)  was =20
fully functional and all my colleagues were mystified. They all lined up =
to =20
take turns at my workstation doing their most time criticle functions.

This was a great opportunity because I wanted them to experience how grea=
t the =20
multiple virtual desktop aspect of linux is as we each have at minimum 4 =20
separate functions, each requiring multiple programs and browser windows.=
 =20
That was a real hit.

Just Monday, I was talking with our general manager and she was asking wh=
at =20
the real practical aspects of linux were and I was explaining about the =20
avoidance of Microsoft licensing issues, the added reliability and the =20
virtual desktop idea. She was real receptive.

This morning the owner gave me an old PC to use for linux terminal server=
 =20
experimentation.

The root cause of the problem this morning was actually only indirectly a=
 =20
windows problem. We have a SonicWall that isolates the windows workstatio=
ns =20
behind it and something broke down in the communication between it and th=
e =20
Cisco router. But perhaps if windows workstations were not so vulnerable =
to =20
viruses etc, then wouldn't have had the problem in the first place.

Anyway linux came through again and several users who had never used a li=
nux =20
workstation were impressed as was management.

Later

Charlie
________________________________________________
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<HTML><BODY STYLE=3D"font:10pt verdana; border:none;"><DIV>Charlie,</DIV>=
 <DIV>&nbsp;</DIV> <DIV><SPAN style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Verdana; FONT-SIZE: 1=
0pt">This is the kind of story I love to hear about.</SPAN></DIV> <DIV><S=
PAN style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Verdana; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"></SPAN>&nbsp;</DIV> <=
DIV><SPAN style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Verdana; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">I am still new =
to Linux, but have a good understanding about computers and how to use th=
em.&nbsp; What I am having trouble seeing is the differences between what=
 is good and/or what is bad with the programs our co-workers use on the d=
aily basis.&nbsp; What they use, is what they have learned to use.&nbsp; =
It is how they perform their daily task of working at a business and prod=
ucing a profit for that&nbsp;business.</SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN style=3D"F=
ONT-FAMILY: Verdana; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"></SPAN>&nbsp;</DIV> <DIV><SPAN styl=
e=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Verdana; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">What is really good for the c=
o-workers to use?&nbsp; Is&nbsp;the time to unlearn the co-workers, out w=
eighed by, what they are using now with all the headaches?&nbsp; </SPAN><=
SPAN style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Verdana; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Yes, I know the grea=
t advantage of not having to think about&nbsp;licensing issues, so let's =
not use that point here.&nbsp; You see, I detail with people on a daliy b=
asis who do not what to understand how this works.&nbsp; Just that they c=
an continue&nbsp;to use, what they&nbsp;have been using.</SPAN></DIV> <DI=
V><SPAN style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Verdana; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"></SPAN>&nbsp;</DI=
V> <DIV><SPAN style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Verdana; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">I am not&nb=
sp;taking&nbsp;sides here, I just do not see the light at this point.&nbs=
p; I know the light will appear, when the puzzle is complete.&nbsp; Maybe=
 i</SPAN><SPAN style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Verdana; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareas=
t-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'=
; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-languag=
e: AR-SA">f I understand what are some the typical functions your colleag=
ues doing and&nbsp;how&nbsp;this relates to M$ programs.&nbsp; Then may b=
e I can complete this puzzle.</SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN style=3D"FONT-FAMIL=
Y: Verdana; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; =
mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fa=
reast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"></SPAN>&nbsp;</DIV> <DIV=
>&nbsp;</DIV> <DIV>Regards,</DIV> <DIV>Darren</DIV> <P class=3DMsoNormal>=
<SPAN style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Verdana; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-fa=
mily: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ans=
i-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"=
></SPAN>&nbsp;</P> <BLOCKQUOTE style=3D"BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; M=
ARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px=
"> <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt Arial">----- Original Message -----</DIV> <DI=
V style=3D"BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; COLOR: black; FONT: 10pt Arial"><B>From:<=
/B> charlie bullen</DIV> <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt Arial"><B>Sent:</B> Wed=
nesday, July 03, 2002 11:41 AM</DIV> <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt Arial"><B>T=
o:</B> plug-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us</DIV> <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10=
pt Arial"><B>Subject:</B> Linux At Work</DIV> <DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>This morni=
ng I came in to find a whole office of aprox 15 co workers not <BR>workin=
g. We depend on 3 things to work, Email, various browser based programs <=
BR>running on our intranet and various browser based programs running on =
the <BR>public internet . Of course, my computer (Suse 8.0 KDE 3.0 deskto=
p)&nbsp; was <BR>fully functional and all my colleagues were mystified. T=
hey all lined up to <BR>take turns at my workstation doing their most tim=
e criticle functions.<BR><BR>This was a great opportunity because I wante=
d them to experience how great the <BR>multiple virtual desktop aspect of=
 linux is as we each have at minimum 4 <BR>separate functions, each requi=
ring multiple programs and browser windows. <BR>That was a real hit.<BR><=
BR>Just Monday, I was talking with our general manager and she was asking=
 what <BR>the real practical aspects of linux were and I was explaining a=
bout the <BR>avoidance of Microsoft licensing issues, the added reliabili=
ty and the <BR>virtual desktop idea. She was real receptive.<BR><BR>This =
morning the owner gave me an old PC to use for linux terminal server <BR>=
experimentation.<BR><BR>The root cause of the problem this morning was ac=
tually only indirectly a <BR>windows problem. We have a SonicWall that is=
olates the windows workstations <BR>behind it and something broke down in=
 the communication between it and the <BR>Cisco router. But perhaps if wi=
ndows workstations were not so vulnerable to <BR>viruses etc, then wouldn=
't have had the problem in the first place.<BR><BR>Anyway linux came thro=
ugh again and several users who had never used a linux <BR>workstation we=
re impressed as was management.<BR><BR>Later<BR><BR>Charlie<BR>__________=
______________________________________<BR>See http://PLUG.phoenix.az.us/n=
avigator-mail.shtml if your mail doesn't post to the list quickly and you=
 use Netscape to write mail.<BR><BR>PLUG-discuss mailing list&nbsp; -&nbs=
p; PLUG-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us<BR>http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.=
us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss<BR></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>

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