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Move Your Business from Windows to Linux

pcworld.com — If the cost of Windows is getting your small business down, consider shifting to Linux.

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  • crunchmuffin, on 07/07/2008, -12/+42No love for GIMP? Last time I checked that was the one of the biggest alternatives to photoshop... and its included in almost every distro...

    Anyway, it would be nice to see a move away from proprietary software. The world would just be a better place that way.
    • schestowitz, on 07/07/2008, -17/+2Does GIMP stand for GIMP is IMproved Photoshop?
    • Dumbledorito, on 07/07/2008, -3/+28It's an alternative to Photoshop in the same way that carob is an alternative to chocolate. You might be able to make it do what you want, but few who work with graphics for a living are going to want to use it exclusively.
      • mossblaser, on 07/07/2008, -1/+11True but by the same measure, few who use photoshop actually need photoshop.
      • omikun, on 07/07/2008, -1/+2I use photoshop and I don't need it. But it's definitely not a reason to switch to Linux.
      • rpgmaker, on 07/08/2008, -0/+3@mossblaser: The same is true for MS Office.
      • reformation, on 07/08/2008, -1/+2People who really need photoshop will pay the premium - it is easily worth the money. However for most people who just need to edit an image every now and then, Gimp is fine.
      • mossblaser, on 07/09/2008, -0/+1@rpgmaker:
        I completley agree. Then again, openoffice does contain some rather unique and very useful features.
        Propper equation editing (really, even the Office 07 doesn't cut it)
        In calc (spreadsheet) if you title a column or row with a letter (as you often might when doing physics type work) you can refer to the value on the same row/column using it so =a*b would work - seriously useful - much easier to read than =A12*Z12
        In writer, styling is done properly
        And a lot of other little things thrown in. Though, granted Impress and Base are seriously lacking in features...
    • thecosmicpope, on 07/07/2008, -2/+17GIMP is fine for a free image manipulation application, but to suggest it is an alternative to photoshop is madness.
      • jgasm, on 07/07/2008, -4/+15madness?!?

        this... is... LINUX!
      • Kosher1947, on 07/08/2008, -1/+2I have yet to personally know a GIMP user who didn't eventually move to either Photoshop or Photoshop Elements. At some point GIMP doesn't cut it, for me coming from Photoshop that was the moment I tried to use it. I can see its strengths, but Photoshop is light years ahead in capability.
    • mdude85, on 07/07/2008, -2/+8Photoshop is a filet mignon, GIMP is ground chuck. They're both meat, but one tastes a lot better.
      • theaceoffire, on 07/07/2008, -2/+3Or: Photoshop is 100 pounds of filet mignon, GIMP is 2 pounds of ground chuck.

        Photoshop is better, but your gonna end up not using most of its features if your an average person (Not fat like me).
    • 4321234, on 07/07/2008, -3/+7GIMP works fine for me. I haven't bothered to pirate a copy of Photoshop since ver. 6.
    • pweltz, on 07/08/2008, -1/+1Has any of these guys downplaying GIMP ever really tried to use several of its features?
      Just consider what has been done using that software (and other FOSS like blender)
      Watch http://www.bigbuckbunny.org/ with your kids and consider again.
      • Kosher1947, on 07/08/2008, -0/+0Yes, and it doesn't cut it when compared to Photoshop. GIMP is fine, but it is amateur hour, and Photoshop is for professionals. Blender...I like Blender, but I use 3ds Max for professional CG that can't look like CG.

        It is cool that things are being done with Blender, but it doesn't impress me, because I have seen better things done with Maya/3ds.

        Look Blender is something I use to produce animations fast and cheap, especially when I can get away with things looking CG. Blender also has a good water simulation, and so it is part of my work flow.

        GIMP isn't part of my workflow because it doesn't have power, speed or features that compete with Photoshop or Photoshop Elements.

        So I considered again, and still GIMP is not a replacement for anyone with a legitimate copy of Photoshop or Photoshop Elements. :)
  • crampy20, on 07/07/2008, -26/+6Pft - Like thats ever going to happen. What linux people fail to realize in these cases is that businesses dont just look at cost. "Free" is not a feature. And the fact that it is free, doesn't make it an alternative. It is other things that business care about, too many to name. And in the arena of technology, outside of the realm of the ridiculously expensive - price is not an issue. When linux has something worthwhile to offer maybe then people will actually adopt it. Remember it was only recently that linux surpassed that market share of Windows 98 - if apple's share is pathetic, how pathetic is that?
    • czeman, on 07/07/2008, -2/+14You obviously have no idea what the various Linux distributions have to offer. You're either mis-informed or don't realize that Linux has come a long way from being geared towards techies fluent with the nitty-gritty of the Linux kernel. It's a relatively simple task to deploy servers capable of doing more than Windows servers. It's a breeze to install any app available in a distributions software repository!

      I don't run Windows for anything mission-critical. I can sleep at night knowing that all of my Linux-based equipment and control systems are functioning just fine.
    • flavioribeiro, on 07/07/2008, -0/+12You're ignoring the server market.

      Linux has widespread use when reliability is necessary. For example, Linux is the leader on Wall Street, where you absolutely can't tolerate lag or downtime.

      I develop instrumentation for the power industry. My company can't tolerate downtime on any of our services, so we also run Linux all around.
    • hugolp, on 07/07/2008, -2/+9flavioribeiro and dont forget the embeded market where linux has taken by storm. In fact, the only market where windows is still holding is the desktop. All other markets has been taken. Its a matter of time. Linux is better, easier to use and cheaper than Windows. There is no competition. Windows is only holding in the desktop because of tradition, but, like in the other markets, it will fall.
      • caseycoold, on 07/07/2008, -8/+1Linux has taken over in areas where people who are paid to work with technology (servers, ebedded, etc) are. But the desktops are different.
        For many years people made fun of Windows for being too easy to use. But people at work places were able to pick up on it quick. It will take something pretty special for Linux to rule.
        When someone makes a nice, simple (not super-geek simple, like your granmother uses it simple) and non-command line AT ALL version, I think we'll see more progress.
        It is progress though.
      • czeman, on 07/08/2008, -1/+6@caseycoold
        MY grandmother and cousin both use Ubuntu with no difficulty. Others have mentioned in other Linux articles that they have set friends and family members up with various distros, and the results were fantastic! The only reason Linux isn't catching on faster is because people, such as yourself and crampy 20, are mis-informed.
  • GinsuGuy585, on 07/07/2008, -50/+37Linux user:
    We use something that is given out for free, hurray us!
    Lets spend out life trying to put the features we want in our custom built kernel!
    Oh and complain how uncool people that don't want to waste their lives on this are.

    PC user:
    *Sits quietly watching HD movies streamed from pc to his 360, that he spent 30 seconds setting up*
    *Sits quietly writing notes in class with OneNote*
    *Sits quietly playing Fear*

    Sorry if I like things to work out of the box, even if I have to *GHASP* spend money on them.

    Linux is the hot-rod your dad keeps tinkering on in his garage, windows is the car that gets him to work.
    (Ultimate is the corvette you hate for making your pos saturn look so bad)


    So in conclusion, SUCK IT LINUX,
    -Windows fanboy
    • snurfle, on 07/07/2008, -1/+9No, my Saturn looks bad all on its own.
    • rotten777, on 07/07/2008, -5/+12Windows helps with your trolling too, eh?
    • Awspire, on 07/07/2008, -15/+11@GinsuGuy585, so true.

      I always set up a partition for a linux distro install, just in case something exclusively becomes available worth using on that platform. But, my linux partition sees about as much activity as a hard-core digger on a Saturday night.

      Linux is a pathetic OS, with the whiniest community of communists I've ever seen. Save $100.00 bucks on a OS so you can cripple your hardware, drastically reduce your choice of compatible peripherals, have no popular apps to choose from, and limit yourself to the worst collection of amateur apps. Its insane. But hey, its free.
      • MagisterSart, on 07/08/2008, -1/+1Still living in 1995, yeah?

        Its 2008 now, man... And out of the box Linux supports much more hardware than Windows does. No popular apps? You just don't know them. If you have never seen an elephant, it doesn't mean that they don't exist.
    • lonnieh, on 07/07/2008, -1/+12I don't think watching movies on a TV hooked up to an Xbox is something that business are actually into. We are talking about the same ***** article, right? No? Did you just ***** your pants when the headline crept into your view?
    • evanct, on 07/07/2008, -4/+2"Linux is the hot-rod your dad keeps tinkering on in his garage, windows is the car that gets him to work."

      if it didn't explode halfway there.

      linux is more like electric cars. clean, efficient, and inexpensive to use, but not yet mainstream. except that electric cars themselves are expensive, while linux is free.
    • Katana314, on 07/07/2008, -1/+4Can't say I agree with this guy's elitist tone of voice, but he does sort of bring up valid points about windows. When you work at a place with a decent enough IT office and no one does anything fantastically stupid with their computers, Windows doesn't really ever crash, and generally does everything you want.
    • elementop, on 07/07/2008, -1/+4You're smoking crack.

      My wife uses Windows at home and at both of her businesses. She constantly calls me to fix things that aren't working right. Her home machine is so infested with crapware that it's almost unusable. Firefox won't download web pages on it any more, even though I've tried everything I can think of to repair the broken install (reinstall, run network diagnostics, etc.). She complains 24/7 that "it is the slowest computer in the world" (it's a 1.5GHz P4). Despite running A/V and anti-spyware software on the computer, she still manages to get it infected from time to time.

      My home and work PCs are Linux, Slackware and Gentoo, respectively. My desktop at home is an old 700MHz Celeron. It runs circles around her 1.5GHz P4, plays movies just fine, thank you, does multi-track audio recording, etc. My work PC is a 2.1GHz dual core, and is the fastest machine I have ever used. Oh, and my Linux PCs...yeah, no anti-virus/anti-spyware software sucking up my CPU, and never in almost ten years of using Linux have I had a virus. Ever.

      Work out of the box? Not hardly. My wife bought a new laptop last night. *I* had to spend an hour and a half removing all of the crap that HP added to it (AIM, Yahoo toolbar, nagware to entice you to sign up for someone else's Internet service, Symantec A/V -- what a joke -- etc.).

      You can have your Windows. I'll stick with my Linux machine, and for the record, I couldn't care less if you use a custom kernel or the one that came with your distro. Does it work for you? Cool.
      • GinsuGuy585, on 07/08/2008, -3/+1If HP offered Linux pre-installs, it would include crap-ware too.

        Your wife is ignorant and should be disallowed from using devices above her level of intelligence (cloths-iron, kitchen table.)

        I have been running Vista ultimate for over a year, without any AV or anti-spyware, installed 3 different brands last night, and found nothing but a few tracking cookies. So the a/v slowdown is a crap argument.

        Maybe if she stopped looking for that little blue pill you need, she wouldn't have problems!

        Also, enjoy your 700mhz living under a rock home computer, I'll be here re-encoding some blu-ray movies faster than their run time.


        Oh and all people who use linux are poor and can't afford good computers.
        (that one was just fun, call it payback for calling me a corp/ms sheep all the time) :P
  • Infowarmachine, on 07/07/2008, -4/+23i think the biggest thing scaring most windows users away from linux is people insisting they use gimp instead of photoshop ;)

    gimp sucks
    photoshop rules

    fortunately photoshop runs perfectly fine on linux using wine
    • freezerburn666, on 07/07/2008, -1/+5its true
    • brstilson, on 07/07/2008, -1/+24Most of the people who pirate Photoshop (and face it, that's what they're doing) don't need it. Photoshop is designed for professional print houses where color accuracy is an absolute imperative. Matching what's on paper to what's on a screen is tricky business. Light acts completely different than ink does. If you mix all the colors of the light spectrum, you get white. If you mix the three primary ink colors, you get black. Matching a color on a monitor with a color on a piece of paper exactly requires heavy duty software like Photoshop to accomplish that, that's why most home photoshop users aren't using and will never use hundreds of its features.

      Nobody needs an $800 software title to make lolcats. Gimp works just fine.
      • MScrip, on 07/07/2008, -4/+5But I've been using pirated copies of Photoshop for the last 10 years. Why should I switch to Gimp now? Is Gimp better?
      • theaceoffire, on 07/07/2008, -0/+11Because Gimp is legal, and you don't have to steal it.

        This is important when they come to audit your software.
      • brstilson, on 07/08/2008, -0/+2I'm just saying Photoshop is extreme overkill for what most people do, and there's a legal free alternative to pirating software, if you're concerned about that sort of thing. Hell you don't even have to use Gimp. I found Paint.NET perfect for most of my uses, plus it has an awesome interface to boot.
  • BlackJackJester, on 07/07/2008, -3/+7I read the words but all I see is the girl without pants on the right.....
  • jgasm, on 07/07/2008, -6/+31Move Your Business from (name of OS) to (name of OS) and spend more money on IT. Again.
    Get all new "qualified" staff. Again.

  • cheez124, on 07/07/2008, -16/+6no one cares about linux, what can run on linux? nothing, digg me down i dont care, just speaking the truth.
    • Olfster, on 07/07/2008, -0/+7You want the truth? You couldn't handle the truth!
      Total truth: We have saved tens of thousands of dollars by using Linux/Ubuntu and Open office in our business. That is the truth. Maybe no one in your world cares about that, but I sure do.
    • Zounas, on 07/07/2008, -0/+3Most of the internet, routers, servers and critical systems.
  • pathouston22, on 07/07/2008, -5/+5Cost of Windows?

    FCKGW
    • banmaster, on 07/07/2008, -7/+8The true cost of windows is that it forces you to be able to run pretty much every damn software title of any importance out there.
      Now try doing that under linux without any emulator/crack/hack software and you're up ***** creek.
      • PabloMac, on 07/07/2008, -1/+2Yeah, because with Windows, you're on an entirely different body of water.
      • Katana314, on 07/07/2008, -1/+5- Now try doing that under linux

        OK.

        - without any emulator/crack/hack software

        Wait, what? Where'd we get the arbitrary rules?
      • theaceoffire, on 07/07/2008, -0/+4*sigh*

        Dude, listen carefully.

        The true cost of Windows is a lack of options.

        When you have 30 Windows 2000 computers, which can't handle more than 256 MB of ram *total*, you can't run Vista.

        So you either have to buy 30 comps + Ram to handle the new system, or move to a Linux OS.

        Linux lets you keep using ancient hardware while offering stability, security, and business programs.
    • rootryan, on 07/07/2008, -0/+3RHQQ2?
    • niteskunk, on 07/07/2008, -1/+1I have a feeling your comment was probably in jest, but just in case, piracy in the corporate world isn't a good idea. I work in IT and just today I came from a client who was having trouble on multiple computers due to lack of SP2 (due to bogus XP keys from their prior IT company). Besides WGA screaming to the user that the copy's bogus (and making your IT company look ***** in the process), having your clients unpatched and therefore vulnerable to published exploits can cause damage you can't put a price on. I've seen worms do some scary ***** when it comes to information theft.

      Don't even feed me the "Hey, if they used Linux in the first place they wouldn't have such epic exploits to worry about" *****. The fact is most businesses use Windows. There's no excuse for leaving your clients vulnerable.
    • zwaldowski, on 07/07/2008, -0/+1DP7CM?
    • Canadian0207, on 07/07/2008, -0/+8R2D2-C3PO!
    • 1timeuser, on 07/08/2008, -0/+1OMGLETTERS!
  • Narcism, on 07/07/2008, -14/+6What? No industry-standard alternatives to Flash, Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign, AfterEffects and Premiere?
    Okay, that's what I thought.
    • Olfster, on 07/07/2008, -3/+7Things that make software pretty make me laugh in a down economy.
    • wiggles, on 07/07/2008, -1/+10Dude, not every business in this world is a graphic design / web development house.
      • ldog, on 07/07/2008, -1/+5Many mid sized business that do have a marketing department with at least a handful of graphic guys are ok with that group of guys using Macs.

        Switching the other 95% of the desktops from windows to Linux has no effect on the marketing dept.

    • Zounas, on 07/07/2008, -1/+5"In Hollywood, Linux is considered the state-of-the-art, and 95% of the desktops and servers used at those big budget movie production studios, like Sony and Disney/Pixar, to create special visual effects and animation, are Linux based operating systems."

      http://news.softpedia.com/news/Hollywood-Loves-Lin ...

      I guess they use more efficient software.
      • Kosher1947, on 07/08/2008, -2/+0WOW! Pixar uses Linux? *****, well I guess the people at Pixar are ***** liars when they talk about using MacIntosh as their primary computer. I didn't know that Steve Jobs (CEO of Pixar and Apple Inc) was such a big user of Linux?

        Cram it kid. Linux is used for crunching numbers. It is like when I switch a couple of my computers to their Linux partition to aid in the rendering of 3ds Max. It doesn't mean they are what I create anything on, it just means I am using them for a simple purpose. You know the kind of purpose that you would use an OS on a thousand computers to run a water simulation for Pirates of the Carribean 3. I have yet to read, hear or come across any studio calling Linux state of the art. It is used as a sever, and that is what it is good for.

        The website...full of *****. It is okay, a web link doesn't equal a legitimate source.
    • elementop, on 07/07/2008, -2/+2On the other hand, if you actually want your employees to get work done instead of browsing YouTube, Linux does a great job.
      • Kosher1947, on 07/08/2008, -0/+0Also preventing them from listening to mp3 or watching a DVD.
      • MagisterSart, on 07/08/2008, -0/+0Hey, man, who told you that you cannot listen to mp3 or watch a DVD movie in Linux? I'm listening to MP3 right now in my office, and I have Linux installed.
  • Barackalypse, on 07/07/2008, -7/+13Nothing increases worker productivity like completely changing systems on them! However, if you're looking to get rid of your IT help desk without costly severance packages or fear of gettign sued if you terminate them, this is a great way to do it. They'll either kill your dumber users outright and then go to prison, or they'll off themselves or quit from the stress!
  • InorganicMatter, on 07/07/2008, -21/+28Funny, I'm moving my company away from Red Hat to Windows Server 2008. Nothing on Linux can compete with the rapid deployment, user simplicity, easy management, and rock-solid (when properly hardened) security of Active Directory + Exchange + Outlook + SourceSafe + IIS + Microsoft SQL + Windows Routing and Remote Access. There's just so many cool and convenient things you can do easily in this that would take weeks of tweaking and troubleshooting in Red Hat. Throw in some AVG mail server edition antivirus and Cisco firewalling, and you've got one rocking system.

    As a bonus, Hyper-V is an excellent virtualization product that comes free with Server 2008. It does everything Xen offers, and has tight Windows support as well.

    Like the poster above me said: Linux is the Corvette you continually tweak for maximum performance, Windows is the Ford you drive to work and school every day.
    • Olfster, on 07/07/2008, -8/+27Your post reminds me of those MS Cert exams I had to take many years ago, all product names and no substance.
      • beejay54, on 07/07/2008, -5/+12Amen! Has anyone tried to read books or online docs on MS tech? They 'brand' ****ing everything and you have to decipher 3 paragraphs of marketing speak just to figure out what they're talking about.
      • magamiako, on 07/07/2008, -4/+3If you didn't understand the post, then you clearly don't understand IT....
      • Olfster, on 07/08/2008, -0/+4Magamiako, what is there to understand about IT it's all about I/O right? MS is a monopoly and most of their products are built upon that monopoly. What more does one need to understand? Now I have to ask, do you understand business? Do you understand marketing? Do you understand how to determine if you are being white washed? Have you ever taken a MS cert exam? No need to reply I know the answers.
    • PabloMac, on 07/07/2008, -14/+2And Mac OS X is the Jeep that does it all.
      • rootryan, on 07/07/2008, -2/+4Mac OS X is a segway.
      • caseycoold, on 07/07/2008, -2/+2Mac OSs are the trucks on blocks that people brag about having a pretty paint-job...
      • 1timeuser, on 07/08/2008, -1/+1It's not a big truck. It's a series of tubes.
    • jaxett, on 07/07/2008, -8/+5Thank you for rational thought. M$ understands how to integrate systems which makes life easier and bottom lines better. Linux is autonomous, free in price but high in cost. When you can streamline, save time thus save money. Fanboys go choke yourself.
    • jaxett, on 07/07/2008, -6/+2Thank you for rational thought. M$ understands how to integrate systems which makes life easier and bottom lines better. Linux is autonomous, free in price but high in cost. When you can streamline, save time thus save money. Fanboys go choke yourself.
    • mooninite, on 07/07/2008, -7/+11This is a joke right?

      I smell SPAM and/or flame bait. There's no substance to this post.
    • daftman, on 07/07/2008, -1/+9SourceSafe? What the *****? Even Microsoft Development shops are using subversion.

      If you are going to go with proprietary solution, at least go with Websphere, Oracle, etc. Those things are industrial grade software solution, not lame ass products that can't scale.
      The thing about Microsoft solution is that they made it so easy a highschool kid can set it up. So when the real problem hit, you have uneducated system-admin who flood Microsoft support asking from screenshots of how to do things.
    • elementop, on 07/07/2008, -1/+7ROFL! That was hilarious!!!

      Oh, wait...you were serious.
  • aftern9ne, on 07/07/2008, -13/+2If a business has enough computers and IT support where this move might make sense, they've probably already considered it. Just another Linux advocate shouting from the mountaintops.
    • Olfster, on 07/07/2008, -2/+6Considered it? We actually have realized cost reductions from it.
      • elementop, on 07/07/2008, -0/+2As has the company I work for. I'd far rather troubleshoot a remote user's computer (my remote users are 500+ miles away) via SSH than RDP any day.
    • MagisterSart, on 07/08/2008, -0/+1At my previous place we switched the entire company to Linux within a day. It really made sense, especially considering the fact that we used diskless workstations. It allowed us to save a lot of money on the hardware and to install actually 1 copy of Linux (with paid commercial support). And we had no crashes for 3 years (opposing to Windows crashes, which occured several times a day on workstations and sometimes even server crashed)
  • pstroll, on 07/07/2008, -8/+8The open source applications listed are also available for Windows.

    Article is poorly written and thus buried.


  • skipdog172, on 07/07/2008, -1/+15If a business PC only needs basic non-exchange e-mail, a web browser and an office suite, than sure Linux would work fine.

    The problem is that most businesses use highly specialized applications. In fact, I would say 95% of businesses use these specialized applications. These applications don't work in Linux and there is no Linux alternative. It is moronic to attempt to virtualize these applications within Linux when employees already know how to use Windows and you would need to purchase a new PC to "save" the cost of purchasing Windows. Then you have to consider the time to setup these PCs and train employees in very basic tasks.

    As more apps become browser-based, the more practical Linux will be in businesses.

    Until then, we ALL know that if we just need a web browser and maybe an office suite, Windows isn't necessary, and we have known that for a long time now. There will be no Linux surge in businesses as long as software companies are primarily developing for Windows.
    • Olfster, on 07/07/2008, -3/+7Now your post has substance and I agree totally with it. However, for us, we had some legacy apps, that are proprietary to our business, that easily run with WINE. We maintain the code for these apps so there is no need to upgrade due to a vendor. If the business is at the mercy of a software vendor, that is on the MS "bandwagon", it may be tougher to realize a OS switch.
    • elementop, on 07/07/2008, -0/+1Well said.

      While I much prefer Linux to Windows, it's all about the right tool for the job. If you have software that requires Windows, use it. On the other hand, if all you need is a web client and e-mail -- maybe even network file services and printing -- then Linux is more than capable of doing the job, and no, your users won't need an inordinate amount of training. A Windows user can learn Gnome or KDE without much effort.
  • Boagrius, on 07/07/2008, -7/+23From an IT consultant standpoint:

    Ok, Windows has unexplainable ***** problems that can gain 3 hours of billing alone a day. Our bread and butter at our company is spending 3-4 hours 1 or 2 times a day consulting on Windows based problems. The biggest problem is little follow-ups after those problems are solved. The quick-little 10 minute fixes is what we try to stay away from. Big waste of time, money and very hard to bill.

    OR

    We can move our clients over to Linux from Windows!!! What do you think the president or owners of these companies or going to think on this approach? Here are a few sales pitches from our company’s standpoint.

    We never work with Linux, yes we can give you our fast, reliable service but since there really are not a lot of Linux consulting companies out there, we will charge more and take longer to fix the issues you have.

    What? Your employees have no idea how to use the Linux operating system? They want to use MS Office products that they have been using for 10 years? Ok, after we save you a few hundred dollars on Windows licensing we will have to charge you thousands (depending on # of employees) to teach them the Linux operating system and the weird free programs like GIMP you can find.

    What? The 3rd party “your business specific programs” don’t run on Linux? No alternative? Well, we can spend extra money on hardware on the computers you already have to throw a Windows-based shell over Linux to run those programs! You use those programs more than the Linux programs? No, we are gonna shell Windows over Linux, not Linux over Windows, why? It’s free, horray!!

    And those are just SOME of the reason NOT to switch over…..Anyone think of others? I would love to hear it…..actually I would love to hear some good, financial, reasons to switch a 10-50 employee business over to it…..
    • niteskunk, on 07/07/2008, -4/+7I just saved your reply to a text file so I can just paste it when someone starts the "Windows sux 4 business omg" ***** with me. -Thank you-.
    • theaceoffire, on 07/07/2008, -0/+3No viruses/spyware, not having to run checkers for those, and not having users install random crap on their computers. Able to run for months, years with no issues. Can update from a repository you build, so they all stay up to date. And not having to buy new computers to run Vista when XP runs out of service (This year, right?)

      I am not saying that everyone should move to Linux, but there are marked advantages.

    • daftman, on 07/07/2008, -0/+7> We never work with Linux, yes we can give you our fast, reliable service but since there really are not a lot of Linux consulting companies out there, we will charge more and take longer to fix the issues you have.

      I guess the point here is for Business who want to move to Linux to move a Linux vendor or a consulting companies. Unless you are living under a rock, ALL large consulting companies, e.g Accenture have a Linux experts on hand for dealing with Linux, Unix, Solaris and other solutions.

      > What? Your employees have no idea how to use the Linux operating system? They want to use MS Office products that they have been using for 10 years? Ok, after we save you a few hundred dollars on Windows licensing we will have to charge you thousands (depending on # of employees) to teach them the Linux operating system and the weird free programs like GIMP you can find.

      Judging from this, your level support is probably limit to desktop IT support. Most business applications are deployed over the intranet via the web. It's ***** easy to support Firefox than IE. When everyone solution is sitting in a browsers, the only thing that you need is an office suite (open office, lotus notes, neo office)
    • pweltz, on 07/08/2008, -0/+0What? This MS server is still not working because of that odd licensing "Geniuine Advantage" issue?

      What? We have to buy _again_ a new server (and license!) because that new software is only supported on verX service pack Y

      What? Whe _have_ to upgrade our complex production server because MSFT decided to stop our version X?

      What? You're still on the phone with this MSFT support guy from India?
      Ah the poor guy has no clue how the code works. Someone in Redmond wrote that in a rush and left to the XBOX team. Nobody will fix that sorry, you may have to upgrade to.... Windows Basta
  • pockiez, on 07/07/2008, -2/+6The software that my company produces and the hardware that we sell along side it run (on) Red Hat. We've never had a problem with it. We sell our software to your utility companies to help them keep track of their distribution and to give them a way to (graphically) issue controls to points in the field. Personally, I would prefer my power company to run Linux, rather than risk a blue screen that affects more than just their systems. Sure, the techies they have may not understand the OS completely, but that's why we offer in house and in field training to them. It's a long term investment, but it will definitely be worth it in the long run.
  • Hercules, on 07/07/2008, -3/+13Any decent business looks at the applications they need to get their job duty done, and done well and efficiently. If you look at Linux because Linux is free, and don't look to what business applications you might need, or then have to create because they simply don't exist in Linux (Sharepoint? Office? BizTalk? Quark? Photoshop? Illustrator?).

    Look, I know there are 'equivalents' for lots of software, but when you are a business, you generally do business with OTHER businesses. And there are standards here. If you send somebody a OpenOffice document, they won't know how to open it in MS Office. If you send somebody GIMP formatted pictures, they will not open it in Photoshop. If you want to share and collaborate on documents in real time with OTHER companies, then OpenOffice isn't going to do it -- you need Sharepoint, or Groove. If you want to do layouts, you need Quark or something else.

    The idiocy of people choosing something based solely on an OS level (I'm looking at you Mac fanboys) is ridiculous. And beyond stupid. Choose the best platform that you feel will deliver the best results and the least amount of overhead cost. For 90%+ of businesses, this continues to be Windows. And not because Windows is uber anything -- it's because the applications are there and management is simple and cheap. Development is cheap too. Sometimes you can use a Mac and be cheaper -- it's rare. Linux, it's even MORE rare since the open source applications save Firefox, generally suck ass compared to what is commercially available. Gimp compared to Photoshop? OO.o compared to Office? Give me a break. I like Linux for the sake of liking it, but as a business decision I would generally stray away from it unless I was doing database clusters or web server clusters, where its powers are strong.

    Again, use the best tool for the job. Don't make this a religious war, because your business is doomed to fail because you're an idiot. Although if you're an idiot... odds are you won't get far anyway.
    • xsquirrel378x, on 07/07/2008, -0/+6>If you send somebody a OpenOffice document, they won't know how to open it in MS Office

      You do know that Openoffice can save in pretty much every single word format right?
      • Hercules, on 07/07/2008, -3/+4Try giving a bunch of computer noobs a computer, and explain to them how to do the "Save As" so that they save it properly.

        It costs money to train those people. It costs money when you lost time due to an improperly submitted document, especially if it is contractual terms or the like.

        People just don't seem to understand that the cost of business goes BEYOND the OS that you use, and more to the point of what you make your enterprise use as a whole. It's about the business -- not the OS. Use what best serves your business. Period.
      • theaceoffire, on 07/07/2008, -2/+5You know you can change the default save format, right?

    • MagisterSart, on 07/08/2008, -0/+0A reasonable comment at last.

      "Again, use the best tool for the job. Don't make this a religious war, because your business is doomed to fail because you're an idiot. Although if you're an idiot... odds are you won't get far anyway."

      Quite plain and simple. And actually, this is the solution to the Holy War we had here :)
  • Rudegar, on 07/07/2008, -2/+8i even use gimp on windows photoshop is a bit bloated for my needs and it cost money
    gimp dont
  • tcpip4lyfe, on 07/07/2008, -3/+15There is a place for Linux in business and that's on the servers. We run about 20 ubuntu servers and a handful of Red Hat web servers. We serve our mail, DNS, VPN, PBX (asterisk), fileserver (samba), webservers, LAMP servers all on Linux. We do have 1 Exchange server though because like it or not, Exchange and active directory are extremely easy to administer. You'd be a ***** goon to put Linux on the workstations though. Open Office is not ready for prime time yet and there is not an mail client that interfaces well with exchange. Evolution has a plug-in but it can't do half of things that outlook can. Not to mention the support calls you'd get when people try to open 2007 .xls files or try to view the flash e-vite their friend sent them.
    • mooninite, on 07/07/2008, -1/+3Run Fedora Directory Server and dovecot (IMAP) instead of Exchange. LDAP with AD integration. I've been using it here at my office as a domain for XP machines. Works fine. Well faster and easier to configure and maintain over a Microsoft product.

      Outlook can do what? Read e-mail. Thunderbird can do what? Read e-mail. You'd be a tool to state otherwise. IMAP does above and beyond what everyone needs. No need to use exchange besides the name.
      • caseycoold, on 07/07/2008, -1/+3I only use outlook at work because I prefer simple web mail.
        But it does much more than read mail. From scheduling meetings with people and all that can entail to stuff it can do with tasks and contacts. Many business people live and die by this stuff.
      • magamiako, on 07/07/2008, -1/+2Fedora Directory Server? So how do you prevent Amy over in HR from changing the desktop background to a big ***** YOU picture? Or prevent Johnny from changing IE security settings because he wants to?

        What about those students you're managing in a school/educational environment from messing around with things?

        Just because you can enable directory services for authentication does not mean the system provides the massive flexibility and control that you get out of a Windows AD setup.

        When people talk about AD, they generally mean far more than just "centralized authentication", even though that's a big part of it.
      • mooninite, on 07/07/2008, -1/+2Thunderbird has a calendar add-on. It's called Lightning. Google it. I use it with my Exchange colleges all the time. They send me events -- I can add them, reply to them, and even modify them!

        FDS is only an application for authentication. Mearly a specialized LDAP server.

        Samba takes care of the domain part -- that's where you can assign user profiles, login scripts, or whatever, just like an AD. FDS != AD. FDS + Samba == AD.
      • sirhomer, on 07/08/2008, -0/+2@magamiako

        You should check out PolicyKit. One point of contention I agree, but it's a point of contention that is basically becoming non-existant as we speak. In fact, thanks to package managers, Linux workstations will basically manage themselves, something you'll never get from Active Directory or Windows.

        Were I used to sysadmin, we had to manage 200 software applications and over three dozen system configurations. Microsoft provides very little tools to help with this task. A distro like Ubuntu does the work for you. It's much easier overall.

        Again, I'd check out PolicyKit if I were you. You'd be surprised with the flexibility it offers even today.
  • stutimandal, on 07/07/2008, -1/+6I don't use Photoshop or GIMP for my projects. For me the debate does not exists. I prefer Inkscape since I can generate scalable graphics and editable paths in it.
  • dcmcderm, on 07/07/2008, -1/+4At my company (there are around 30 of us) all of us use Macs. A bit more mainstream than Linux maybe, but we are faced with the same issues. Our customers use Windows apps, and we have to make sure that our Mac equivalent programs are fully compatible.

    From experience, I would say that 95% of the time there is no problem. Stuff just works. For the other 5% of the time, as a fallback crutch we all have VMware Fusion installed with trusty old Windows XP and Office 2003. The most common problem is those fancy PowerPoint presentations with animations, sounds, etc. that just don't quite look the same in OpenOffice. Still, not a big deal to fire up VMWare.

    I'm sure that for some companies, running Linux or Mac OS would make no sense because there are plenty of highly specific software apps that are only available on Windows. My company develops web applications so by nature it is a bit more cross-platform. Most web apps, especially these days, need to be able to run on more than just IE.
    • magamiako, on 07/07/2008, -2/+1Assuming you have a setup with "competent" IT people, you're going to be fine. Try having to hire people straight out of college as an administrative assistant. Their training is on Windows, their knowledge is with Windows. They probably have a Windows computer at home.

      You're going to spend an immense out of time and money to train them on anything else.
    • Dantetheinferno, on 07/08/2008, -0/+1So, how much money did you save? I mean, you still pay for windows for all the comptuers, and office.

      You literally got screwed because you paid extra on apple's hardware.
  • liquidmetalband, on 07/07/2008, -2/+1GIMP not included
  • rip747, on 07/07/2008, -1/+4not to go off topic, but if you don't want to spend the money on Photoshop, you can use Paint.Net (http://www.getpaint.net) instead. it even has a psd plugin so it can open and save photoshop files. i don't know if it will work under Mono or not, but if someone wants to try, go ahead.
  • tnoy, on 07/07/2008, -1/+5Why does every article about this always quote the full retail price of Windows? No business is going to be paying the full retail price of Windows. Virtually every business isn't going to upgrade the OS until they do a hardware upgrade, at which point the cost of Vista goes down dramatically. It'll be less than what you'd pay for the OEM version of Vista Business from places like newegg.

    Also, every article like this first points out the cost of Windows, then says you can use VMWare to use applications that will not run in wine.. which requires you to purchase a copy of Windows and defeats the whole purpose of saving the money by "not having to buy Windows."

    I'm all for the widespread use of Linux, but this article is crap.

    • mooninite, on 07/07/2008, -0/+1It's from PC World, what did you expect? They only run Linux through Live CDs.
  • dcmcderm, on 07/07/2008, -2/+3At my company (there are around 30 of us) all of us use Macs. A bit more mainstream than Linux maybe, but we are faced with the same issues. Our customers use Windows apps, and we have to make sure that our Mac equivalent programs are fully compatible.

    From experience, I would say that 95% of the time there is no problem. Stuff just works. For the other 5% of the time, as a fallback crutch we all have VMware Fusion installed with trusty old Windows XP and Office 2003.

    I'd say that on average I open up Fusion maybe once every 2 weeks. The most common problem is those fancy PowerPoint presentations with animations, sounds, etc. that just don't quite look the same in OpenOffice. Still, not a big deal to fire up VMWare, it runs nice and quick on the MacBook Pro.

    I'm sure that for some companies, running Linux or Mac OS would make no sense because there are plenty of highly specific software apps that are only available on Windows. My company develops web applications so by nature it is a bit more cross-platform. Most web apps, especially these days, need to be able to run on more than just IE.
  • karolisonline, on 07/07/2008, -3/+3how small business has to be? 100$ per work place is to much? if 100$ is to much than maybe you shouldn't be doing business in the first place or maybe you don't need computer! pencil and paper book is 100 times cheaper. the very simple idea of pc was that is can reduce cost of your work by replacing some tools and by automating work process, why would You want to reduce this cost even more?
    people lost their way, IT helps to reduce work costs and it is nothing wrong that IT costs. some people say that oil margin is many times smaller than software's, but does oil run your car from A to B without interaction from your side? no, it only runs your car's engine, same as electricity runs pc.
    • jlnr, on 07/08/2008, -2/+2No idea why the hell you're getting dugg down.

      Granted, my parents "are" a company that's smaller than small. But back when I thought Linux was great and cost effective, I set up Linux/OOo as their first work environment and nothing worked. Really. We tried to get along with it for days and weeks, telling ourselves that it's cool and, at least, free. Then we got a clue and bought XP home and an MS Works bundle. It probably took a week to get that money back with improved productivity.

      If I ran a company with less than some hundred computers I wouldn't even think about using it on the desktop o_O
  • LastDitchHero, on 07/07/2008, -1/+1Very few businesses have the luxury of having 100% non Windows OS. We use a lot of cheap Linux laptops (EEE PCs) but we are very limited in what we do so that is just fortunate for us. Now, with Mono things may change since many devs are targeting .NET.
  • tomthebitx, on 07/07/2008, -0/+0I say stick with Windows if you're already using it. The retraining your employees to using a new linux distro for folks who aren't very computer savvy is too much trouble. A far easier step to take is getting openoffice which the article mentions over MS office. That will help you dodge that license fee and the two programs are very similar and easy to transition to and from IMO.
    • hellraiserrishi, on 07/07/2008, -0/+1I completely agree with you man, a slow transition to open-source applications is what most people need....let them use openoffice,firefox,gimp and other open source apps available on windows and then they will realize that those applications are far better in many ways inspite of having a few limitations....i think that will convert more people to linux than just telling people its far more superior....let them realize on their own....slowly....
  • jellygraph, on 07/07/2008, -0/+6Peoples dependence on Windows is a bit like our dependence on oil. We know its wrong and it contributes to all the problems we see today, like data theft, fraud, zombie networks, etc... but people just can't give it up. Until Microsoft released Vista. No one I know likes it. Ask my wife. She'd switch to Linux at the drop of a hat if it weren't for Photoshop and I never tried to convince her really. And since I got a Mac, she taken a liking to that as well. She used to mock Apple zealots.
    • magamiako, on 07/07/2008, -4/+1zombie networks can be even harder to detect in Linux, since no applications are digitally signed nor verified by the OS, someone could change netstat on your computer to hide all connections they make and you'd never know unless you were watching network traffic. But if they're not doing anything that loads your connection (serving warez), you'll never know.

      Have fun with that.
      • hugolp, on 07/08/2008, -0/+2*****, *****, *****
      • jellygraph, on 07/11/2008, -0/+1yes, all applications on windows are digitally signed... *smacks forehead and makes a retarded face* You are a f'ing idiot.
  • Tribis, on 07/07/2008, -0/+2Just like many of the above users stated, businesses have a hard time going all Linux because most businesses need specialty applications that you will never find a Linux alternative to. I work at a doctor's office doing billing, the program that is the life blood of the business, used to bill, schedule, file electronic claims, etc, cost about $10,000 (or can be leased) and there is no Linux alternative nor a Linux version.
  • nytel, on 07/07/2008, -1/+2I haven't seen a blue screen in a good minute.
  • YodaJones, on 07/07/2008, -2/+3Funny how all the kids come out of their mom's basement to slam Linux. Someday you might have to get a job when your mom refuses to support you and then you might have to then pay for things yourself. God forbid you might have to do something with a computer one day besides use it as a video game toy.
    • magamiako, on 07/07/2008, -2/+2I do a ton of things work-related between Windows and Linux both. There are strong and weak points for each OS. And it's completely stupid to recommend replacing corporate desktops with Linux.
      • Kosher1947, on 07/08/2008, -0/+0Dugg you back up. It just isn't possible to replace everything with Linux.
    • rockefeller2, on 07/07/2008, -2/+1I live in Florida. We don't have basements here.
      Douche
  • bumcheekcity, on 07/07/2008, -1/+5Windows costs £80 per computer. Each person uses one computer, and they're paid £20,000 a year. Windows is NOT the expense here.
  • Zpanzer, on 07/07/2008, -1/+5The day they port Zbrush, Photoshop and 3D studio max to Linux and make it run at the same performance as my windows machine, I will switch, until that... nah.
  • YodaJones, on 07/07/2008, -1/+4"I do a ton of things work related..." That's great skippy. It's nice to know you do work at work sometimes. And since you don't foot the bill for what your company uses you better get better acquainted with Linux because you will be seeing a lot more of it in the future.

    And to Mr Florida: I know trailers don't have basements.
  • Chorizotarian, on 07/08/2008, -2/+0Wait... Linux is free??? OMG BREAKING NEWZ
  • dreamszz, on 07/08/2008, -0/+1No matter what the cost, the fact that 200+ million people are used to working with Windows and have either learned to live with the shortcomings or work around them, makes it very hard to switch to Linux. Not impossible just hard frustrating. Not to mention that many people have never seen nor used a command line, and that scares the hell out of them. Just I were to ask you to make a few adjustments to the engine of your car, and hand you a wrench. :)

    I switched 4 years ago, do not regret it and will never go back, but it took me - a computer-savvy professional - 3-4 months to become comfortable. And find a replacement for all my treasured utilities. ;)
  • jay019, on 07/08/2008, -0/+1@GinsuGuy585. > Your wife is ignorant and should be disallowed from using devices above her level of intelligence (cloths-iron, kitchen table.)

    If you said this to my wife you'd be nuring your fractured skull for weeks. Your a knob jockey!
  • ocgstyles, on 07/08/2008, -0/+1dont "panic at the distro"...

    nice.
  •  

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