[QCLUG] Linux VS MS

Thu, 13 Sep 2007 20:59:05 -0500

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Just to clarify i was just using Blue Grass as an example of a small town
that might be good to approach... start off with the small towns and work
our way up sort of thing.

Arron

On 9/13/07, David D. Bergert <dbergert@dbergert.com> wrote:
>
> This thread and the topic relating to City Governments running linux
> reminds
> me of this funny story regarding CentOS and City Manager of Tuttle,
> Oklahoma:
>
> http://www.centos.org/modules/news/article.php?storyid=127  &&
> http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/03/24/tuttle_centos/
>
> Pretty funny stuff.
>
> Also, I think it really comes down to the "main software application" that
> an organization or municipality runs really drives the environment, and
> what
> the vendor of that software provides, when I was last at the city downtown
> I
> remember noting an windows system with a custom VB6 based application that
> was used for online forms and printing and such. I've seen colleges and
> universities run RH, Oracle, apache and java, because that is what
> BlackBoard system requirements where, at some banks I see a few Unisys
> Clearpath, AIX, AS/400-iSeries and a few windows systems. I've seen a savy
> IT admin run a linux box with some linux based monitoring tools, nagios,
> mrtg, etc.  Where I do see linux, is mostly in appliances, such as
> security
> appliances, some soho routers/firewalls printers, with a new custom gui
> wrapper and the organization knows it as a box and product, pays a pretty
> penny for it, and doesn't know (or care) about the underlying O/S.
>
> I don't know if there is a "SugerCRM" product for the city market....
>
> With many application webized, and lacking a fat pripority client, I see a
> linux based desktop and OpenOffice a lot more viable solution, I think
> that
> it will, and think we have seen more international governments take the
> lead
> with linux and open source.
>
> Would be interesting if something could be put together that shows the
> community the benefits of linux and open source and how it can impact
> their
> business, community, etc...
>
>
> Cheers,
>
> DB
>
> ***Sent from MS Vista, because I can't current;y get by Atheros based
> wi-fi
> card, wpa_suppliant, and Madwifi drivers working on etch, gibbon or edgy
> :)
>
>
>
>
> From: qclug-bounces@qclug.org [mailto:qclug-bounces@qclug.org] On Behalf
> Of
> Jim Hall
> Sent: Thursday, September 13, 2007 5:11 PM
> To: qclug@qclug.org
> Subject: Re: [QCLUG] Linux VS MS
>
> On 9/13/07, John Brun <j.brun@mchsi.com> wrote:
> I am not sure if there is a stigma associated with government software,
> as much as there is an empire in the government that needs to be dealt
> with. Software is decided nationally.Somebody is some office makes
> the decision that "Word 2003 is now the only accepted format" and that
> is that.The govt. spends the money and gets the software.Same goes
> with operating systems.
>
> Since the decision is based on the opinion of a handful of people then
> forced down the throats of the rest of the government entity, the
> software choices are usually limed to whatever Dell, or Gateway sells.
> In my experience, the software "people" who make the decision aren't
> really that knowledgeable.They rely on the rest of us (employees at
> the local offices) to do all the tech support and "fix" their problems.
> The fact that Ubuntu, or SuSE, or even Windows 2000 would be better
> choices at certain offices doesn't ever come into play.Just that we
> are told how we're to be set up.(this is exactly why we don't want
> government deciding health care issues, but I'll leave that to the other
> forums)
>
> One other thing. There are big national systems that are running on
> RHEL.I use one every day.I am not sure what the exact reasons for
> setting that system up was, ( i could guess security) but the system is
> virtually flawless.
>
>
> John
>
> Jim Hall wrote:
> > Mike Robinson wrote:
> >> What I've found is it always comes down to price.People are always
> >> surprised (and excited) when I recommend open office - free sells!
> >>
> >> Once the user base is built (and large enough) you can demand
> >> compatibility, which is still the short fall for open office.
> >>
> >> Government acceptance would help to.I work for the DoD and there is
> >> still a stigma associated with open source software that would be nice
> >> to break, as its my tax dollars being spent as well.
> >>
> >> Mike
> >>
> >> On Fri, 2007-09-07 at 17:15 -0700, RK wrote:
> >>
> >>>
> >>> ******How can we make the non-technical users understand the
> >>> ******importance of the decision?
> >>>
> >>> Ron
> >>>
> >>> --- "McKnight, Lee" < LMcKnight@bandag.com> wrote:
> >>>
> >>>> _______________________________________________
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >
> >
> > The two questions above suggest: local tax payer groups?
> >
> > Also, with the number of different municipalities, other
> > jurisdictions, quasi-governmental organizations, and other non
> > governmental organizations that interact with government in and around
> > the QC we (and I do mean "WE" -- the members of QCLUG) can surely find
> > one who will give something like OOo a try, IF some of us are willing
> > to hold their hands while they go through the teething process. That
> > means some on-site and some phone support availability, folks. I know
> > the LUG was never intended to be a general help desk (and still
> > shouldn't), BUT, if you want to change the world, you have to get your
> > hands in the dirt. I'm doing my part where I am. How many of you are
> > willing to do the same, even a little bit??
> >
> > "Many hands make light work."
> > Jim
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> >
>
>
> Two observations.
> 1) I'm not so sure that what the City of Davenport runs is determined in
> D.C. BTW, part of their system was/is UNIX.
> 2) RHEL is, if I'm not mistaken, a "support by customer pay" version of
> Red
> Hat. There are the expected contracts and "pick up the phone and someone
> comes". The reason governments and almost all businesses except "Mom &
> Pops"
> love this system is because (as you said), they are not knowledgeable.
> And,
> far more importantly, they are not culpable if and when it breaks; but
> will
> take the credit if it works. So it's much the safer thing for their
> careers.
>
> At any rate, we are really only able to deal with the greater QC area. I
> hope that's an easier nut to crack.
>
> Jim
>
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-- 
From:
Arron James Lorenz
Reach Global Networks LLC
MobileTek Inc
563-579-7046

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